Chapter 26
Angel drove up a short cliff to a sign reading Dume, and pulled up beside it. He got out, sighed, then checked the smell of his breath. He was going to make everything right with Buffy tonight. He hated that there had been an awkwardness between them the past few weeks. Especially since Conner had come back. Angel had been the tinniest bit jealous that Conner had taken to Buffy faster than he had taken to Angel. Well, that was going to change too. He wasn't going to be jealous of his wife. Everything they had was supposed to be shared.
Angel walked up to the edge of the cliff and checked his watch. He sighed, checked his hair, then pulled out his cell phone. He flipped it open and began to dial, but the phone tipped out of his hand and tumbled down the side of the cliff.
Angel looked after it. "I hate those things."
"Angel?" Buffy's voice came from behind him.
He turned around and saw her standing there, looking so beautiful. She was in a short dress that showed off her feminine curves.
"Hi."
She smiled that gorgeous little smile of hers. It seemed like they were on their first date again.
"So, why this place?" he asked.
"I used to come here when I was confused or upset. It has the prettiest view." She answered.
"Yeah, it does." Angel scanned the ocean. "It also has a nice cliff that steals cell phones."
"Huh?"
"Nothing."
"So."
"So, here we are."
"Yup."
They were in the awkward silence part of the "date." He hated this part, so he just went ahead with what he had practiced over and over in the car. "Buffy, I hate that there's been this weirdness between us. I know that I haven't been.Conner?"
"Conner?" Buffy asked looking confused.
"Is here."
Buffy turned to see her son standing there.
"Mom. Dad." Conner said.
"What are you doing here?" Buffy asked.
"We're family. And I wanna show you how I feel about that."
With that Conner launched himself at Angel and they both tumbled over the edge, down the side of the cliff and onto the beach below.
"Angel!" Buffy screamed.
Angel and Conner landed hard on the sand. It took them a second to recover, but soon they picked themselves back up.
"Conner. Conner." Angel said.
Conner attacked Angel, who fended off his blows.
"It's all about balance. You lose it," He tossed Angel onto the sand, "you lose."
Connor kicked Angel across the face.
"Angel! Conner!" Buffy called from the top of the cliff.
"Easy." Angel caught Conner from behind in a nelson. "Talk to me! Talk to me, okay?"
Seeing that he couldn't get free, Conner stopped struggling.
"Okay." Conner said.
Angel let go of him. Conner pulled something out of his pocket, then turned and zapped Angel full in the face with a tazer. Angel flew back, landing in the surf.
"Conner, NO!" Buffy jumped. She landed hard and let herself fall to her knees and roll. She looked up to see Conner jump on Angel and start to slug him across the face. A wave rolled over them, and Angel used it to roll on top of Conner. He held Conner's face under the water for a moment then pulled him up.
"I don't know what the hell is wrong with you but you're gonna talk..." Angel started.
Conner slugged him across the face with the tazer. Angel dropped to his knees, and Conner kept zapping him until Angel lay facedown in the water, no longer moving.
Buffy got up and went to Conner.
"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Buffy asked.
"Sorry mom." Conner said.
"For what? Beating the hell out of your father?"
"No. For this." Conner slammed Buffy across the face with the tazer. She flew backwards and landed next to Angel, unconscious.
Pulling a flashlight from his back pocket, Conner turned it on and signaled to a boat waiting off shore. The boat flashed a light in response and Justine steered the boat closer to shore.
Angel woke to the sound of a screw-gun. He was lying on his back inside a metal casket. Conner was tightening the screws on it. Thick steel cables were wrapped over Angel's ankles, thighs, abdomen and chest, confining his arms at his sides and holding him motionless.
"Conner. Why are you doing this?" Angel asked.
"You murdered my father."
"No. I didn't. I swear."
"He's lying." Justine said.
"I'm not lying. And she knows it." Angel said.
"You're the prince of lies." Conner said.
"That's why you wouldn't let them kill me at the drive-in. So you could."
