When In Rome
Ch. 3
Italic is thought.
Bold is Italian.
Disclaimer: I own nothing except the characters I have created.
Dawn almost jumped out of her skin when she heard the front door slam open and Connor yell, "Dawn? Dawn, are you here?" The worry she heard in his voice gave her the strength to choke back her sobs. "Dawn I'm so-."
"What the hell did you do to her?!" The sound of him hitting the ground in the outer hallway froze her in the middle of getting off the ground. Unfreezing, she scrambled frantically across her room; cursing as she fumbled at the doorknob, the sound of Buffy beating him made her clumsy. After what felt like forever she wrenched open the door, crying out as she saw Connor go limp as Buffy held him up one handed with her other cocked to hit him again.
"Stop! Please Buffy, please!"
Buffy stopped mid-blow, "He hurt you, Dawn. He hurt you, no one hurts you!"
"Buffy look at me I'm okay," at her look Dawn rephrased, "All right not okay, but I'm not really hurt. I'm wigged, not injured. I promise."
"So what happened? You were all catatonic and bruised. So what's the what?" She demanded, unceremoniously dropping Connor to the floor.
Dawn looked from Buffy to Connor, took a couple deep breaths reminding herself to stay calm, "I'm just gonna check to see if you, you know, killed him first okay?" She ignored her sister's frown as she knelt by him checking his pulse and breathing, relaxing a little when she found him doing both. "Okay, let's see, yeah, everything was fine until we went to see Brad. He ask about Kelly and I lied telling him she was fine; I mean he was really out of it, loopy on pain meds, and he still ask about her. You know what would have happened if I'd told him she was dead."
"He probably would give up, duh, you did the right thing. What does that have to do with-?"
"I know it was right, but I lied and that made Connor completely flip. He started yelling about his whole life being a lie and how it was wrong to lie, it making everything wrong."
"So that makes it alright for him to hurt you? I think not!"
"He grabbed my arms is all, and if you'll remember you've hurt me like that before. Oh, and when I found out about my keyness, I flipped out remember."
"Sooo?"
"So, flipping out is totally normal when a person finds out about a big lie and he has had to deal with lots more big lies than I have. Obviously, he is really on edge with his life; thinking his family will turn on him and all. He didn't know about the people who had given up, we just need to make him understand and he can't do that if you beat him to death. Okay?"
"Okay, I won't kill him, yet. But, if explaining doesn't work or he hurts you again, don't get in my way."
"Buffy, don't joke about that; we don't kill people and even if we did I wouldn't let-"
"Holy One Ring Batman! What happened here? Who is that? Connor! Hey, did he turn evil?" Andrew babbled as he came into view of their tense tableau.
"He's not evil!"
"Arrgg, Dawn he-"
"I know what he did, but look at what you did! You almost beat him to death! You almost killed him, Buffy!" When Buffy blanched, Dawn knew she had broken through her sister's rage. She looked back at Connor and blanched herself at what she saw. As calmly as she could, she whispered, "Get him back into the apartment. Andrew, call Willow and tell her we need her and a healer here now!"
"Willow? Don't we usually call Xander to fix windows and doors?" He grinned weakly at her.
"The door can wait, damnit, he's started bleeding out of his fucking eyes, Andrew!! Buffy help now!" Her voice got very shrill making her sister rush to very carefully lift Connor out of the hallway as Andrew scurried inside to the phone.
Seven minutes later the front door was propped back up and three women materialized in the kitchen. "Willow! Here hurry please, he's here, please help," Dawn cried.
"Ow, headache. Hey guys, sorry, this is Althanea and her sister Herata, the coven's best healers," the two witches immediately laid their hands on Connor and started chanting. Willow told the others to be quiet and they went to Buffy's bedroom. Willow quietly ask what the demon trouble was, obviously thinking a demon had gotten Connor. But before anyone could answer her the door was opened, "Wow that was super fast, even for you guys!" Willow chirped.
