Foreword: All characters belong to Joss Whedon and/or David Greenwalt. Also, I think I've gone crazy, because this is not something that I normally write. Anyway. This takes place in Buffy's seventh season, and Angel's fourth, up through both's third episode, (except for where Cordelia comes back and Angel's in love with her, because I don't like her) which is as far as I've seen. Old characters will be returning. The pairing situation is complicated, so I'll leave it a surprise. Enjoy. Shouldn't be too many spoilers, if any at all. Also, events from the Buffy books do factor in.

Special thanks to my Watchers, Jessica and Kathy. Jess for naming my demons and looking others up. Thanks to Kathy for proofreading and making me skinny and graceful (not weighty and awkward). Thanks to Kit for being the Buffy expert and helping me out when I need info.

The Darkest Hour before Dawn

Five

"I do NOT want them sleeping in my room."

The Summers sisters stared each other down in the quiet of their upstairs hallway. The sound of Willow and Wesley's laughter drifted up to them.

"Dawn, we have no choice. Two of them can stay in your room, because it's obvious that Angel and Wesley aren't getting along so hot." Buffy said. "And it's fine for you to sleep in here with me."

"Buffy, you CAN'T put them in my room. All my stuff is in there. Private stuff," Dawn said.

"Dawn, please, for tonight? We'll think of something better tomorrow." Buffy said.

Dawn crossed her arms over her chest and pouted. "Fine," she said. "But I don't want Connor in there."

"Why? You like him or something? Don't want him to see your messy bedroom?" Buffy asked. She grinned. Dawn blushed.

"No, I don't. I'd just be more comfortable with someone I knew in there." Dawn said. "Like Angel or Wes."

"Well, two will have to sleep in there, but it will likely be Angel and Lindsey." Buffy said.

"Who's Lindsey?" Dawn asked. "I mean, have you met him before? When you visited LA?"

"No," Buffy said. "But I get the feeling we're all going to get to know each other a LOT better before this is all through."

"Yeah," Dawn said, then sighed.

"Now, go pick up your room a bit so that it's fit for living. I'll see you downstairs. Scream if anything happens."

On impulse, Dawn reached out and hugged her sister tightly. A look of shock crossed Buffy's face. Then she smiled and hugged Dawn back, and turned to head downstairs.

~`~

A young couple strolled down the sidewalk that ran through the center of Weatherly Park, in Sunnydale, California. Not the safest pastime, but still, quite romantic. She shivered and he squeezed her hand, walking a little closer to her. She smiled, and tipped her head back, looking up at the stars, and the moon glowing above them.

"That's strange," she said.

"Huh?" he said.

"The moon." She said. He looked up. The moon glowed red in the darkness of the sky.

"What the…" the boy began.

The ground beneath them rumbled, and the girl screamed, even though both were born-Californians and knew that an earthquake was no big deal.

A clawed hand reached from beneath the earth. Another joined it, and a body heaved from the dirt and shattered concrete, massive teeth snapping at the young couple. The girl screamed again.

Then the pair were slowly pulled through the concrete and into the earth.

~`~

"Buffy," Wesley asked, his voice slightly strained, "Please tell me that Giles did not take all of his books back to England with him."

"Well, not all," Buffy said.

"What he left with us were destroyed when Willow went crazy," Anya said.

"Oh. Well. Um. How have you been doing research?" Wesley asked.

"We haven't," Xander put in. "We're heavy on the rush in and kill it thing."

"Oh," Wesley said again. "Well, if we're to find out how to get rid of these demons, we need to do research."

"I have this covered," Angel said. "Lindsey, Connor, do you care to help?"

Lindsey looked up at Angel, then stood. The chair Connor had been sitting in scraped across the kitchen floor as he stood. Buffy turned from the counter, carrying three glasses filled with ice and water, in time to see her little sister turn her head to keep her eyes on Angel's son.

"I'll get on the Internet and see if I can find anything," Willow said. She picked up three glasses of iced tea, and set two down before Xander and Dawn, keeping one for herself. She turned and left the room.

"I'm thinking we should set up a central room for, you know, research." Dawn said. "That way we're not all strung out and scattered over the house and we can discuss things."

"You're going to school tomorrow," Buffy said. Dawn frowned. "But it's a good idea, anyway. Will!" Buffy called, walking out of the kitchen and into the living room.

Angel, Lindsey, and Connor came back in carrying stacks of books. They placed them on the table, and Connor returned to his seat. Dawn turned her head slightly to look at him.

"Hey Angel," Buffy called. "Come help us carry some of this stuff into the kitchen." Angel went to help.

Lindsey slouched down into a chair and took a sip of water. Wesley glared at him. "When, exactly, were these packed?" he asked.

"Before we left," Lindsey said. Wesley made a noise of frustration.

"There are more in the car if you need them," Connor said. "And we can get them. But not right now."

"Yes, well," Wesley said, but said nothing else. He picked up a book and started leafing through the pages. Connor stood and started out of the kitchen. Dawn followed, and Xander, Anya, and Lindsey watched them with a raised eyebrow.

"That can't be good," Xander remarked.

Connor shot a glance into the living room as he walked by, to see his father staring adoringly at the beautiful Slayer. His eyes narrowed and he shook his head. All that desperation for finding Cordelia, and here's the man who called himself Connor's father, checking out the first girl that really comes along. He stormed out onto the porch, frustrated.

Dawn looked at what he looked at, and shook her head, smiling slightly. She followed Connor.

"Hey," she said, smiling at him. He looked at her.

"Hey," he said. He looked up at her.

The ground began to shake and Dawn screamed. One of the goo demons materialized in the middle of the porch. It did not bother to shift. The boards of the porch began to crack and Dawn screamed again. The front door flew open and Buffy and Angel charged out. A clawed and reached for Dawn, prepared to pull her into the gaping hole in the porch, into the ground. She crashed to the side and everything stopped shaking.

Dawn felt the warm body pressing hers to the cool wood of the porch, a heart pounding against her chest. She opened her eyes to see her sister standing in shock in the doorway.

Dawn turned her head to look into Connor's eyes.