Destroying hope chapter 10

A/N: This is the episode 'Spin The Bottle' with the inclusion of Connor and Hope. I really enjoyed doing this one because I was always curious how Connor would be if the spell affected him. I decided not to do the entire episode because really we've all seen it so I focused a bit more on Connor and Hope. It was quite difficult having to remember to write 'Stephen' instead of Connor for this. I slipped a few times and had to re-edit it. Enjoy :)

Hope opened her eyes woozily and swayed as she tried to stand. Goddamn it, she thought, Mom must have forced me into another drug party and once again she could not remember it happening. She looked down at herself and frowned. Usually when something like this happened she would wake in some very compromising situations and outfits and at this moment she wore jeans and a black tank top. She shook her head and then froze as she noticed the seven other people looking confusedly at each other.

Hope zoned in on the conversation now and the hot fake blonde over the other side of the room began throwing accusations at everyone. Hope rolled her eyes and looked around the room at everyone else. There was a pompous English guy who was a little dorky, a skinny Texan girl, a dark-skinned handsome guy, a thin, kind of scary looking young man probably in his teens and a bulky dark haired man all in black looking the most frightened. But then all hell broke loose because she was now being held with an arm around her throat with a knife pressed there by the cute scary teen. Hope squeaked as the knife pressed tighter into her skin and she saw everyone's eyes widening as they looked on. "What the hell is going on? Where is father? Who are you people? Where are we?" He shouted threateningly tightening his hold on Hope.

"We don't even know who she is dumb-ass. Who cares if you kill her?" Cordelia said in a sassy way. The English guy standing watch intervened then with a sheepish laugh, "Uh, do not listen to her. None of us know each and we all don't know what's going on. Please let the girl go and we can all find out what's going on." Connor looked down at the young girl in his arms and thought for a minute before loosening his grip. As soon as he did she pulled out of his grasp and stalked to the other side of the room. From there she glared openly at him. The English guy took a deep breath of relief. He walked into the middle of the floor and smiled dopily, "So, as I established with our…pretty friend over there," He said motioning to Cordelia and she made a noise of disbelief, "Excuse me, pretty? I am so much more than…"He cut her off, "Anyway, I am Wesley Wyndam Price, and I am from the Watcher's Council in England and this is Miss Cordelia Chase from Sunnydale as I understand it, so who are all of you?"

Hope looked at them all wearily, "I'm Hope Reynolds and I go to school here in L.A." She thought it best not to mention her prostitute status especially with how unwilling she was. The boy who had threatened her spoke up next, "My name is Stephen." And that is all he said. Hope was still rubbing her neck and she caught him glaring at her and she glared right back. The dark man introduced himself as Gunn, the Texan was Fred Burkle and the strange confused man sitting on the stairs after a little fit over being Irish introduced himself as Liam.

The English guy, Wesley explained that this was a test in which they had been locked in a place with a vampire. They had to hunt the vampire and kill it. Wesley suggested they all split up into small groups and search separately. Which is why she now walked the upper corridor with the very violently rude Stephen. Hope huffed; she really did not like being paired up with the guy who had threatened to kill her. Oh well, she thought, at least he was cute. She watched him closely now and the way he was walking was like a predator stalking its prey. They entered a room to search when they heard a scream down stairs. Hope walked back to the door to go downstairs when Stephen grabbed her arm roughly, pulled her inside and shut the door. "Its safer in here." Hope retched her arm away and glared at him, "Okay, okay you don't have to be so rough!" She walked past him and sat on the bed grumpily folding her arms over her chest. She watched him put his ear to the door to listen and then he leant back against it and stared at her. She rubbed her neck again because it stang a bit. "I'm sorry, I was confused and you were closest person to grab. Are you okay?" He said and he did sound sorry. She decided to forgive him for now, "Its okay, I'm more than a little confused too and it doesn't hurt that much." She smiled at him reassuringly.

About half an hour later Hope had learned that Stephen lived in a hell dimension called Quortoth and had since he was a baby. A man called Holtz raised him but he was not his real father. He explained that Holtz had told him that one day when he was ready he would show him what his father looked like. Hope now understood why he was so violent. It would be strange to wake up in an entirely different dimension.