"We are not done, we have barely begun. More power than we have is needed to save this boy."
Willow's face fell, "That teleport really drained me, I don-"
"Your friends have the power we need, Slayer and Key. Understand that you will be weakened for a couple of days. But, if you give us the power we need we can save him."
Dawn quickly crossed the room nodding. As she pleadingly looked at her sister Buffy nodded, "What do we have to do?"
"Willow will channel your power to us and you," she pointed at Andrew, "will quietly make the restorative tea instead of Willow."
Willow gave Andrew the instructions and sent him to the kitchen. Then they all knelt on the floor beside Connor where he lay on the sofa. As instructed, Buffy and Dawn joined hands, Willow took their hands in one of hers, placed the other in Althanea and Herata's joined hands and they placed their other hands on Connor's chest. The healers resumed chanting as power flowed freely through them. After what seemed like both an eternity and less than a second the connection was broken, exhausted the five women slumped breathing hard.
"We were able to heal his massive brain damage and partially heal the cheekbone. We had to leave the superficial cuts and bruises alone to concentrate on the life threatening wounds. He will still have a bad headache and due to the nature of the injuries to his brain he cannot be allowed to open his eyes or try to get up until tomorrow morning."
"Thank you sooo much, thank you, thank you if we can ever do anything for you we will do it," Dawn told them.
"Andrew is that tea done yet?" Buffy weakly called.
"Uhm, coming," he handed out cups, hovering worriedly.
"Young man?"
"Yes, um, ah?"
"Herata."
"I'm Andrew, do you need more tea?"
"No thank you, could you please call Giles and ask him to arrange a more earthly transport home for my sister and myself?" She smiled up at him.
Andrew frowned slightly, "You can't go back by land. Your coven is in England, isn't it?"
"Oh dear, where are we child?"
"Okay, don't turn me into a frog, but you're in Rome," he told her.
"A frog, no I don't do frogs. But perhaps he could arrange an airplane instead."
"Defiantly, I'll get right on that," he hurried to the phone.
Althanea turned to Willow, "Is he always that nervous?"
Willow sighed, "He was one of the people I tried to kill when I was evil, he's been a little nervous around me ever since. Although he was high-strung even when he was trying to be an evil mastermind."
"And what is he now?"
"Buffy?"
"He's our roommate and trainingtobeawatcher," Buffy looked uncomfortable at the last part and tried to say it as fast as possible.
Seeing the looks on the witches faces Dawn felt the need to defend him, "He is really good at research and planning, just not the violent stuff and the new slayers like him. He's good at bringing them up to speed on what has happened to them without scaring them. I mean Wil, remember Anya's talk when we thought I was a potential. Even if he did have that Lucasville bit, Andrew's was better."
"My what was better?" He asks as he re-entered the room.
"Your pep talk when we thought I was chosen."
"You liked the Skywalker analogy?" He looked shocked and pleased.
"No, actually I liked the other one. The one after I left the room, you said I was part of a heritage stretching back to Eve."
He squirmed with pleasure, "I use one like that a lot; the newbies really seem to like it too. Even if Xander didn't like it, I just knew it was right. It just seemed right with you all being women, only a woman can bring forth life so it makes sense that women protect life," he beamed as he babbled.
Althanea smiled at his enthusiasm, "I'm sure you help them through their transition into their lives as Slayers, but did you manage to reach Giles?"
"Yeah, he's on the phone now. He says 'Hi' to Buffy and Dawn. He can line up a flight for you two back to England as early as two hours from now. Willow, he can get you back to Tibet tomorrow," he told them as he handed Althanea the phone.
"Thank you, Giles. Will everything be in order when we arrive at the airport? Yes, everything is fine here now. Yes, good, then we will take the earliest flight."
