Dawn sat in the cafeteria wither her boyfriend. He fed her a French fry and their friends just rolled their eyes in disgust. They had been acting like that the whole day, and quite frankly it was getting on their nerves.

"You guys sicken me, way too much lovey-dovey crap," Carlos complained, earning an elbow in his guy from his girlfriend, Kit.

"You don't say stuff like that, even if they are going over board. I think it's sweet really," she muttered to him. Kassandra stayed neutral. She had no significant other; she didn't need one. Kassandra was the one who watched over them, the one that took on the 'responsible' role.

"We have a free, what should be do?" Dawn asked once the bell rang and the rest of the students shuffled off to class.

Connor looked at her, "Well it is the end of the day, stupid lunch hour, no one's going to miss us if we skip out of here," he put his head on her shoulder.

"But we can't go outside, there's Willow and Xander to think about…to the basement?" Dawn asked.

"The super-human hearing? He won't be happy, but as long as he doesn't try and perform what he's famous for, or worse that is," Connor sighed and they slipped down to the basement together.

"Hi Spike, bye Spike!" Dawn waved to her friend and pulled her boyfriend into another part of the maze that was the basement of the school.

"Could you please be quiet?" Spike yelled after them; knowing he would hear them no matter what kind of precautions they took.

Spike tried to busy himself, but from time to time he could hear the occasional moan. He just moaned in despair himself when he did hear it. When the two came out again, they had a strange glow that Spike told himself that it was because of the lack of light, not because of what the two just did.

"I can't believe I let you do that. Please make sure you never do that again!" Spike bedded as they sat down. He also muttered a few other things, but neither Connor nor Dawn could hear them.

The three talked until they heard the bell ring upstairs; they just chose to ignore it. The conversation about dead things was a lot more interesting. As they heard a person's light treading on the steps leading from the school to the basement, they quieted down, not sure who was going to happen upon them.

"You two!" Buffy cried as she rounded at the corner and spotted the two teens.

"Now Slayer…" Spike tried to intervene.

"Shut up Spike. This really doesn't concern you," Buffy sneered.

Spike glared, "Now you listen her Slayer. Family's family and don't you dare deny it."

Buffy just ignored the blonde vampire and focused all her attention on Connor who was looking at her with a bored look in his eyes and devil-may-care smirk. "You have a problem?" he asked, seemingly innocent.

Ignoring the obvious challenge, she focused on her mission. "Look, your dad wants you to come with me. So let's go," Buffy commanded.

Connor looked at her, and blinked, "And I don't want to?" he turned on his heel and left the basement, leaving a Dawn and Spike to snicker.

Buffy was stunned and turned to her sister, "What just happened?" she asked.

Dawn just looked at her in disgust, or a patented teenager look, Buffy really couldn't tell the difference. "Family is family. Love is love. You must love in order to understand," she said as she walked out of the basement, leaving only Spike and Buffy.

Buffy look at Spike, but he to was gone. Snoring in humiliation, however light, she walked back to the first floor, ready to go home.

When she did arrive home, after Principal Wood had stopped her to talk about on of the students that kept getting out of class to talk to her, Buffy was surprised to see Dawn sitting on the couch in the living room with Angel. Sitting across from each other they seemed to be in the middle of a staring contest. They silently dared to other to look away; finally Buffy thought she should step in.

"Okay, someone please explain the whole soap opera to me once more?" Buffy snapped once she had gotten their attention.

Dawn stood up angrily, "It's Connor. He just doesn't understand!" Dawn accused, pointing the vampire that had stood up as well.

"He's just a boy," Angel defended himself.

"He's a teenager, he knows plenty. But you wouldn't know that, would you? He's ready for a life that you won't give!" Dawn yelled.

Angel looked at her, his eyes flashing just a hint of gold. "That's a fine thing to say yourself," he took a step toward her and then stopped, sniffing slightly. "You've mated," he snarled.

"And if we did?" Dawn left him with that question and walk out into the night.

Angel look at Buffy, "You mean they?" Buffy let the question in the air. Angel just nodded before he headed out intent on following Dawn's trial, which would in turn, lead him to Connor.

Letting his demon instincts take over, Angel was lead to the school. Not even bothering to stop and think about it, he just kept following the trail. He ended up in the basement. Angel smelt the scent of many people he knew.

"Why are you here?" a quiet voice asked him.

Angel turned to face the speaker, Connor, his son, "I came to you," Angel responded.

Connor's face hardened, but Angel could almost see and taste the teen's tears. "Good, now get out. You shan't be caught in my trap again."

"Now duck, you should try and listen to your pop for a change," Spike came out of the shadows, trying to mediate.

"But I'm happy here. There is no reason why I should leave," Connor said stubbornly.

"But give me a chance, don't shut me out," Angel begged, wanting to reach out and just touch his son, just to make sure he was real.

Connor's face was turned and he didn't say anything. Angel could see the ears crawling down his son's cheeks. He longed to gather him up in a hug, but Connor sprinted away and out of the school. Angel looked at Spike, who just shrugged, "Don't look at me Peaches. I was…persuaded…to let them do what they want. I don't get involved," Spike shrugged again.

Angel shook his head, "I'm sorry William, but the moment you met Connor, you became involved."

Spike made a face, "That's all very good and all. He's a nice bloke, but he really didn't need to go after 'Bit, did he?"

"Ahh, but William, you know things, just as I. Good luck Spike, the guilt will lessen," Angel smiled and then made his exit.

Angel walked down the streets and remembered the times he did so with Buffy. For some reason, it didn't seem to be as wonderful as it was just sitting at him with Cordelia.

He looking into the toy store's window, they were already gearing up for Christmas, although Thanksgiving was a good two weeks away. Feeling someone step up nest to him he said, "Beautiful isn't it?"

As he looked into the glass, he didn't see his reflection, which was to be expected but he did see the person next to him nod. "Aye, it is," the person confirmed.

Angel nodded in agreement, "It's my favorite time of year," but the person was already gone, but the image of the eyes were burned into his brain. "Kassay," he whispered and he shuffled off to Buffy's house in order to figure out what to do.

Whee! Wasn't that fun? Yeah Dawn and Connor had sex, they're teenagers, what do expect. Besides, it all works out in the end. Oh yeah, don't forget to review….please?