Stephen stood and walked to the door, "You should stay here. When I leave lock the door behind me." Hope walked after him, "Wait where are you going?" He turned to look at her and he placed a hand on her shoulder, which was strangely comforting, "I'm going to find the vampire." With that he smiled at her and walked out of the room. Hope frowned, what was this the middle ages? She was a strong young woman and could most definitely take care of herself. She opened the door slowly and peered out. Stephen was nowhere in sight so she crept out into the hallway. She looked over her shoulder behind her. This hotel was kind of eerie when you were alone. She turned back to the front and came face to face with Liam who did not really look like Liam because his face had strange bumps and he had very sharp teeth. He smiled at her evilly and grabbed her by the shoulders, pulling her towards him. Before she knew it she felt pain shoot through her neck and she realised he had bitten her. Her eyes widened as the pain got worse and let out an enormous scream which she prayed to God someone would hear.

Meanwhile, Stephen had walked back downstairs and saw Fred and the strange green demon mixing something. They noticed his presence and he reached for his knife. This was a demon, demons needed to be killed. That is what father had taught him. But as he strode forward to attack he heard a blood-curdling scream. His face flashed with recognition. Hope. He ran to the stairs and prayed he got there in time. For some strange reason he felt very protective of her.

Hope felt like her life was draining from her and she realised with stupidity that clearly it was. The vampire was drinking her blood and when he was done she would either be dead or possibly a vampire too but then she felt the pain leave her and she was pelted to the floor by a strange force. She looked up and saw Stephen facing off with Liam. She smiled softly he had saved her. She guessed this kind of made up for the whole trying to kill you thing. She placed her hand on her neck and felt hot sticky liquid. She pulled her hand away and gulped as she saw the blood. She began to panic. She had not seen this much blood since that night…her first time. She felt sick and she began to sob uncontrollably. She watched as Liam ran off. She guessed he saw the stake Stephen now held. He turned around and he rushed to her side, "Hope, what's wrong?" She could not answer through the sobs and he looked around and grasped the sleeve of his shirt and tore it off. He held it out to her, "Put this on the wound and keep pressure. I'm gonna carry you okay?" With all her strength she nodded but was about to protest and explain she was probably too heavy to carry but he picked her like she weighed as much as a feather. She held the piece of material to her throat and buried her face into his shoulder. She tried to take calming breaths but the harder she tried to breath, the weaker she felt.

When they made their way downstairs they saw everyone gathered there, even Liam. He placed Hope on the circular sofa in the middle of the hotel and he listened as Fred explained the mixture the demon and her had made. Gunn, Wesley, Angel and Connor each had some and now were looking with clearer eyes. Connor immediately rushed to Hope and coaxed her to open her eyes, which was difficult for her. He gave her some of the mixture and then promptly picked her up. "Where can I find bandages?" Angel pointed out his office and as Connor passed him he glared at him. He had been prepared to apologise to his father but now it would not happen not after what he did to Hope. He pushed all of the items on the desk off not caring what they were and what broke, placed Hope on the desk and searched for the bandages.

He found them after a few minutes and as he was walking back to Hope he saw Angel walk in with a bowl of water. "Um, here you'll need to wash the wound. Uh, do you need any help?" Angel was looking at him apologetically but Connor did not care. He stalked over to Angel and roughly took the bowl from him, "I don't need your help. I can look after her myself." Angel looked down and sighed before leaving the room. Connor soaked the cloth in the water and began to wash the blood from her skin. He watched as she writhed and moaned in pain and he stroked her face to sooth her. There would be no reconciliation with his father now. He would make him pay one day. He placed the bandages onto her skin and carried the bowl of bloody water out of the room. The occupants of the hotel watched and Fred winced as she saw all the blood. He emptied it in the bushes outside and stormed back to the office. He picked Hope up and made his way to the doors again and Angel walked forward, "Connor wait. Why were you two here anyway?" Connor stopped for a second and breathed in heavily to control himself, "We were here because Hope wanted your help with training and also needed some clothes but I can see we are really not safe here with you around." He made to leave again but Angel told him to wait again. Connor watched as he disappeared upstairs and contemplated leaving anyway but was curious. When Angel returned he carried a duffle bag. He handed it to Connor who looked at it wearily, "There's some of Cordelia's clothes and shoes in here. She was planning on throwing them out a while ago so Hope can have them. Wesley filled me in on what happened to her, I'm sorry." Connor nodded and placed the bag on his shoulder making sure not to hurt Hope.

Angel watched as his son left his life once again.