CHAPTER THREE

An mbraitheann tu mo chroi

I drearmann do lamha

I ngeibheann do ghra

An mbraitheann tu cuisle mo chroi

Buile Mo Chroi – Karan Casey

Our dinner eaten, we headed for the meeting. Buffy's house was a lot like I remembered it with one exception. There was a huge dog inside with Dawn and Buffy. The thing bounded at us at a lope. The wiry grey-haired beast leapt up, planting its feet on my shoulders and nearly knocking me down. It stared down at me then licked my face. It had a few good inches on me height wise. Even before I could get this creature off of me another one darted out of the kitchen and I went down in a pile of dogs.

"Connor, you can play with the dogs later." I could hear the humor in Dad's voice, the bastard.

"Help me!" I said or tried to. There was dog tongue on my lips.

"Wow, my big burly man disappeared," Faith said and I managed to snake a hand free to give her the finger.

Dad dragged me free, lifting me off my feet in the process. "Good God! You weigh less than the dogs. Faith, does he even eat?"

"I think he strains nutrients from the air." She smirked at me.

"Put me down," I said through grated teeth, half-heartedly kicking at him.

"Are the dogs yours, Angel?" Faith yanked me out of Dad's hands.

"Yes, Keely." He put his hand on the steel grey dog's head. "And Medb." He stroked the brindle one. "I brought them here so you could sleep in quiet."

"Thanks. How are you two?" I asked, looking over at Buffy and Dawn. Buffy's face looked drawn. I guess putting up with Dad would tire anyone out.

"Good," Buffy said, sparing a strange little grin for Dad. I knew what that grin meant. It was too creepy for me. The idea of Dad having sex, I mean.

"I'm doing real well. Just got a contract to do some pieces for a nation-wide corporation, stuff for the office. It's not great art but it pays the bills so I can do the art I want to do," Dawn said brightly.

"Cool. If we ever get time, I'd like to see what you're working on," I said.

"Wouldn't have it any other way. How are you doing, Connor? Still liking being a Watcher?" Dawn looked a bit awkward and I guess I probably did, too. She and I had had a wild fling a few years back until we learned our respective backgrounds. We couldn't shake that incestuous feeling.

"I enjoy it," I said, tossing my long hair back. It needed a good washing. There really hadn't been time.

"And how've you been Faith?" There was something in Buffy's tone that sounded suspicious. I guess she'll never fully forgive Faith and I think Faith accepts that.

"Having a good time, getting to see the world," Faith replied as the front door opened and closed. I didn't bother to turn to see them. I could smell Willow's delicate perfume and Xander's cheap cologne. "Getting to do it in new and different places." Faith's face went wicked.

"Yeah we heard what you did to the Council headquarters' roof." Xander snickered under his breath and I winced. How embarrassing. Was there anyone who hadn't heard about that sexual misadventure?

"Hi, Faith," Willow said cheerily. "I didn't know you were bringing a new girl to the meeting? One of the Potentials?"

I whirled, a hurt look on my face. It was one of those times you know you're standing there with your mouth open like an idiot but you couldn't help it. "Willow!"

She blushed as the others laughed. "Sorry Connor. The hair, the skinny back, it's an easy mistake to make."

"Well, that makes me feel so much better." I pouted.

"Get a hair cut, son." Angel rolled his eyes, cuffing me one. "That hair is nothing but a liability in a fight."

"I like the hair," Faith said, "It feels like silk on the inside of my legs."

That turned me redder than Willow's hair. "Why am I the only Watcher here?" I asked, desperately trying to change the subject.

"Knowing Ham, they're probably lost in a book somewhere," Buffy said. "Have a seat. I've got tea brewing. Spike should be here any minute, too. One of his waitresses called off sick so he couldn't get away from the bar until he found a replacement."

I gratefully took a seat on the couch. I was still jet lagged and now embarrassed. Both were common enough conditions given my job and choice of companions. Faith sat next to me and immediately Keely trotted over. She turned and started backing into my lap. "Um, Dad."

"She loves you, son." That was the only help he offered.

Keely stretched out over Faith and me. Willow and Xander crammed into the loveseat, leaving the chair for Angel. The room needed more seating since I didn't know where anyone else would fit. Dawn kept busy looking out the window. She was dating Hamish. I wasn't sure if I was supposed to know that or not so I planned on keeping quiet about it.

"Spike's here," Dawn announced.