Willow took the phone, "Actually, if it's all right with Buffy I'm gonna stay here a while," at Buffy's smile and nod she continued, "Yes, I'll hang out here and give everyone hugs for you, bye-bye," she hung up and gave Andrew back the phone, "He expects a full report from you later, Buffy."
"Alright, I'll just take you ladies to the airport. See you when I get back," Herata stopped Buffy as she tried to stand.
"No, young lady, you are going to continue to sit there with your sister and the young man. You don't feel it yet, but you gave a great deal of your personal strength to save him. Andrew can drive us after he gets pillows and blankets for the four of you."
Hearing this he went to the closet and got what was needed and handed it out.
"Why aren't you two as tired as we are?" Dawn ask as she settled into her nest on the floor.
"We used your power, we directed it, and it didn't take nearly as much of ours in the process. Sorry you it had to make you feel so weak."
"Hey, no problem, I just wondered," she assured the healers sleepily. "He will be all right, right?"
"Yes child, sleep now," Dawn smiled at them and as sleep took her she heard Buffy telling Andrew to call a repairman for the door.
Oh God, my head hurts. Where am I? Who is talking? What are they saying?
"Look Andrew, I don't care how 'Camp Lucas' tries to justify putting Hayden Christenson in the end of Jedi; no matter what poop about 'his soul stopped aging when he went evil' they try to shovel at us, it was an obvious marketing ploy. And it sucks!"
Andrew, I know that name, who is Andrew?
"No, it, I. Oh heck, you're right. Hey, if he ever puts out the real movies, can we kill him?"
"Hmm, I'm thinking, yes. Cause, then we can definitely call him an evil demon."
Andrew, Star Wars, Andrew, Dawn!!
"Dawn!" He tried to sit up, the world swimming before his eyes.
"Whoa there buddy! You can't get up yet and close your eyes; you'll mess them up if you try to use them now. Dawn is fine; she's sleeping on the floor next to you. How is your head?"
"It feels like it took a battle axe. Are you sure she's alright?"
"Yeah, she's 100 a-okay, just sleeping. Don't open your eyes or sit up you will hurt yourself if you do before tomorrow. Look, I remember you don't like magic but-"
"You remember what! Who are you?" He tensed getting ready to try to rise no matter his injury.
"Willow. I'm Willow, remember me Connor? I called you Angel's 'handsome but androgynous son'. Remember?"
He relaxed at her words, "Willow, hi. I remember. Dawn's really alright, I didn't hurt her?"
"Hurt her? You think you hurt her? H-how did you hurt her?" Willow's voice trembled more with each question.
"Is that why Buffy went all Fight Club on your face?!" Andrew exclaimed.
"Wait, BUFFY did that to him?!" Her shriek woke Buffy and Dawn.
"What did I do?" Came the groggy question from Buffy.
"You got left on the doorstep with the other howler monkeys," Dawn mumbled.
"Drop the howler monkey crap," Buffy growled at her sister.
"Dawn, are you alright? Willow says I can't open my eyes. Please forgive me, I didn't mean to hurt you, I was wrong to get so mad at you. I was just upset at seeing Brad like that and everything that happened I completely lost it. I'm so sorry," he reached blindly for her.
"I'm fine; I know you didn't mean it, not really. Willow can I open up my eyes?"
"Oh yes, only Connor can't look around yet cause of the healing. Like I was saying, you don't like magic, but we had to do a pretty major working to heal you. You almost died, the damage was too much for even you accelerated healing to handle. I thought a demon got a hold of you, but Andrew says it was Buffy and I am in need of some serious explanations."
As soon as Dawn heard her say it was okay, she looked up for Connor and grabbed his searching hands, holding them tightly, assuring him she was fine.
