Title: Can't Live Without Him


Disclaimer: I do not own Angel or anything associated with the show. This story is also in no way associated with the current story I'm writing Friendly Reflection. But everyone keeps saying Angel and Connor need to act like father and son and I'm writing this so people will stop putting that in reviews of my story Friendly Reflection. (Not to be bitchy but if I wanted the story that way, I'd write it that way.) So to satisfy readers I'm writing a story with Connor and Angel living together.


Disclaimer two: I have no ill feelings of Barry Manilow of any kind. I apologize in advance if certain comments made by characters offend anyone.


Summary: Angel and Connor deal with the fact that they are father and son. Season: 4 as if all the stuff over the summer had never happened, Cordelia never became a higher being and Fred and Gunn never broke up. Pairings: A/Cordy, F/G


Raiting: better make it a Pg-13




Chapter One:


Connor awoke to the loud blaring of someone singing "Mandy" in the shower. He sighed loudly and glared at the ceiling. Why did his dad have to be a Manilow freak? True he was old, but he couldn't he pick someone a little cooler? Like, Jimi Hendrix?


Throwing off the covers he jumped from bed and stomped into his father's bathroom. Angel was still singing about "Mandy" so he didn't notice Connor walk in. Connor flung aside the shower curtain.

"Oh, Mandy. Well, you came and you gave without takin.' And I sent you away . . . Aghhh!" Angel screamed when he saw Connor.

"Dad!" he yelled causing Angel to jump and cover his . . . manly areas with his foaming puff sponge. "People are trying to sleep, and it's a little hard to do with you impersonating Barry Manilow in here!" With that he flung the curtain closed again and stomped back to his room.

"Thanks for knocking!" Angel yelled back at him sarcastically.

"Any time!" Connor yelled back.

Man, sometimes his dad really got on his nerves. When Angel was all serious and dark avengerish he was really cool. Like, no one in the world could stop him. But when he showered . . . what a dork.

+ + +

Angel sighed as he rinsed the soap off and turned the shower off. I swear, he thought. Holtz raised my son in a barn. The kid didn't even know when to knock! Angel never thought having an 18-year-old in the house could be so nerve raking at times. The boy was moodier than Cordy on PMS. (He would never tell her that though.)

"Deep breaths," Angel told himself as he reached for a towel. "Deep soothing breaths."

Angel dried off and reached for his clothes. Maybe after Connor had eaten some breakfast he would be in a better mood. Then they all could go over some case files, fight some demons, take in a movie. Ya know, a normal day. For this family anyway.

After he was dressed Angel put some hair goo in to make his hair all spikey-like, and spritzed on the cologne Cordelia seemed to like. After all, it was all about pleasing the lady. Or he might have a cranky Cordy on his hands.

He tied on his boots and left his bathroom all neat and tidy the way he liked it. He whistled to his favorite tune "Mandy" as he strolled down the hall. As Angel passed he saw Connor's bedroom door was open. Peering in he saw clothes strewn across the floor, the bed not made, and plates on the end table by his bed. Sighing again he walked on, whistling a little louder.

Angel kinda bounced down the stairs as he walked, still whistling. Connor looked up from the bowl of cereal he was eating to glare at his father and the loathed song he was whistling. Angel smiled at his son and tousled his hair. He punched Gunn lightly on the arm as he went by, hugged Fred, and kissed Cordelia on the cheek. Then he grabbed his morning mug of blood from the fridge.

"Someone's in a good mood," Cordelia commented as she flipped through some files.

"Faker," Conner muttered as he spooned more cereal in his mouth.

"Well," Angel said, shooting his son a look. "There's nothing like having your shower interrupted in the morning."

"Maybe we should interrupt your showers every day," Fred suggested.

"No," Angel said athoritivly.

Fred shrugged and filled a bowl with Fruity Pebbles and milk. Then she slid the bowl over to her boyfriend who sat next to her. Gunn smiled and slid an arm around Fred. Angel was glad the two seemed so happy. At least someone got to be.

Not that he wasn't happy. He just never got to be that over joyous-everythings-great-and-wonderful-I-wanna-scream-about-how-happy-I-am-type happiness that everyone else got. Which was fine. Angel would take what he could get.

Connor made slurping noises as he drank what milk was left in his bowl. Angel frowned at his son. The boy was definitely in annoying sort of mood today.

"You are my sunshine. . . my only sunshine. . ." Lorne's lyrical voice floated to them as the green demon danced down the stairs in a bright blue linen suit with a purplish-red shirt and blue tie. As always bright and bouncing even in the morning. "Good morning all you beautiful people. Isn't it a gorgeous day?"

"If you say so," quipped moody boy.

"Well, since everyone's down and in such a good mood," Cordelia said giving Connor a side long glance. "I guess we can get started."

"A lady called this morning about a case," Fred told them handing Cordelia the file.

"Right. About her daughter. She disappeared about a week ago. After reading over a journal her daughter left behind she believes that the girl is in hiding with a demon gang that hangs around where Gunn used to live," Cordelia filled in. "She'll be in a little later to give us some photos, and any other information she think might be helpful."

"Great," Angel said finishing off his mug o' blood. "We've got a case for the day. I'm sure it's just a bunch of demon teens who think they're real tough showing this girl a 'good time'. Nothing we can't handle."

"We still get violence right? Coz I was hoping for some violence," Gunn piped up.

"If necessary. We'll go in and get the girl after her mother comes. Right buddy?" Angel asked patting Connor on the shoulder.

"What? Oh, sure," Connor acted like he'd been paying attention.

"Good. Come 'ere," Angel playfully grabbed his son in a headlock/hug and mussed his hair.

"Ugh-er-. . . Dad!" Connor whined