Spike didn't look much different from the last time I saw him, maybe a little thinner in the hairline but that was about it. He reeked of tobacco, his and surely a bar-full of other cigarettes. He grinned, seeing Faith and I. "He sicced those bloody dogs on you. Looking good, Faith. And you look more like Darla every time I see you, Uncle."

"Screw you, too, nephew," I shot back. I'm not sure when Spike had started calling me that. It had to do with my so-called sister, Dru.

"Looks like we're still a few cards short of a deck." Spike wiggled a six-pack he had in his hand. "Brought goodies."

I held out my hand and he slapped a Newcastle Brown Ale in it. I could probably use the whole six-pack to survive this night.

"Have you turned into a real Irishman yet?" Spike asked. "Or does two beers still put that scrawny little body of yours down?"

"I wouldn't be talking about anyone being scrawny, Spike, at least not until you weight more than a hundred pounds yourself," I shot back.

"Tea's ready," Buffy said, sailing out of the kitchen with the tray. "Hey, Spike. Find a place to sit."

"I brought something for the grown-ups," Spike said, setting the six-pack down before sitting on the hearth. Dad helped himself to a beer as well.

"I hope they get here before Giles calls," Buffy said.

And as if on cue, a car pulled up. Wesley and Maddie had the same weary look Faith and I did. Hamish's long face held hints of exhaustion and his shaggy dark blond hair needed brushing. I'm not sure what Dawn saw in him actually, looks wise. Maybe she liked her men slim since Hamish wasn't much bigger than me or Spike or maybe smarts turned her on since he was all that and then some. He made me feel stupid. So did Wesley and Giles for that matter but I know none of them mean to. I just got so far behind on Quor-toth that I never quite caught up.

"Sorry about being late, mates," Hamish said, sparing a crooked-tooth smile for Dawn. "Wesley and I got wrapped up in looking up the Fratelli di Viale."

"The what?" Faith asked with that same hint of petulance she always got when Wes went into full Watcher-mode.

"That's what Giles called to warn us about," Buffy said. "He didn't have much on them yet, just that the Council thought that they might be causing us trouble."

"The Fratelli, the brothers of the path, are a very old organization," Hamish said, leafing through some notes he had.

"I've heard of the wankers," Spike put in. "They were a fun-sounding bunch." He blushed a bit as all eyes turned on him. "Well, they were when I was the Big Bad."

"Yes, well, they are a sort of anti-Council. They dabble in the dark arts, deal with demons, conduct experiments," Hamish said, his eyes holding that same manic glee Wes and Giles got when researching something new and to them, exciting.

"Lovely." Buffy made a face. I was with her on that.

"And it seems that they have had dealings with old friends of yours, Angel," Wesley said. "From L.A."

"Let me guess, Wolfram and Hart," Angel said. Not much of the law firm was left. What had been rebuilt after the Beast took them out, had been destroyed after their End of Days went bust thanks to us. I didn't know much about them, only that they had a hand in me ending up in Quor-Toth in the first place. Anyone dealing with them automatically made it onto my shit list.

"Exactly," Wesley said.

"We can only assume that they have nothing good in mind by turning their attention to Sunnydale," Maddelena put in.

Before we could respond to the obvious, the phone rang. Buffy answered it then clicked it over to speakerphone.

"I'm glad everyone's there," Giles' voice crackled through the speaker. "We don't know much more than we did when we did yesterday.  We've got some intel suggesting that the Fratelli are interested in Buffy in particular. We're not sure why."

"Do we know anything for certain, Giles?" Buffy asked, her weary expression deepening. I could understand that. Fighting demons took its toll and in my own way I had been at it longer than Faith or Buffy. I was just a kid, a real kid, when I took out my first demon for Father. I can't remember ever not fighting.

"Only that Ethan Rayne is working with them," Giles said and the look on Buffy's face was one of pure disgust. I agreed with that look. Ethan was the guy who tied me and Dawn together magically and was trying to exploit our powers. I wouldn't want to be him if Buffy crossed his path.

"You'd think after that last butt kicking he took when he hurt Dawnie and Connor, he'd never bother us again," Willow said.

"Agreed. The important thing is, is Ethan knows Buffy. He knows some of her weaknesses and he is capable of some very dark magic," Giles said.

"Is he on his way here?" Buffy asked.

"Probably. And so am I," Giles said.


"I thought you didn't want to do field work any more, Giles," Hamish said and I could see he was a little jealous of his turf. That would be bad if he couldn't control it. I mean, Giles was like a father to Buffy. Anyone could see that and it wouldn't be smart to get between them.