Buffy looked at Willow uncomfortably, "Last night Dawn, Vi, and I went to clean out a vamp nest that was operating an underground tour to get their victims. Connor and his two friends, Brad and Kelly, were already there when we arrived. We went on the tour to get to the nest and when we got there we were able to kill all the vampires with Connor's help, unfortunately Kelly got killed and Brad was badly hurt. Brad is in the hospital and when Dawn took Connor to see him he ask about Kelly. Dawn told she was fine and Connor, according to Dawn, just wigged out. But in the process he hurt her and I came home and found her crying with her arms bruised and all I got out of her was that Connor hadn't meant to. So when he came here I wigged and beat him until Dawn made me stop. I'm sorry I reacted like that, I'm not proud of it, but Dawn was hurt and no one does that."
Willow and Andrew stared at her so stunned that for once the rather talkative pair was silent.
"I deserved it. I deserved punishment for what I did, I-"
"No you didn't. I almost killed you, you didn't deserve to die," Buffy quietly told him.
"Okay, no one meant to do anything, we get that, but why was it done?" Andrew wanted to know.
"I think it was a big misunderstanding, maybe we need to tell each other everything. I'll start with our side and then Connor can fill us in with his side," Dawn reasonably suggested.
About three hours later Buffy and friends had told each other everything up-to-date, saving the latest relationship skinny for last. Xander had, once again, captured the interest of a female demon, named Jani. Everyone had a good laugh at how he had frantically called Willow when she attached herself to him. Connor had queried if this was a literal attachment and Willow assured him it wasn't. She said that, after doing mega research, she had been able to reassure Xander that this demon was the African equivalent of a Grecian Dryad. She was descended from Edinkira, an African tree goddess, and luckily Jani was only dangerous if her land was threatened. Xander had inadvertently brought himself to her attention by destroying a demon that, unknown to him, had been threatening her oasis. Giles was making tentative overtures towards a lady, named Sophia, in the new Watchers Council. Funny they don't even know where their biological father is, but they talk to Giles at least once a week and not just about slayer stuff. They have the same expression of proud disgust that any of the girls in school have when one of their parents is starting to date. I guess he is the dad of their hearts, I wish I knew who the dad of my heart was. Connor thought to himself. Faith and Robin Wood were still bickering about who was prettier, all the while keeping Chicago safe. At first Connor was shocked that Faith had settled down with anyone, but Robin surprised her often enough to keep her interest, while still being a stabilizing influence. Dawn said she thought Faith needed him, cause even though she was in a much better emotional and mental place, she was still reckless, not suicidally so, but still reckless with her own safety when on a mission. He was someone for her to want to go home to and with, so she was more careful than she would be if he wasn't there. However, if she was leading others she was exceptionally cautious of the safety of them; she had learned her lesion with the bomb trap. When Willow admitted that she and Kennedy had grown apart, Buffy couldn't hide her glee. Dawn held her tongue, I always thought she was way to pushy, bossy and bitchy for Willow. She decided to just be happy that Willow had finally realized what we all had already known, rather than practically wax poetically on the topic like Buffy was. The real kicker was when Willow interrupted Buffy's litany to ask her if she was still dating the Immortal.
"The Immortal, please! That is sooo over," Buffy rolled her eyes and Dawn laughed.
"Yeah, he made the mistake of saying that he always could steal Angel and Spike's women from them, but that Buffy had been an especially easy conquest. When he realized she had overheard his bragging, he went all 'I love you baby, I didn't mean it, it was just guy talk'. She kicked his ass and kicked him to the curb," Dawn chortled.
"And the most pathetic part was, on his way out he actually tried to hit one Dawn. She kicked him in the face," Buffy beamed proudly at her sister.
Then realizing their part was over, four pairs of eyes turned expectantly to Connor. He felt their gaze and swallowed nervously, then told them about his magically supplied normal life up until he came in contact with Angel again and the spell broke. That only took about and hour and a half. Then over the course of two and a half hours he told them of his 'real' life. It was difficult for him not to lose the thread of his story when they interrupted in shock at the 'games' Holtz had played. When he got to the part with evil Cordy all but Willow were stunned into absolute silence.