"Killing is to good for you. You don't get to die. You get to live. forever."
Conner was still tightening the screws on Angel's coffin when Buffy woke up. She touched her cheek where the tazer had hit her. It was bruised and there was blood on her hand when she pulled it away. Her vision cleared and so did her hearing. She heard Angel say, "Some day you'll learn the truth and you'll hate yourself. Don't. It's not your fault." Justine looked over at Conner and Angel. "I don't blame you."
"Liar!" Conner said.
"Listen to me. I love you! Never forget that."
Conner and Justine went to pick up the lid of the coffin. Buffy stood quietly and looked at the scene that was playing in front of her.
"Conner?! Conner, never forget that I'm your father and that I love you."
Justine and Conner started to lower the lid in place.
"Connor? Con..." Angel started, but Buffy cut him off.
"Hey bitch. Help my son put that lid on and this ocean will be the last thing you see." Buffy said.
Conner turned dropping the lid. "Mom!"
"Buffy?" Angel called.
"Conner, sweetie, what is going on here?"
"Angelus killed my father."
"Holtz is not your father. Angel is your father and he did not kill Holtz."
"There were bite mars on his neck. I heard Fred and Gunn say that you and Angelus were going to see father."
"We did. Didn't you read that letter?"
"Steven, come on. Knock the super-bitch out again and help me here." Justine said.
"Hey hell-bitch." Buffy said. Then she was in front of Justine.
"What the fu." Justine started, but Buffy cut her off.
"I said shut up." Buffy hauled off and punched Justine in the face. She went flying back and was out cold before she hit the deck. "Now, back to you Conner."
"Mom."
"Don't mom me. Sit your ass down and listen to me."
"No."
"Conner, I don't want to hurt you."
"I know. But don't you see mom? He's evil. He's a vampire who has killed again."
"No, he isn't. Angel is not Angelus. Look at me Conner. Why would I be in love with a person who doesn't have a soul?"
"He has blinded you!" Conner walked up and hit Buffy across the face.
"Ok. I said I didn't want to hurt you. Didn't say I wouldn't." Buffy slammed Conner in the face and he flew back hitting the deck near Justine's unconscious form. "Now sit down and be a good boy."
Conner stared up at Buffy. She looked down at him.
"Now I know that you are my son and I do love you, but this crap had got to stop. Your father, Angel not Holtz, is a good man. He would never do anything to hurt you and neither would I. I understand that you were raised by a psycho loony nut case in an awful hell dimension, but sweetie, get over it. What Holtz didn't tell you, I'm sure, is: that when it comes to Angel, no one messes with him and gets too far with it. I stop at nothing and no one to keep him safe and alive. Not even my own son."
Conner could only stare. He hadn't anticipated on her ever hitting him. Holtz had said that she would protect Angel, but he never knew that she would go as far as hitting her own son. He also didn't realize Buffy's full strength because as he watched, Buffy reached in and broke the bonds holding Angel.
"Those were steel!" Conner said.
"Yeah, well, I'm the slayer. I have more strength than you can ever imagine. When we get back home, I'm gonna call Giles and have him come teach you about what a slayer really is." Buffy said. She looked up at Angel who was sitting up in the casket and pulling himself out of the rest of his bonds. "You ok?"
"Yeah." Angel jumped out of the casket. He leaned down to kiss her. She gave him a quick peck then turned back to Conner.
"See Conner, when you love someone as much as I love Angel, there is pretty much nothing that can keep us apart for very long."
Conner could only stare. He knew she was right, but he was too proud to admit it. He looked at Angel who was coming towards him.
Angel crouched down in front of him. "Son, I'm not too mad at you for this. You had every right to be mad about Holtz, but you need to know about him. He probably hired a vampire to kill him. Or." Angel looked at Justine who was now groaning and trying o sit up.
Buffy walked over to Justine and put her foot on the other woman's chest, pinning her down to the deck. "You and Holtz corrupted my son's mind. I should really kill you, you know that?"
"Yeah, well." Justine said.
"What'd he do?"