"I'm leaving that to you, Blackwell," Giles replied. "But I know Ethan better than anyone. We're friends then adversaries for over thirty years. I'll be in Sunnydale tomorrow. Until then, see what you can find out about the Fratelli and see if anyone has a line on their dealings in Sunnydale."

"Will do," Hamish said and Giles hung up. "Spike, have you heard anything from the demon side of things?"

Spike shook his head. "My bar's not exactly Willie's. My patrons are human for the most part but I'll keep an ear out. I have some rocks I can turn over."

"I'll head to Willie's and see what I can beat out of his…patrons," Angel said. "Faith, Connor, want to come with?"

"Yeah." If it got me out of the bookwork, I'd wander into hell.

"While you're doing that, I'll patrol like normal," Buffy said.

"Could I come with you?" Faith asked, surprising everyone.


Buffy stared for a moment then nodded. "Sure."

I wasn't sure that was a good idea but hell, they're grown women now. Hopefully different than the girls who had tried to kill each other all those years ago. I didn't dare suggest anyone tag along with them and no one else was that foolish either. No one looked very happy though.

"In the meantime, Willow, Xander, Maddie, Wes and I can hit the books and the web," Hamish said.

"Actually, I'm going to put in a call to an old friend back in L.A.. She's been keeping her ear to the ground monitoring the supernatural," Wesley said.

Buffy nodded. "Do it."

We all took that as a call to action. I headed out into the night with my father. Heaven help us. Too much time alone and we'd be reenacting a Simpsons' episode and it'd be a toss up which of us would be Homer strangling Bart.

*                                                          *                                                          *

Faith still wasn't back when Dad and I came home exceedingly empty-handed. I hit the shower in desperate need of it since I had spent the last two nights in bars without a chance to clean up. I reeked of smoke and sweat.

I hadn't asked Dad about him and Buffy. It didn't seem the time. But I could see signs of her all over the bathroom. I can't imagine Angel buying himself jasmine shampoo and melon body wash. They had to be Buffy's.

I took a leisurely shower, trying to work the kinks and soreness out of my body. Some creature I didn't know the name of had tried to use me as a swizzle stick. I had a huge gash over one eye. I think Angel was busy laughing since he warned me not to irritate the thing in the first place. One day I'll listen to Dad.

I was drying off when Dad knocked on the door. "What?" I whined. I'm sorry, I get whiny when I'm tired. I can't help it.

"Phone, the Watcher's Council."

I wrapped my towel around me and went out. Dad handed me the phone as I sat on the couch.

"Don't get that wet mop on the Corinthian leather," he warned.

Sighing I leaned forward, letting my hair curtain around me while I talked. "O'Faolain here." Through my mane I saw Dad rolling his eyes. When I had learned my name was Connor Angel way back when I had freaked. Thank you everyone for tagging me with a ridiculous joke of a surname. So, I went on a quest for a name that fit me. I didn't know Dad's real name. I still don't and I didn't want to take it anyhow. I know it hurt him but I think he understood. He named me well enough. Connor translates to champion or hero or some such nonsense. I half wanted to honor Father by keeping Holtz as my last name but I knew how badly that would be taken. I took Steven as my middle name instead. I came up with two surnames, Kelly and O'Faolain, 'strife' or 'wolf.' Kelly just didn't flow well as Cordelia had put it. I scowled. I hated thinking of her gone now. "Yeah, okay. Did you tell Hamish, too? Okay, I will."

I signed off the phone and Dad raised an eyebrow at me. "That was quick."

"They wanted to let me know that Giles is on his way. But unfortunately Ethan Rayne slipped past them. They think he's in California already. I have to call Hamish. They couldn't get him earlier. What's Ham's number?" I punched it in as Dad related it. Hamish sounded groggy when he answered. "Ham, the Council just called. Rayne outsmarted whoever they sent to watch him. He's probably already here. Giles will be here by noon, you picking him up? Okay…no, Faith's not back yet either. I figure either she and Buffy have found something fun to kill or they're fighting with each other. If it's the latter I wish they'd have told me and Dad first so we could have supplied the hot oil and watched…sure I'd have invited you, too. Call if you hear anything."

Dad gave me a strange look as I hung up. "I think Faith's rubbing off on you."