"You mean the Cordy that I saw and talked to wasn't her? She was possessed? How could I not tell? I mean how did anyone not guess?"
Connor just shrugged and stated that the being was very powerful, considering it gave birth to itself. His voice became a study of pain and his eyes squeezed so tightly that it was painful to behold, as he told them about Jasmine and his attempted suicide. At that point he broke down and sobbed.
Oh my god. Dawn thought as she held him, his body wracked with the pain he only now allowed himself to fully feel. I can't believe he had to live through all that. That Holtz was some new kind of bastard, he was twisted. The things he did and claimed to have loved Connor; and Connor, he had to kill his own daughter. No wonder he has mondo issues. She stroked his hair and his back as she whispered in his ear that it was alright. It was over. Holtz and Jasmine couldn't hurt him anymore, and that the real Cordy would never have used him like that. She promised that they would keep him safe, as she held him until he calmed.
"You know something, I never realized, I just didn't know. I didn't know how life was supposed to be until Angel gave it to me. He knew he couldn't help me himself, so he gave me up to let me try to have a normal life. I know it was the best he could do for me, but I wish he could have somehow kept me."
"He never was good at holding on. He moved away to try to give me THE SLAYER, a chance at a normal life. Like that would ever happen. In his defense he did try to help when we went against The First. Maybe I should have let him wear that amulet, and then WolfRam and Hart never would have gotten their hooks in him as deep as they did." At Dawn's sharp look she realized how her words had sounded. "Oh god Connor, I didn't mean that I wanted him to have died. I just didn't want him to have turned evil."
"I know you don't mean that, but he didn't turn evil. He was trying to do good from within, until he realized it was impossible. Then he decided to take them down with him. He and the rest of them went on a suicide mission to try to take down WolfRam and Hart. He knew he wouldn't survive the fight, but he said as long as I was alright he would be too. Heck, even Illyria helped in the fight and she was an Old One. She was a formerly evil 'power that was' that had taken over Fred's body. She decided to fight for good, because of Wesley and Spi- Hey!! Wait a damn minute! You said Spike died! Was your Spike a bleach blonde vamp with an attitude?" Connor demanded shocked at what the implications were.
"Platinum hair, blue eyes, great body, the attitude of a bad boy, and the soul of a poet," Buffy reminisced fondly.
"Buffy don't forget the coat, his trench was like a second skin to him," Dawn smiled at her.
"He's not dead guys! He was at WolfRam with Angel. He was Illyria's sparing partner. Didn't you see him when you went to get that crazy slayer Andrew?" Connor exclaimed.
When they turned to him, Andrew looked like he wanted nothing more at that moment than for the earth to open up and swallow him.
After a few moments of silence, Buffy ask in a low voice, "Did you see him?"
He squirmed, tears appearing in his eyes.
"You little bastard! You saw him and didn't tell me he was alive!" She went to grab Andrew, only to come flat against the barrier Willow hastily threw between them.
"He made me promise! He wanted you to remember him as a hero. He thought you would think less of him, or something. I swear Buffy, I wanted to tell you," Andrew cringed behind Willow's protections.
"Is there anything else you should tell us Andrew?" Dawn ask coldly.
He thought frantically for a few moments then, "Uh, when Buffy was dating The Immortal, Angel and Spike came here; they thought he had put a spell on you. But, then they realized you were just moving on, so they left to let you live your life. Please don't hurt me, I know I should have told you, but he made me promise!" The last was a pathetic wail as he started crying.
"Don't yell at him anymore, Buffy! Why didn't you guys help them when they went against WolfRam and Hart? They might be alive if you had helped them!" Connor demanded angrily.