"Why should I tell you? Steven."
"His name is Conner."
".is the only thing I have left of Holtz."
"So you want to alter my son's mind to fit your personal, sick wants? I highly doubt that you will ever get the chance tonight or any other night after."
Justine just looked at her.
"Come on Justine, let's here what Holtz did to frame Angel."
"He made. he made me take my knife and poke the holes in his neck to make it look like a vampire bite, then I told Steve. Conner that Angelus had done it. It's what he wanted me to do. I didn't wanna, I swear."
"Why?" Conner asked.
"Because he wanted vengeance on Angelus for killing his first children and for taking you back." Justine said.
"Give me one good reason I shouldn't tie you up, put you in that casket, and toss you into the ocean like you were planning to do with my husband."
Justine smiled and looked up at her. She really was crazy. Buffy released her and Justine stood up. When it looked as if Buffy was going to back off, the slayer turned and kicked Justine in the stomach. She went crashing through the wall that stood between the deck and the captain's quarters.
Buffy turned and looked at her husband and son. Conner was crying and Angel held him, rocking him back and forth. Buffy walked over and sank to her knees. Conner looked up at her when she put her hand on his back. He fell into her lap crying.
"I'll get this boat home." Angel said, standing up and going to the wheel.
They arrived back at the Hyperion. Gunn and Fred ran up to them.
"Ok thank God! Where did he go?" Fred asked. "We went up to his room to check on him and he was gone."
"Yeah, he came to find me. to tell me something." Angel said.
Dawn came down the steps. "Hey Buffy! Did you just get here?"
"Yeah. Where's Cordy? You're supposed to be out with her." Buffy said.
"She never came. We tried her cell phone, but no one is picking up. We tried at her apartment too. There was no one there. We figured she might have gotten stuck in traffic." Gunn said.
"Oh. Should we wait for her or should we go out now? To tell you all the truth, I'm a little hungry." Buffy said.
"Sure. I'm positive that Cordy is just stuck in traffic. We'll leave her a note and if she wants, she can join us." Angel said.
"It's ridiculous. I'm just a somewhat normal girl who has visions, glows, and occasionally blows things up with her crazy new power. I'm a higher being." Cordy said. She was standing in the middle of the frozen highway with Skip the demon guide. She had started to glow and then when she stopped, time had literally stopped and everyone on the highway was frozen in the position they had been in when Cordy had stopped glowing.
"Yes." Skip said.
"And when you say I've outgrown this level, that sort of implies..."
"You're moving on to a new one."
"Now I'm really scared."
"I know. But I also know you're ready."
"Oh, no, I'm not."
"Ah, the universe begs to differ. And deep down inside, I think..."
"Yes! All right? Stop saying I know! Maybe I do know. Maybe. If given enough time, I might even get used to the idea, but I don't have enough time, do I?"
Skip just looked at her.
"No, of course not. Why would the Powers give me time to save my relationship with the man of my dreams? I'm on my way to...stop Gru from leaving me!"
"What you're being called to do transcends love."
"How is that fair? I can't leave without telling him! I won't. He has to know how I feel! Why does this have to be now? He thinks I love Angel!"
"There is work to be done in the higher realms."
"Can you at least tell Gru that I do love him for me and tell my friends where I'm going?"
"Sorry. Not allowed."
"Then I'm not going. How can they possibly do this to me now? This is the last test, isn't it?"
"Cordelia."
Cordy turned to look at Skip and he tapped his left wrist. "I ever come face-to-face with those Powers That Be, we are going to have a talk, a big talk."
"You're doing the right thing."
"I'm scared. But I know it's right. I know somehow it's all gonna be alright. What do I do?"
"Just say yes."
"I already have."
Golden sparkles appeared around Cordy as she started to float up in a corridor of white light. Skip watched Cordy's smiling face as she rose up inside the cone of light only to disappear above with a small flash of light.
"Yeah, she's probably just stuck in traffic." Dawn said as they walked out of the Hyperion, Conner walking between Buffy and Angel.
