Connor trains with Wood, talks to Xander, fights with Spike, and finally meets the First Evil. He also meets Kit and Carlos.
Buffy cannot go back to sleep. She is worried, but knows she can't tell Giles about this particular dream, since its details would confirm his worst suspicions about Spike and cause him to worry that Buffy is distracted by thoughts of Angel. She would have to figure out this prophetic vision on her own. First, she focuses on the elements which could not possibly have come from her subconscious. The prophecy about a vampire with a soul becoming human is news to her, as is the story about Angel was trying to stop an apocalypse in Los Angeles. Angel mentioned some guys named Fred, Gunn and Lorne, and Buffy had never heard of any of them. Then there was the unfamiliar song they were dancing to. She had never heard it, didn't know the title, and didn't even know that it had lyrics. That is all she has to work with. The rest of the dream could plausibly be explained as a manifestation of her fondest hopes and darkest fears. Angel returns, they can finally have a real relationship, but Spike responds by killing everyone in a jealous rage. In other words, everything has a price.
As the sun rises, Connor steps out of bed and gets dressed.
ANYA: You're leaving already?
CONNOR: Going training. Be back soon.
ANYA: You just don't run out of energy, do you? Wake me when you get back.
CONNOR: You bet.
He heads over to the school and enters Principal Wood's office. Connor cleans off and puts back the weapons he had borrowed the previous evening. Then he sits down and waits for Robin. When he arrives, Connor swivels around in the chair behind the principal's desk. Robin is very confused.
WOOD: How did you get in here? I always lock my office when I leave.
CONNOR: So?
Connor doesn't see the relationship between Wood's question and his statement. Robin knew this boy was odd, but he is beginning suspect that he's barely scratched the surface of Connor's weirdness. He decides not to press the matter.
WOOD: Let's go to the gym.
They walk into the gym. Connor picks up a basketball that was on the floor. Gunn showed him how to play over the summer, and in an attempt at bonding took Connor down to the courts in his old neighborhood. Gunn quickly realized that Connor was too good for public display. It was unheard of for white boys Connor's height to hang from the rim. It was inconceivable for anyone to be able to hang from the top of the backboard, as Connor once did when he mistimed a rebound. Connor starts dribbling.
WOOD: You play ball?
CONNOR: A little. You play?
WOOD: First team all-league back in high school. Pretty good in my day.
CONNOR: Bet I could beat you.
WOOD: Let's see what you got.
Connor smirks. He starts with the ball at the top of the key. Wood's guarding him from about three feet away, expecting Connor to drive. Connor takes one dribble to the right. Wood shuffles left to keep up with him. Then Connor picks up his dribble, takes one step, leaps by Wood, and scores with an awkward but successful right-handed dunk. Robin is rendered temporarily speechless. He could have sworn Connor jumped in the air when he was at least ten feet from the basket. He looks up to make sure that the basket it at the correct height. Then he looks at Connor as he walks back out to the top of the key.
WOOD: Nice move. By the way, what are your parents?
Connor thinks Wood suspects the truth.
CONNOR: What does that mean?
WOOD: You know. What are they? Where are they from?
CONNOR: Ireland. I'm black Irish, like my father.
WOOD: Black Irish. That's just a saying, right? It doesn't actually mean your father is – never mind.
CONNOR: Check. [bounces Wood the ball]
Wood bounces it back. Robin decides to step back and give the kid some room. Connor's about twenty feet out, so Wood stands about ten feet away. Connor dribbles to the left, but does so with his right hand. It's obvious he hasn't played much, which Robin finds to be odd, considering the young man's obvious abilities. From the left wing, Connor dribbles at Wood. Robin takes a step back. When he gets inside the lane, Connor pulls up, as if about to take a running jumper. Instead he spins around Wood – doing a 360 in midair – before making a two-handed dunk.
ROBIN: I see you don't have much of a jump shot. It's a shame you don't go to this school. What high school did you go to?
CONNOR: Didn't.
ROBIN: Oh. So you were home-schooled.
CONNOR: Something like that.
ROBIN: Obviously you can score. But the question is, can you play D?
CONNOR: You think you can get by me?
ROBIN: I'm sure I can.
CONNOR: Like to see you try.
Robin takes the ball out top. He dribbles into the lane and posts up. He turns around and fakes a jumper. Connor goes for the fake. By the time his feet return to the ground, Robin has pivoted around him and banked in a short jumper. If he couldn't go over Connor, he would go under him.
WOOD: Told you.
CONNOR: [smiling] You got lucky that time.
Wood drives down the right side of the lane. He pulls up five feet from the basket and pump fakes. Connor goes up. Wood goes for a lay-up. To his astonishment, Connor blocks it. Somehow he managed to get down and get back up in time. The ball slams off the backboard. Robin leaps up, grabs the rebound, and swishes a fadeaway from the foul line.
ROBIN: See. Ya gotta play D to win. Let's go see how you fight.
They walk over to the other end of the gym, where a wrestling mat is on floor. About a half hour later Wood hits the showers and prepares for the school day. He knows the kid's got skills, but suspects Connor's a little green. His fighting technique is far from orthodox, and Connor has some bad habits which Robin can't exploit, but which he suspects a vampire – or a Slayer – could. Connor goes back to Anya's. She's just awakened.