"We did go, Faith led the fight, and we lost dozens of girls. There were hundreds of monsters, demons, even dragons; we had no warning, the army appeared overnight. It took days to put down; lucky for us L.A.'s population had one of their riots at the same time, so our battle went unnoticed. There was no sign of Angel or his people, Faith looked, hard. She never believed he went bad. Willow even scryed for him, but she couldn't find him. We really did try, Connor." Dawn quietly said the truth in her voice cooled his ire.
"Buffy, can I drop Andrew's shield, or are you going to make me cranky?" Willow's tone made the question almost a threat.
Looking at her and then back at Andrew, "No Willow, I'll be good. You really should have told me, but I understand I get it, why you didn't."
He visibly relaxed, but his voice still trembled, "I'm suddenly really tired. I think I need to go to bed."
"I think we all need to sleep, we have a lot to take in. Where am I sleeping?" Willow's voice resumed it's normally chipper tone.
"Andrew's already on the couch, so I'll blow up the air-mattress for you; we'll put it in my room. You good with that?" Buffy said as she pulled the air-mattress out of the closet.
"Actually, since I can't open my eyes yet, if Andrew will just help me get to the bathroom and back, he can keep his room tonight."
Andrew readily agreed to Connor's proposal and after getting him back to the couch, he scurried for the safety of his room. When everyone else headed off to sleep Dawn lingered with Connor. Finally she had to tell Buffy to go to her own room, promising to do the same shortly, she just needed to talk to Connor for a minute more. Buffy gave her a warning glare before leaving them alone in the darkened living room.
"Connor, I'm sorry."
"What?"
"I'm sorry you had to live through all that awful stuff, I'm sorry so many people lied to you, I'm sorry I had to lie to Brad, and I'm sorry Buffy almost killed you because of me."
He reached for her and finding her hands, held them tightly. "None of that was you're fault. I understand now why you told Brad what you did; and Dawn, if I had been in her place I wouldn't have done what Buffy did, I-"
"I know, she's just so overprotective of me-"
"Dawn," he interrupted, "I wouldn't have beaten the person who hurt you, I would have slit their throat," his voice stone cold.
She stared at him in shock. When she found her voice she said, "No. No Connor, we don't kill people; demons, vampires, monsters, yes, people, no. I know it sounds dumb, but there are laws for people and we can't take that law into our hands." She made her voice as earnest as she could and squeezed his hands for emphasis, trying to convince him. "Connor just imagine if Buffy and the other Slayers decided instead of fighting for the good of people, they should control them. They could, they are super strong, there are lots of them now, and the Watchers Council already had their hands in every nation across the world. The Slayers could become a nation of fricken superwomen. They could rule the world if they wanted and that would be just as wrong as if they let demons rule."
"In my head I know you're right, really Dawn I do. But Dawn, when you love someone your head doesn't always call the shots." He smiled at her, squeezing her hands.
"Love?" Her throat constricted with conflicting emotions, hope, and fear. Does he mean me? Me?
"Uh, Buffy, I mean, she loves you, so not thinking." Oh God, that sounds so stupid, I just don't know what I should be feeling now. My head feels so full; it's kind of overwhelming…. Oh crap, now she'll think I don't like her! Say something! "I really uh, I think I like you, so I can understand her reaction. You know?" Crappy backpedal, man.
"No, I totally know, it's cool. I uhm, I think I should go to bed now." Dumb Dawn, dumb. Love! Of course he wasn't talking about you. Way to sound all moon-struck and clingy. Just get up and go. When she tried to stand he wouldn't let go of her hands.
"I'm sorry Dawn, I'm just tired and not making sense, I guess. Please just sit with me a while more."
"Alright Connor, but I will need to go to bed soon. I'm really tired too."
When Buffy got up in the night she tripped over Dawn, "What are you doing still out here?" She hissed.
"We were talking, I guess we fell asleep. I, um, I guess I'll just go to my room now," her face burning with embarrassment she was glad her sister couldn't see, Dawn retreated to her room. Buffy stared at her sister's closed door a few moments before continuing on her bathroom run.