Angel drove up a short cliff to a sign reading Dume, and pulled up beside it. He got out, sighed, then checked the smell of his breath. He was going to make everything right with Buffy tonight. He hated that there had been an awkwardness between them the past few weeks. Especially since Conner had come back. Angel had been the tinniest bit jealous that Conner had taken to Buffy faster than he had taken to Angel. Well, that was going to change too. He wasn't going to be jealous of his wife. Everything they had was supposed to be shared.
Angel walked up to the edge of the cliff and checked his watch. He sighed, checked his hair, then pulled out his cell phone. He flipped it open and began to dial, but the phone tipped out of his hand and tumbled down the side of the cliff.
Angel looked after it. "I hate those things."
"Angel?" Buffy's voice came from behind him.
He turned around and saw her standing there, looking so beautiful. She was in a short dress that showed off her feminine curves.
"Hi."
She smiled that gorgeous little smile of hers. It seemed like they were on their first date again.
"So, why this place?" he asked.
"I used to come here when I was confused or upset. It has the prettiest view." She answered.
"Yeah, it does." Angel scanned the ocean. "It also has a nice cliff that steals cell phones."
"Huh?"
"Nothing."
"So."
"So, here we are."
"Yup."
They were in the awkward silence part of the "date." He hated this part, so he just went ahead with what he had practiced over and over in the car. "Buffy, I hate that there's been this weirdness between us. I know that I haven't been.Conner?"
"Conner?" Buffy asked looking confused.
"Is here."
Buffy turned to see her son standing there.
"Mom. Dad." Conner said.
"What are you doing here?" Buffy asked.
"We're family. And I wanna show you how I feel about that."
With that Conner launched himself at Angel and they both tumbled over the edge, down the side of the cliff and onto the beach below.
"Angel!" Buffy screamed.
Angel and Conner landed hard on the sand. It took them a second to recover, but soon they picked themselves back up.
"Conner. Conner." Angel said.
Conner attacked Angel, who fended off his blows.
"It's all about balance. You lose it," He tossed Angel onto the sand, "you lose."
Connor kicked Angel across the face.
"Angel! Conner!" Buffy called from the top of the cliff.
"Easy." Angel caught Conner from behind in a nelson. "Talk to me! Talk to me, okay?"
Seeing that he couldn't get free, Conner stopped struggling.
"Okay." Conner said.
Angel let go of him. Conner pulled something out of his pocket, then turned and zapped Angel full in the face with a tazer. Angel flew back, landing in the surf.
"Conner, NO!" Buffy jumped. She landed hard and let herself fall to her knees and roll. She looked up to see Conner jump on Angel and start to slug him across the face. A wave rolled over them, and Angel used it to roll on top of Conner. He held Conner's face under the water for a moment then pulled him up.
"I don't know what the hell is wrong with you but you're gonna talk..." Angel started.
Conner slugged him across the face with the tazer. Angel dropped to his knees, and Conner kept zapping him until Angel lay facedown in the water, no longer moving.
Buffy got up and went to Conner.
"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Buffy asked.
"Sorry mom." Conner said.
"For what? Beating the hell out of your father?"
"No. For this." Conner slammed Buffy across the face with the tazer. She flew backwards and landed next to Angel, unconscious.
Pulling a flashlight from his back pocket, Conner turned it on and signaled to a boat waiting off shore. The boat flashed a light in response and Justine steered the boat closer to shore.
Angel woke to the sound of a screw-gun. He was lying on his back inside a metal casket. Conner was tightening the screws on it. Thick steel cables were wrapped over Angel's ankles, thighs, abdomen and chest, confining his arms at his sides and holding him motionless.
"Conner. Why are you doing this?" Angel asked.
"You murdered my father."
"No. I didn't. I swear."
"He's lying." Justine said.
"I'm not lying. And she knows it." Angel said.
"You're the prince of lies." Conner said.
"That's why you wouldn't let them kill me at the drive-in. So you could."
"Killing is to good for you. You don't get to die. You get to live. forever."
