So yes! Exams are finito'd!! Wanna hear the results?

Four A's, Five B's, two of which were 2% off an A! Can you believe it!? I'm totally shocked! I have some more to get, but yea, that's all pretty damn amazing!!!

Thank you so much for your love, luck and support! You are all amazing!!! ROCK ON!!! WOO!!!!!!!!!

^^^^T^H^A^N^K^^^^Y^O^U^^^^^

Here's an uber-long chappie!! Things Happen will be updated very shortly, Trip to Remember is updated….

All is coming together nicely J

As you can tell, I don't have a beta and really really sortof need one, not only for future chappies but to go back and beta the older chappies so that when this ends, its all perfect and pristine! Anyone interested, coz it'll need a few ppl – mail me here: finngrrpuppet@hotmail.com
I need a turnaround time of ASAP really, so bear that in mind!! Thanks!!

Ok, here it is!!

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

"Hi, Can I talk to Dawn please?"

"Sure, hold on Connor." Buffy dangled the receiver against the banister and called for Dawn to come down and get it. Hurrying back into the kitchen, Buffy was greeted with a towel-across-the-arm version of Spike quirking his eyebrow and deforming his lip in a hilarious imitation of a French waiter.

"Madame Summeeeeuuuuurrrrsssssss. I torrr we were havin' de pleasare of yeur 'oungeeeuurrr sisteeeuuurrr to-night(eh)."

"She's just talking to Connor. Nice accent bleachy."

"I try."

"Where's dinner then? Dawn can join us later, I'm hungry."

"Dinner? Oh yeah… 'Pick up Dinner'…. Forgot that one, pet."

"SPIKE!"

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

"Hey Dawn."

"Hey, I was going to call you after dinner. So, how was it?"

"You know the hell dimension 'Xenon'?" Connor said wryly.

"Nope."

"Yah you do, I just realised it's part of this one – school."

Dawn laughed. "That was as bad as your day seems to have turned out."

"I felt a fool. I mean, I had no idea what those teachers were talking about. Everyone was looking at me like I was a-"

"Freak?"

"Yeah. I don't know what I did to-"

"Its just how it is for the first week. Everyone is checking everyone else out. Just talk to people, introduce yourself and all that."

"Talk to people?"

"Yup."

They grinned and exchanged detailed descriptions of each other's day. After asking after everyone in Sunnydale, Connor and Dawn said goodbye.

The dark-haired boy grinned and ran up to his room. After talking to Dawn, things seemed a lot less intimidating than they had before. Though he wished she were with him tomorrow, he no longer felt the need to gauge out everyone's eyes.

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

Weeks passed in a mixture of school, fighting and family. Connor continued to call Dawn and Spike, either one almost every two nights. He was running up quite the phone bill, but Angel didn't mind at all. The son that had seemed to be on a level of broodiness and angst that even Angel couldn't hit – was happy. Connor was even somewhat comfortable talking to Angel, but from eavesdropping on conversations with Gunn and Cordelia, the souled vampire gathered that Connor had developed his first big time crush on a girl called Gina, joined the running team and managed to secure a fairly high popular position through Cordelia's tactical advice. The teen's fighting skills were improving by the day and though his schedule was hectic, he still managed to spend time with everyone, especially Dru (who helped with his history homework and descriptive writing pieces).

Angel and Connor had become closer, but Connor was still stand-offish and Angel knew it was because Connor had a lot of respect for Spike – who didn't respect Angel. The older vampire knew that his son probably felt torn between the two and an annoying, nagging part of his mind told him to clear things up with his childe.

Connor was due for a Spike weekend soon. In the weeks that had passed, Connor had gone to Sunnydale three times. Every time, Spike and Buffy drove up, tinted windows and all. Angel would see his childe stay in the car while Buffy came to the door to get Connor. They would drive away on the Friday night and on Sunday night, the whole thing would happen for Connor's return. Spike never once even glanced away from the steering wheel and Angel could safely stand at the window and watch his childe.

