Rating: PG. (Includes some swearing and violence) Well basically if you're allowed to watch the show, you can read this.

Summary: Set a few years after Rain of Fire. Connor has a chat with mystery blonde in the park. The blonde turns out to be Darla. Gunn tries to kill Darla. Darla is taken to hospital after fainting. They find out she is human. I don't know what happens in the series 'cause I'm not going to read the spoilers! OK, I've read up to Rain of Fire but no more. Some things may be wrong.

Disclaimer: Anything you recognise in this story belongs to Joss Whedon and co. Please don't sue!

A/N: Thanks to everyone who has reviewed! Yes I will put in more interaction between Connor and his parents. Hee hee! Things are gonna get very interesting! Mwaaaaaaaahahahahaha! Please keep reading! All feedback welcome! Preferably no flames. :)

Also, feel free to suggest possible pairings!

Chapter 5- Slight Misunderstandings

"Lindsey!"

Darla squealed and ran to hug him.

"Hey Darla, um, when did you get back? I thought you were... dead."

"Yeah, I was. But then I was brought back. And now I'm here."

"Right." Lindsey looked at Angel. "Could I stay here for a bit? You know, 'til I get my own place."

Angel looked at Lindsey. He hadn't changed much. Of course he still had his 'evil hand'.

"So are you going back to Wolfram and Hart?"

"No, I'm gonna drop the whole evil law firm thing." Lindsey smiled and looked down at Darla.

She hasn't changed a bit, he thought. She was still very beautiful.

"Fred, show Lindsey to a room." Angel scratched his head.

Fred nodded and mentioned for Lindsey to follow her. When they had gone, Angel pulled Darla to one side.

"I don't trust him."

"What?" Darla's mouth dropped open. "What do you mean you can't trust him? He's changed."

"Darla, nobody changes that fast."

"I did."

Angel looked down and sighed.

"Fine, but I hope you know what you're getting yourself into."

Darla grinned triumphantly.

"One wrong move though and he's out."

Darla rolled her eyes.

"Yeah yeah."

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Angel wandered out into the garden.

"Angel!"

Angel whirled round. He saw Buffy run up to him.

"Hi." Buffy smiled. "Um, I think we need to talk."

"About what?"

"Us."

"Us?" Angel gulped. Maybe this was the time for the world to collapse.

"Yes. I mean, what are we now?"

"Huh?" Angel was wishing so hard for the ground to open up.

"Well, are we friends or... more?"

"D... Erm... I... Er... Well..."

There was a pause. Buffy waited for his answer.

"Well, I know that night changed things. Kinda. And well-"

"Good." Buffy smiled and kissed him.

She turned and walked back to the double doors. She looked back at him when she reached the doors. Angel was left to stare after her.

"Oh man!"

"What's wrong?" Lindsey smiled.

"What do you want?"

"That's not very nice."

"Argh! It's nothing. Just forget it."

"Oh? Then why did I just see Buffy come from here then?"

Angel looked away.

"Oh come on. It can't be that bad."

"She thinks we're going out!"

"Are you?"

"No!" Angel started pacing around. "She didn't even wait for me to finish what I was saying! She just jumped in! Now how am I meant to tell her there's nothing between us without hurting her feelings?"

"You're in trouble."

"I know." Angel pulled a face.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Darla slouched on the couch. (A/N: Hey! That rhymes!) She had flicked through all the channels at least three times and nothing good was on. She sighed and stared at the flickering screen.

"Hi mum. What ya doin'?"

Darla looked up.

"Oh nothing. I couldn't sleep so I decided to watch some TV. But the only problem is that there's nothing on."

Connor laughed.

"And shouldn't you be in bed?" Darla raised a quizzical eyebrow.

"No." Connor replied quickly. "It's only twelve thirty."

"Go to bed."

Connor sighed and trooped up stairs.

"Hey."

Darla looked up again.

"Hi. Why are you up?"

Lindsey walked round to the front of the couch and sat down.

"Couldn't sleep."

"Same here."

Lindsey looked at Darla. Darla looked at Lindsey. Darla smiled. Lindsey moved closer to her and wrapped her in his arms. Darla lent back and smiled.

"Mmmm..." Darla sighed.

Lindsey buried his face in Darla's hair and breathed in deeply. She smelt really nice. Not of perfume though, it was just... nice.

Lindsey and Darla sat on the couch until three in the morning. They didn't notice Angel watching them from the shadows.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Dawn tiptoed into the foyer of the Hyperion hotel. She peered around. She saw no body. She slipped towards the stairs.

"Where have you been?"

Dawn froze.

"Dawn, it's nearly nine o'clock!" Buffy stood in the doorway of the office with her arms crossed.

"Yeah well Connor's always still up now. He doesn't get told to come home."

"Connor works."

"So?" Dawn pouted. "I'm old enough to look after myself."

"Dawn, if something happened to you while you were out-"

Dawn cut in. "But nothing did. Anyway, I've been training with Connor, I think I can defend myself."

"But-" Buffy looked behind Dawn. "Hey you."

Buffy waltzed over to where Angel was standing with everyone else behind him and kissed him on the lips.

"How was slaying?" Buffy smiled.

"Er... It was fine." Angel squirmed.

Connor and Darla looked at each other and grinned at Angel's obvious discomfort.

