"I hate that word: 'Normal.' But I use it all the time. What would Normal Connor do?"

"Exactly. Trying to act ordinary is exhausting—explaining away the stake in my purse, the cross necklaces, the holy water? The last two have my roommate convinced I'm Catholic, but like embarrassed or something, since I never talk about it or go to mass. She's all, 'Dawn, your faith is nothing to be ashamed of.' I want to scream at her, 'I'm not fucking Catholic. The only priest I ever met gutted girls left and right and poked out Xander's eye!' I mean, I know most Catholics are really nice—not evil and slaughtery at all—but I'm just—not Catholic."

She realized she was babbling again, and found herself staring at the young man beside her. His eyes were wide and blue, his lips full. Dawn didn't usually go for pretty guys, but there was something about Connor—a toughness under his delicate features. Also, their babies would have shiny, shiny hair.

Woah. Where did THAT come from? You just met this guy and you're picturing babies? They'd have huge blue eyes, too! Ugh, Dawn Summers, you do not want a baby. Now stop staring at his lips. Stop. It."

Before Connor knew what he was doing, he'd slid one hand into Dawn's satin hair, and his face was lowering to hers. Their lips met. It was nothing special at first, but the kiss deepened. Connor slid his other hand into her hair, too. His thumbs stroked the soft, pale skin of her cheeks. Their tongues stroked and swirled.

A part of him was nagging: This is Buffy's sister. You already slept with Angel's other great love! Seriously, should you really bang another woman from Angel's life? He pulled away, apologizing. "Sorry, I shouldn't have done that."

"Why not," Dawn whispered, "Do you have a girlfriend or something?"

"No," he replied. "It's just that—I hurt people. And I've killed people."

Dawn was shocked by Connor's words, but Angel had said Connor was a good man, and Dawn believed him. Hell, her whole family was constantly killing demons, and half of her family had killed people, too. Even a killer could be redeemed. She believed that. Dawn believed that people were always more than the worst thing they had ever done. Then, a strange thought occurred to her.

"Me, too, kind of. When my blood opened the portal to a hell dimension, I let Buffy die when it was supposed to be me. We've all done things we aren't proud of. But you have to move on from the past. I wasn't always real, but I am now, and I get to decide who I'm going to be. And who I'm going to be is a girl kissing you."

She surprised him by pushing him back on the bed and straddling his waist. She moved quickly for a human. Dawn registered the surprise on his face.

"I know, right? Buffy and Giles decided to put me through slayer training. I'm not a slayer or anything, but I get attacked so much that they wanted me to be as prepared as possible." He didn't like hearing that she got attacked often. It made him want to stay by her side. It made him want to wield weapons. In his head, he heard bones crack, and again saw his knuckles wet with dazzling blood.

"I should probably tell you, I'm not exactly human," he said.

"Okay. Then what are you?"

"I'm fast and strong. I have super hearing and smelling. Some spells against demons affect me. Others don't. I don't know what I am."

"Who cares? If you ask some people, I'm a key. Actually "The Key." Whatever. We're just Connor and Dawn." She leaned down to kiss him again.

"I slept with Cordelia."