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

Sniffing in the night air, the vampire strolled through the streets of New York. Power and age exuded from his predatory stance and demons and humans alike scattered from his radius. Edged hair and gleaming eyes roamed the surroundings and he pulled upon the bond in a vain attempt at getting a response. It had been too long since it had been used let alone confirmed. The vampire sighed and the streetlight fell across his body for the first time. He was fairly tall, with a commanding set of features and an alluring glint to his eye. The recent years had been kind. There was a rich, plentiful aura around the vampire that hinted at the high station he held.

"Master."

Turning, his game face was pulled forward and a young vampire stood a few metres away, head bowed and body relaxed in submission.

"Any news?"

"From what we have so far, there are no strong indications as to where we can expect results."

"Keep searching. I've waited too long for this. We will-"

Another minion running towards them interrupted them. Smirking, the elder vampire raised his eyebrows, exchanging a glance with the first minion.

"Master."

"Warlint is truly honoured to have you as a minion, Henry."

"Thank you Master. I bring good news. An almost definite location has been acquired from a reliable source."

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

"Hey Cordy!"

"Hey kiddo, hold on a second."

Connor grinned as he watched the woman in front of him finish ironing Miss Edith's latest outfit. Fred and Dru had taken to making new clothes for the dolls to wear and were at that moment, giggling over their sewing in Dru's room.

"Where's Gunn?"

"He's with Angel. New case."

Smiling, Cordelia folded the dress and leaned against the wall, arms crossed.

"Okay, shoot."

"It's about Gina."

"Did something happen at school today?"

"We're seeing a film on Friday night."

"You got a date!"

Cordelia shrieked and hugged the surprised boy in front of her. Patting her back, Connor raised his eyebrows. "Yes, I did."

"This is amazing, Connor! What are you going to wear? What are you going to see? How are you getting there?"

Grinning, Connor started talking, glad that Cordelia understood how excited he was.

"Dawn said I should wear the black pants and-"

"That gorgeous dirty orange t-shirt! The one with the monkey on it!"

"Yeah, I like that one also. I am taking Gina to see Lord of the Rings. She really liked the first one. She leant me the 'Hobbit' and we're going to watch the first one at her house tomorrow night."

"Don't you have practice tomorrow?"

"Yeah, but it finishes at five. I'm going to her house at six. She is babysitting her sister. Can you pick me up at nine?"

"Wait a minute, Romeo. What about homework?"

"We'll do it at lunch. And when I get back I'll still have an hour before you make me go to my room."

"You have to get your sleep. Anyway, yeah I'll pick you up. Aren't you going to Spike's this weekend?"

"Yeah, I'd better call him and cancel, or maybe he can pick me up later on Friday."

"Ok. Have you done your-"

"Yeah."

"Just checking."

"I bet you never did your-"

"Say it and you get no dinner."

"I already had dinner."

"Go call Spike."

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

"Remember our little chat, mate?"

Connor grinned and Spike chuckled on the other side of the phone.

"Yeah."

"So, when am I meeting this Gina gal then?"

"Well, Friday I guess."

"Yeah, I'll pick you kids up at the cinema. We can take her home if you'd like."

"Thanks Spike."

"No problem, mate. Can double check she's not a demon for you."

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

"So."

"Yeah."

Connor shuffled and glanced at the ground. The night had been great. They had laughed and laughed, sprinkling popcorn all over the people around them and annoying quite a few couples trying to do other things. Every few seconds, she would do something, or glance somewhere and he would feel this overwhelming urge to smile. She made him feel vulnerable and foolish but at the same time comfortable and understood. They had gone for a walk; Connor had 'accidentally' given Spike the wrong time so they had had half an hour before he'd arrive.

Gina was a very pretty girl, but not in the conventional way at all. Her braided hair was swept up in a high ponytail revealing her smooth, dark skin. Deep brown, almond eyes twinkled with laughter and a small nose and fairly thin lips finished off her naturally simple yet alluringly pretty face. She was feminine and curvy and though a little slender, she looked healthy and vibrant.