Buffy led Angel into the office. After a short pause, everyone burst out laughing.

Angel backed away from Buffy as she walked closer to him. He felt his back touch the wall.

"OK, now um... we have a lot of things to do."

"Yes we do." Buffy walked closer.

They both heard the roar of laughter outside.

Buffy licked her lips.

The phone chose that exact moment to ring. Angel let out a small sigh of relief. He brushed past Buffy and picked up the receiver.

"Hello, Angel Investigations. How can I help?" Angel saw Buffy slowly moving towards him.

"Put the phone down." Buffy whispered just loud enough for Angel to hear.

Angel quickly turned away.

"Erm, yes. Someone can come round tomorrow morning. Can you just tell me how bad the situation is? ... Yes... yes. OK. Are you going to be OK for tonight? ... Right, then someone will be round tomorrow morning around say ten thirty? ... Fine, Bye... Yes we're glad to help."

Angel put down the receiver.

"I'm gonna go put that down in the book."

Angel walked out of the office to a very strained silence outside. He looked from face to face, they all refused to meet his eyes.

"OK, OK laugh all you want."

Darla burst out laughing and nearly spat out the doughnut she had in her mouth. Connor just grinned.

"So have you told her yet?" Lindsey said over Darla's laughter.

"No." Angel looked around. Everyone's eyes were on him. Including Darla who was trying to stifle her laughs. "How many people have you told?"

Lindsey smiled. "Er well... If you include that little old lady you saved? About 11?"

Angel nearly fell over. "11?"

Angel stormed to his room. He felt like strangling that stupid git. Who was he to tell people about his personal life? Angel slammed the door. It wasn't that that was bothering him though. He led Buffy to believe that they were together. And what will Darla think? Angel shook his head. She seemed to come into his thoughts a lot lately.

The door opened.

"He didn't mean to tell everyone you know." Darla stepped into the doorway.

Angel laughed. "Sure he didn't."

"Anyway, no one thinks any different of you."

Angel looked at Darla. Why the hell was she defending that stupid git? Angel growled.

"It was an accident." Darla turned to walk out of the door.

"Darla why are you defending him?"

"Because it feels right to."

Angel gaped after her. Does she love him? Angel mentally kicked himself. He's lost her and god he knew it.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Connor walked downstairs in a rage. He slammed straight into Darla who was coming out of the office carrying an armful of papers.

"Ah!" Darla shrieked as the papers went flying.

"Sorry!" Connor helped his mum up.

Darla brushed herself down. "It's all right."

Connor bent down and picked up the papers. He handed them to Darla.

Darla looked at her son. "Honey what's wrong?"

"Nothing." Connor looked away.

"Come on. You can tell me."

Connor sighed.

"Connor?"

"Connor! We have an emergency!" Cordy rushed in.

Connor breathed a sigh of relief.

"OK, you have a big blue demon with funny antlers and a purple gem in the middle of it's er stomach."

"Right." Connor walked towards the weapons cabinet. "Oh and get dad."

Darla shrugged and put the papers down on the front desk.

"Oh Angel! You have a beastie to kill!" Darla shouted.

Angel looked up and nodded.

"Oooh, gloomy Angel."

Cordy smiled.

"Oh hey." Willow approached the front desk. "Do you any magic things here at all?"

"Dunno. Sorry Will." Cordy frowned. "Ask Angel."

"Oh, you don't want to do that."

"Why not?" Willow tilted her head to one side.

"'Cause he's seriously gloomy and he probably won't talk much."

"Oh..." Willow sighed.

"OK, we're off. Hang on, where is this demon?" Angel stopped.

"Erm well, when I got the phone call, it was near the hospital." Cordy flipped through her book. "But it's

probably on the move."

"Great." Connor said sarcastically. "More work for us."

"Don't worry. Exercise is good for you." Cordy lent over the desk and kissed Connor on the cheek.

Buffy watched as Angel and Connor left.

"Buffy!"

Buffy looked to where the voice had come from. Cordy came running towards her.

"Er, do you mind going to the park? It's just that there's a bunch of vamps there and we can't do it. I mean you can take Gunn with you."

"Yeah, sure."

"Thanks."

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Darla was alone in the foyer. Last time she was alone like this the Master had come. Darla shuddered and pushed his face out of her thoughts.

"Oh god." Darla muttered to herself. "Why me?"

Darla reached out for the calculator. "Stupid people. Why can't they just pay their money?"

Darla tensed as she heard footsteps on the marble floor.

"Hi, only me." Lindsey's head appeared above the counter.

Darla sighed. "God, you really scared me you know."

Lindsey smiled.

"It's not funny."

"Yeah." Lindsey's smile grew wider.

Darla pouted.

Lindsey walked round to where Darla was sitting. He looked over her shoulder.

"It's not fair. Everyone else gets to go out and fight while I have to stay here and do this." Darla sighed.

"Maybe they're trying to protect you."

"A) I don't need protecting. B) The 'they' you're referring to is obviously Angel and C) They think I'm weak."

"I'm sure they don't think you're weak but I do think you need protecting." Lindsey gently kissed her on the cheek.

Darla smiled and stood up. She let Lindsey lead her to his room.

To Be Continued...

A/N: Ahahahahahhaa... Don't worry things will be back to normal... after I've had my fun. Feel free to suggest possible pairing!