"Maybe I got this way on my own." It really was Faith's influence. She was so open sexually and usually that was pretty cool with me. Sort of wonderful and horrifying at the same time. Still, I think I brought my own brand of unusualness to the table.

"Well, given your dad was a womanizer and your mother a pro, I guess this is the best I can expect." He smiled at me.

"Exactly. Tell me about this Rayne character. You've had more experiences with him than I have," I said, heading for my bedroom to pull on some clothing. That was true. Even though this clown had captured me once I didn't know much about him.

"Yes. The most important thing to remember is he's sly but he's a coward."

"Noted." I pulled on sweat pants and wandered back out. Dad's face held fear in it. I think he knew that the Council had given me the go-ahead to take this man out if I had to. The Special Ops did wetworks. Usually it was just demons we killed but a rogue mage was just as dangerous and if we had to kill them, I had to be prepared for it. Just the less said about killing humans the better. "Outside of when you helped me and Dawn how many times have you met him then?"

"Twice. Buffy's run up against him four times. The first time he magicked Halloween costumes turning everyone wearing them into the thing they were dressed up as," Angel said.

I frowned. I've never understood Halloween. "Why?"

He shrugged. "Don't know. For laughs maybe. Or he knew the Slayer had one of his costumes and wanted to take her out of the picture. Spike nearly killed Buffy that night. That's when he still had a set on him."

Okay, that was bitter. I guess the triangle thing really still was how life was being lived here in Sunnyhell and Dad didn't like it. What a change from those free-swinging days with Mom and Dru. "But Rayne escaped."

"I think Giles let him go to be honest. They were once friends. He certainly lived to regret that. The next time was soon after when Giles' past came back to haunt him. During those days when they were young, they used to let a demon take possession of them for… um, orgies." Angel paused, a strange look on his face. Was that disgust or respect or maybe, 'boy I wish I had thought of that?' "The demon was trying to kill the whole group that had used it. Ethan managed to capture Buffy and tried to lure the demon into her. It was in Giles' girlfriend Jenny at the time. We got it to jump into me and my demon killed it. That hurt…a lot and Ethan escaped again since everyone was concerned about Jenny and me."

I nodded. How ironic was it that after saving her life, Dad was the one to kill her. "If you were there then this was when Buffy was in high school."

"Yes. And so was the next time. I didn't have anything to do with that. No one really knew I was back from hell at that point." Angel shuddered. He never spoke about it, those centuries in hell. I didn't want to know. "This time Ethan magicked candy bars to turn the adults into kids so he and his minions had free run of the town. They were trying to feed babies to a demon for the Mayor. Buffy stopped him but once again while she was saving the babies he ran off."

"Slippery, isn't he?" I was surprised this guy could elude Dad and Buffy so long but then again he had gotten away when he was messing with me and Dawn.

"Very. The last time he showed up and turned Giles into a Fryal demon and Buffy nearly killed him. That time he didn't get away. The Initiative took him and we thought he was out of the picture until he captured you and Dawn."

"The who?"

"The Initiative, a group of military demon hunters, long story I'll tell it later. They took him into custody but it's been years since they did. Either he escaped or was released. It didn't take him too long to get in Buffy's face again, with that trick with you and Dawn."

"His spells sound more, well, not subtle but not exactly something you ride into battle with either," I said. That would be a relief. Maddie was our witch and protection but she couldn't be everywhere. I knew Willow was more than a little powerful. Two witches should keep us safe but I didn't trust magic. Never had. "Even what he did to me and Dawn wasn't really out rightly dangerous. A magical cell that we figured a way out of and that spell that would kill us if we got more than a few feet away from each other." That was the most dangerous thing Ethan had done that I personally had seen and even at that, Dawn and I were too interested in separating. We spent half the time on top of each other.

"Like I said, he's a coward. He'd rather do an elaborate spell to distract us while he accomplishes whatever it is he's here to do. Chances are we'll see the effects of a spell long before we see him, just like when he captured you and Dawn," Angel said.

"Wonderful." I glanced toward the front window, hoping to see Faith coming home. No such luck.

Angel caught the look and gave me one of his own. "Are you worried about her? We could go looking for them."

"Not worried yet. She's probably having more fun than I am."

Angel patted my shoulder. "I'll try to pretend you aren't talking about me."

I snorted. "I'm not but now that I know about Ethan that leaves us talking about our personal lives or going to sleep."

"Is that first really that bad?" Angel had that hurt look in his eyes again.

