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.

Thanks to Kit for putting up with the garbage I feed her. She's the whole reason Connor has two axes, cuz I love her.

The Darkest Hour before Dawn

Eight

"Where's Buffy?"

Xander and Willow looked up from the books spread across the table in front of them. Wesley didn't even look up.

"Oh, good evening to you too, Angel," Xander said, then went back to the books.

"She went patrolling," Willow said. Xander looked at her, raising an eyebrow. "Well, she did. Oz told me. He was there."

"The sun just set," Angel said. "How can she already be patrolling?"

Oz wandered into the room. "She felt something supernatural, got antsy, and decided to that Connor and Lindsey to see the sights before dark," he explained. "Oh, and whatever it was, Connor could feel it, but I couldn't. Buffy guessed it was some kind of vampire weird thing."

"That certainly wins for most words I've ever heard Oz say," Xander put in.

"She took Connor and Lindsey. On patrol." Angel said.

"Pretty sure that's what he just said," Xander said.

"They both tried to kill me. Does she know that?" Angel asked.

"She said that we were three groups from now on. Her, Lindsey, and Connor, and Wes, Anya and I would stay here while you, Xander and Willow were another patrol." Oz explained.

"This is the most I've ever heard him say the entire time I've known him." Xander whispered to Willow.

"Xander, shut up," Oz said.

~`~

Buffy broke into a jog, the setting sun at her back as she jogged down the street in front of her house. The porch was still in shreds, and she picked up speed.

Connor kept up with her easily, as Angel would have done. It hurt her to think that, even though she knew that it meant nothing. Behind them, Lindsey struggled only a little to keep up. Connor's steps fell into perfect rhythm with hers.

The graveyard was in sight. The sun was almost down, and Buffy slowed, then stopped. Connor went a few paces ahead of her, then stopped, turning back to look at her. Lindsey skidded to a halt, bent over to try and catch his breath.

"Tell me why it was necessary we run?" he asked.

"That was a short little jog," Connor said.

"Raise your hand if you AREN'T something supernatural." Lindsey said. He raised his hand up. "Yeah, that's what I thought."

"I just needed to get here," Buffy said. "Before the sun set. I needed to."

"Do you have any idea what's going on?" Lindsey asked.

"Something's calling the vampires," someone said in the fading light. A spiral of smoke curled up into the twilight sky.

Connor dove at the guy, stake at the ready.

"Stop!" Buffy screamed. Connor froze.

"He's a vampire. Stake them, they turn to dust." Connor said, sitting on the vampire's chest. The vampire lay on his back in the dirt, his cigarette forgotten in the grass about a foot away.

"He has a soul," Buffy said. She pushed Connor off of the vampire and pulled the vampire to his feet.

"I thought Angel was the only vampire with a soul," Lindsey said.

"Yeah, well, now he's not," Buffy said. She hauled Connor off of Spikes chest and pulled the blond vampire to his feet. "What are you doing Spike? I thought you were over that whole lurking around the graveyard in the dark thing."

"Yeah, well, I can't stay cooped up in the basement all day AND night, now can I?" Spike asked.

"I don't know," Buffy said. "I think you can." A smirk crossed her face as she looked at him.

"Oh, be nice now," Spike said.

"He doesn't act like a vampire. Well, except for the whole lurking in the dark thing." Lindsey said.

"Oh, I don't act like a vampire? Would you like for me to bite you?" Spike asked. He morphed his face, and Lindsey jumped back. His face flowed back into his human visage and he smiled. "That vampire enough for you?"

"Uh, yeah," Lindsey said. He held his crossbow up between himself and Spike. "But stay back, because I sure as hell don't trust—"

Spike dove forward and tackled Lindsey to the ground, the crossbow bolt going astray. Something hard and very heavy slammed into Buffy and she hit the ground.