"Thank your brother for the lift."

She grinned and again they were cloaked in a slightly awkward silence. The two dark-haired students were standing at her porch with Spike and Buffy in the car a few metres away, watching every move they made – probably with popcorn.

Connor reached out his hand and Gina shook it, frowning a little.

"Tonight was a lot of fun. We should do it again." Connor blurted out.

*Well done Connor, you managed to speak*

Rolling his eyes at himself, the boy wondered what had caused the total freeze-up.

"Definitely." Gina giggled and brushed her lips against his before slipping inside.

Glowing, the newly obsessed teen glided into the car. Spike and Buffy were sniggering and trying- in vain- to hide it. Sighing, he waited for a few seconds before the sound of the two blonde's laughter echoed through what sounded like the neighbourhood.

"Ever the gentlemen, my brother." Spike commented, airily.

"Shut up Spike, I think it's sweet that Connor shook her hand."

"I didn't know what to do!" the teen yelped.

"The lady seemed to have the right idea!"

"Yeah, well, she'd probably been on hundreds of dates."

"I don't think so, see-"

"Oh, shit!" Connor said.

"What?"

"I left my homework at home, I'm really sorry."

"No problem, we'll stop by Angel's on the way home." Buffy glanced at Spike and frowned as she saw the vamp tense slightly and gruffly mutter under his breath about pouf's and nonce's.

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

"Hey Connor, I thought you were Sunnydale-ing tonight."

Angel nodded at Connor's excuse and followed the boy into his room. Dawn had arrived and re-decorated the room, which was now a navy blue with posters scattered across the walls. A wardrobe, desk, stereo system, bookcase complimented with random ornaments and a few recent pictures made the room more comfortable.

"So, how's Spike?"

Connor winced and Angel sighed.

"He's fine."

"Good."

They were in a growingly uncomfortable silence when Dru floated into the room to say goodbye to her brother. She scampered off when Fred called out to her and again, father and son were plunged into a silence filled with papers being shuffled and thrown into the teen's bag.

"Connor, I really should explain about Spike."

"He's waiting outside."

"I know. When you come back, maybe…"

"No, thanks. Spike doesn't want me to know, so, I won't know."

Closing his eyes, Angel nodded. They hugged and Connor smiled apologetically before taking off downstairs. The dark-haired vampire heard Cordelia squealing about the date and quickly saying goodbye before the door clicked. A few moments later, the sound of a car starting up and driving away signalled the beginning of a long weekend.

~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~

Angel paced and brooded all weekend. All the older vampire could think about was Spike. The bleached blonde master vampire seemed to taunt his mind for hours and hours on end and the pain and guilt Angel wanted to atone for was suddenly focussed on every wrong he had ever committed against his childe.

While driving down to Sunnydale to pick up his son, Angel drifted into yet another daze and Cordelia decided to snap him out of it.

"So, did Buffy mention what came up?"

"Huh?" Angel replied.

"What came up? In Sunnydale? They can't bring Connor to L.A because…"

"Oh, Spike's car finally gave in to the phenomenal amount of rust coating its mechanical foundation."

Laughing, they again fell into a silence. Sensing the imminent brooding session, the half-demon spoke up again.

"Angel, whatever it is with Spike…it's not going to go away. Just talk to him."

"He doesn't want to talk to me."

"I packed your bag."

"What bag?"

"The one in the backseat."

"Co-"

"Stay with Buffy, or even better, with Spike for a few days. Sort this thing out. I'll take your son home and get him to school and all that for a few days. We can handle it. No cases right now, so you can afford it."

"Oh."

Cordelia grinned at the speechless vampire in front of her- who - later that night, would be forced onto the streets of Sunnydale and left there while she and Connor would drive away, not to be heard from for a week.

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

So, reviews? Please? Pret-the please?