Conner was still tightening the screws on Angel's coffin when Buffy woke up. She touched her cheek where the tazer had hit her. It was bruised and there was blood on her hand when she pulled it away. Her vision cleared and so did her hearing. She heard Angel say, "Some day you'll learn the truth and you'll hate yourself. Don't. It's not your fault." Justine looked over at Conner and Angel. "I don't blame you."
"Liar!" Conner said.
"Listen to me. I love you! Never forget that."
Conner and Justine went to pick up the lid of the coffin. Buffy stood quietly and looked at the scene that was playing in front of her.
"Conner?! Conner, never forget that I'm your father and that I love you."
Justine and Conner started to lower the lid in place.
"Connor? Con..." Angel started, but Buffy cut him off.
"Hey bitch. Help my son put that lid on and this ocean will be the last thing you see." Buffy said.
Conner turned dropping the lid. "Mom!"
"Buffy?" Angel called.
"Conner, sweetie, what is going on here?"
"Angelus killed my father."
"Holtz is not your father. Angel is your father and he did not kill Holtz."
"There were bite mars on his neck. I heard Fred and Gunn say that you and Angelus were going to see father."
"We did. Didn't you read that letter?"
"Steven, come on. Knock the super-bitch out again and help me here." Justine said.
"Hey hell-bitch." Buffy said. Then she was in front of Justine.
"What the fu." Justine started, but Buffy cut her off.
"I said shut up." Buffy hauled off and punched Justine in the face. She went flying back and was out cold before she hit the deck. "Now, back to you Conner."
"Mom."
"Don't mom me. Sit your ass down and listen to me."
"No."
"Conner, I don't want to hurt you."
"I know. But don't you see mom? He's evil. He's a vampire who has killed again."
"No, he isn't. Angel is not Angelus. Look at me Conner. Why would I be in love with a person who doesn't have a soul?"
"He has blinded you!" Conner walked up and hit Buffy across the face.
"Ok. I said I didn't want to hurt you. Didn't say I wouldn't." Buffy slammed Conner in the face and he flew back hitting the deck near Justine's unconscious form. "Now sit down and be a good boy."
Conner stared up at Buffy. She looked down at him.
"Now I know that you are my son and I do love you, but this crap had got to stop. Your father, Angel not Holtz, is a good man. He would never do anything to hurt you and neither would I. I understand that you were raised by a psycho loony nut case in an awful hell dimension, but sweetie, get over it. What Holtz didn't tell you, I'm sure, is: that when it comes to Angel, no one messes with him and gets too far with it. I stop at nothing and no one to keep him safe and alive. Not even my own son."
Conner could only stare. He hadn't anticipated on her ever hitting him. Holtz had said that she would protect Angel, but he never knew that she would go as far as hitting her own son. He also didn't realize Buffy's full strength because as he watched, Buffy reached in and broke the bonds holding Angel.
"Those were steel!" Conner said.
"Yeah, well, I'm the slayer. I have more strength than you can ever imagine. When we get back home, I'm gonna call Giles and have him come teach you about what a slayer really is." Buffy said. She looked up at Angel who was sitting up in the casket and pulling himself out of the rest of his bonds. "You ok?"
"Yeah." Angel jumped out of the casket. He leaned down to kiss her. She gave him a quick peck then turned back to Conner.
"See Conner, when you love someone as much as I love Angel, there is pretty much nothing that can keep us apart for very long."
Conner could only stare. He knew she was right, but he was too proud to admit it. He looked at Angel who was coming towards him.
Angel crouched down in front of him. "Son, I'm not too mad at you for this. You had every right to be mad about Holtz, but you need to know about him. He probably hired a vampire to kill him. Or." Angel looked at Justine who was now groaning and trying o sit up.
Buffy walked over to Justine and put her foot on the other woman's chest, pinning her down to the deck. "You and Holtz corrupted my son's mind. I should really kill you, you know that?"
"Yeah, well." Justine said.
"What'd he do?"