I shrugged. I didn't want to upset him. He tried hard to make our relationship work, harder than I did. I should do better. "I guess not. We could talk if you want. Are you and Spike still dating Buffy?"

He scowled. "You're just trying to get me to say go to bed and be done with it."

"You're the one who wanted to talk." Why did I mention Spike? I could really be perverse.

"Not about that," he snapped then relaxed a little. "Yeah, we are. It's not a good situation. No one can decide where we go from here and it feels like we're standing still."

"Sorry. And being happy as a threesome is out?" I asked and thought I was going to get smacked.

He reared back, his nostrils flaring. It was all rather comical except I did think he was considering giving me a good whack. "Why would you even ask that?"

"Cause…" I hesitated then decided to plunge into the deep end. After all, Dad's the one who wanted to talk. "Sometimes me, Faith, Wes and Maddie are a foursome and we're all okay with that."

Angel shut his eyes, his head flopping back against the loveseat. "Oh Lord."

"Hey, you wanted to talk." I really was being perverse now. It wasn't a lie. One drunken night we had done that. It was really more a trade of women. Wes and I had zero interest in each other. I'm not sure why I had even tried to make it sound like one wild orgy.

"Quit reminding me. Let's talk about you for a little bit. You never tell me anything about yourself and what you're doing, barring this latest admission that I'd rather not picture. What do you do for fun?" Angel sounded a little desperate, maybe even sad. He honestly seemed to think he know nothing about me.

"Fun?" I snorted as memories flooded back.

"You can't work all the time," Angel insisted. He really must think I hated him and had nothing to say. It wasn't true. I loved him. I just didn't know how to say it. Maybe because part of me didn't want it to be true, like it was somehow a betrayal of the man who raised me.

"I was just remembering Sunny asking me that my very first day in this world. I didn't know how to answer it then either. The foursomes are fun. We're learning tantric sex." I smiled wickedly. We were, separately but I wasn't ready to let Dad up yet. The glare in his eyes suggested I'd best find a new topic though.

"Connor."

"Fine, okay. We had a job in Florida a month ago. After we were done, Faith and I went to Playalinda beach. It's clothing optional," I said and Angel just wagged his head, rubbing his forehead. "That was fun with one major exception."

He put a couch pillow over his face. "Dare I ask?"

"There's no way of putting sun block all over your body gracefully," I said and I could see him trying not to laugh. "Someone as pale as me really shouldn't hang out on beaches." He was laughing now. "It's not funny. I got burnt. It hurt and Faith had painted designs on um…you know with that heavy-duty zinc stuff which was the only part not red. Afterwards." I thought Dad was going to roll off the love seat laughing. "I'm glad my pain amuses you."

When he could breathe again, Angel wiped tears from his eyes. "Do you have any stories where your clothes are on? Keep in mind I also know what you and Faith did to the Council roof."

"I think the world knows about that one at this point," I moaned, sitting up straighter, hearing footsteps on the walk.

Dad got up and went to the door. He opened it before Faith could knock. She smiled at us, looking somehow still sober even as she did so.

"Waiting up for me?" she asked, looking between us as if surprised we were still in the same room and hadn't trashed it yet.

"Connor and I were just catching up," he replied, shutting the door behind her.

She looked at me gravely, noting the cut above my eye. "So I see." She glanced back at Angel grimly.

"I didn't do that to him," Angel said, holding up his hands placatingly. "That was a result of our less than productive search."

Faith shrugged out of her leather jacket. "I hear you. Buffy and I didn't do well either. I need a shower."

"Go ahead. I think I'll head for bed," I said, stretching until my joints popped.

"And this time I'll let you," Angel said, heading off for his room.

I was almost asleep when Faith crawled under the covers. Her fingers brushed my forehead just above the gash. I kissed her. "Did it go badly with Buffy?"

"Not really. It was awkward. We talked a lot, maybe more than we should." Faith sighed. "I think it did us good to get it all out in the open."

"Good." I ran a hand up and down the curve of her hip. "Angel probably thinks we're perverts after our talk."

"We aren't?" She smiled at me.

"Probably." I kissed her again, snuggling closer to her.

She stroked my back. "You're falling asleep on me."

"Exhausted."

"You promised to tell me about Angel's Indiana Jones fantasies," she whispered, nibbling my earlobe.

"When I'm awake."

She nestled into me. Like I said before, Faith doesn't usually like me too close to her when we sleep. Tonight she must have needed comfort since she let me hold her while I fell asleep.