"Why should I tell you? Steven."
"His name is Conner."
".is the only thing I have left of Holtz."
"So you want to alter my son's mind to fit your personal, sick wants? I highly doubt that you will ever get the chance tonight or any other night after."
Justine just looked at her.
"Come on Justine, let's here what Holtz did to frame Angel."
"He made. he made me take my knife and poke the holes in his neck to make it look like a vampire bite, then I told Steve. Conner that Angelus had done it. It's what he wanted me to do. I didn't wanna, I swear."
"Why?" Conner asked.
"Because he wanted vengeance on Angelus for killing his first children and for taking you back." Justine said.
"Give me one good reason I shouldn't tie you up, put you in that casket, and toss you into the ocean like you were planning to do with my husband."
Justine smiled and looked up at her. She really was crazy. Buffy released her and Justine stood up. When it looked as if Buffy was going to back off, the slayer turned and kicked Justine in the stomach. She went crashing through the wall that stood between the deck and the captain's quarters.
Buffy turned and looked at her husband and son. Conner was crying and Angel held him, rocking him back and forth. Buffy walked over and sank to her knees. Conner looked up at her when she put her hand on his back. He fell into her lap crying.
"I'll get this boat home." Angel said, standing up and going to the wheel.
They arrived back at the Hyperion. Gunn and Fred ran up to them.
"Ok thank God! Where did he go?" Fred asked. "We went up to his room to check on him and he was gone."
"Yeah, he came to find me. to tell me something." Angel said.
Dawn came down the steps. "Hey Buffy! Did you just get here?"
"Yeah. Where's Cordy? You're supposed to be out with her." Buffy said.
"She never came. We tried her cell phone, but no one is picking up. We tried at her apartment too. There was no one there. We figured she might have gotten stuck in traffic." Gunn said.
"Oh. Should we wait for her or should we go out now? To tell you all the truth, I'm a little hungry." Buffy said.
"Sure. I'm positive that Cordy is just stuck in traffic. We'll leave her a note and if she wants, she can join us." Angel said.
"It's ridiculous. I'm just a somewhat normal girl who has visions, glows, and occasionally blows things up with her crazy new power. I'm a higher being." Cordy said. She was standing in the middle of the frozen highway with Skip the demon guide. She had started to glow and then when she stopped, time had literally stopped and everyone on the highway was frozen in the position they had been in when Cordy had stopped glowing.
"Yes." Skip said.
"And when you say I've outgrown this level, that sort of implies..."
"You're moving on to a new one."
"Now I'm really scared."
"I know. But I also know you're ready."
"Oh, no, I'm not."
"Ah, the universe begs to differ. And deep down inside, I think..."
"Yes! All right? Stop saying I know! Maybe I do know. Maybe. If given enough time, I might even get used to the idea, but I don't have enough time, do I?"
Skip just looked at her.
"No, of course not. Why would the Powers give me time to save my relationship with the man of my dreams? I'm on my way to...stop Gru from leaving me!"
"What you're being called to do transcends love."
"How is that fair? I can't leave without telling him! I won't. He has to know how I feel! Why does this have to be now? He thinks I love Angel!"
"There is work to be done in the higher realms."
"Can you at least tell Gru that I do love him for me and tell my friends where I'm going?"
"Sorry. Not allowed."
"Then I'm not going. How can they possibly do this to me now? This is the last test, isn't it?"
"Cordelia."
Cordy turned to look at Skip and he tapped his left wrist. "I ever come face-to-face with those Powers That Be, we are going to have a talk, a big talk."
"You're doing the right thing."
"I'm scared. But I know it's right. I know somehow it's all gonna be alright. What do I do?"
"Just say yes."
"I already have."
Golden sparkles appeared around Cordy as she started to float up in a corridor of white light. Skip watched Cordy's smiling face as she rose up inside the cone of light only to disappear above with a small flash of light.
"Yeah, she's probably just stuck in traffic." Dawn said as they walked out of the Hyperion, Conner walking between Buffy and Angel.