ANYA: There you are. But look at you. You're all sweaty and moist, but not in a good way. And I'm all icky and have horrible pillow head. I need a shower. But so do you. [she smiles] That's a great idea.
CONNOR: What is?
Gunn, Wes, Fred and Lorne have finished their first sortie, and are back at Lindsey's hotel suite/command center, discussing how things went.
LINDSEY: The guys are just raving about you, Lorne. I believed in you, and even I'm shocked.
LORNE: You have to remember I grew up in a highly militaristic society. Did very well with the book learning. Strategy, tactics. It was the actual fighting that I had a problem with.
GRAHAM: Good work out there. Never seen a guy take down so many with his bare hands before.
GUNN: They were too scared to put up much of a fight, what with you all firing off your ray guns and runnin' em down like road kill. So how is the soldier of fortune thing workin' out for you?
GRAHAM: Pay's a lot better than when I was army. Rules of engagement a lot less strict. Can't complain.
GUNN: What was it like? You know, killing demons for the government?
GRAHAM: Actually, it was more capturing than killing. Which always seemed kind of odd. That was the problem. The big picture never made sense. It still doesn't. Last month, they flew a whole company of special forces and a team of doctors 3,000 miles just to save some vampire's life. That's like more than a million bucks right there – for what?
GUNN: Must be a pretty important vampire.
GRAHAM: Trust me. He's not.
Graham heads off to get some rest. Gunn goes over to talk to the others.
LINDSEY: Thought you and Graham would work well together. He's one of our most dependable men. Used to be based in your old town, Wesley.
WES: He was in Sunnydale? When?
LINDSEY: When you were up here and I still worked at Wolfram. The army had a minor testing facility in that town. Local congressman was a ranking member of the Armed Services Committee. Pork barrel patronage. Low priority. They used rookie soldiers, third-rate officers. Nothing they couldn't afford to lose.
FRED: I've always wondered, is the Hellmouth really as hellish as it sounds?
LINDSEY: If it was, Wolfram & Hart would have set up a branch office in Sunnydale decades ago. I checked out the actuarials a while back. Mortality rate's slightly higher than average. But it's still safer than the neighborhood Charles grew up in. It's the suburbs. People overreact. A couple mysterious deaths, the soccer moms go hysterical and think they're living on the mouth of Hell.
WES: Looking back, Sunnydale does seem kind of quaint. Evil, but in miniature.
LINDSEY: What do you four have planned for your next ride around the block?
GUNN: Gonna hit our old headquarters. Put Angelus in a box. Figuratively.
LINDSEY: How could that be taken literally?
Connor and Anya are getting dressed after shower sex.
CONNOR: Never done that before.
ANYA: How long were we in there? Do you have prune hands?
CONNOR: No. But the tips of my fingers are all wrinkled. See you again tonight?
ANYA: Sorry. Busy.
CONNOR: Oh. What about tomorrow?
She walks over to the boy to let him down easy.
ANYA: Connor. You've been great. And I'm not just saying that. But we've had our fun, and it's time to move on.
CONNOR: I don't understand. We were just –
ANYA: I know. And it was fabulous. But it's not like we're in love, or even really have feelings for each other.
CONNOR: Okay. Maybe not. But I don't see why we have to stop.
She strokes his cheek with her right hand.
ANYA: Connor. You're a sweet kid. What we had was very special. It meant a lot to me. I had fun with you. You had fun with me. What's wrong with leaving it at that?
Connor looks crestfallen. He puts his head down, hunches his shoulders, and leaves. He hates getting dumped. It's so humiliating. Makes him feel like a clueless teenager with no control over his life. He heads over to Buffy's. Maybe some Potential attention will boost his spirits. He enters through the back door. No one is in the kitchen. In the small side room between the kitchen and the back of the living room, Willow's sitting in a chair. Kennedy sits on the arm of the chair, and they're kissing and touching and acting all lovey-dubby. Connor is confused.
KENNEDY: Oh. Hey Connor.
WILLOW: Hey there kiddo. Didn't know you were around.
CONNOR: Just got here.
WILLOW: You hungry? There's cereal and stuff in the kitchen.
CONNOR: I'm okay. Thanks.
They go back to making googly eyes at one another. Connor walks into the living room. Xander's sitting on the couch at the other end of the room.
CONNOR: Why are Willow and Kennedy kissing?
XANDER: They're a couple. Didn't you know that? Who are you?
CONNOR: They're both girls. [Connor scratches his head and ponders this] What goes where?
XANDER: You must be Connor. [He's heard Connor acts like a fish out of water] I'm Xander.
Connor sits down on the couch.
XANDER: You look sad. Is something wrong?
CONNOR: Do you know a girl named Anya?
XANDER: Something the matter with her?
CONNOR: She broke up with me.
Xander turns his head away from Connor to conceal his glee. Then he looks at Connor and pretends to be sympathetic.
XANDER: I'm sorry. These things happen.
CONNOR: We had just gotten out of the shower. [Xander loses his sympathetic look] She tells me it was fun but now it's over. It was fun. Lots of fun. She thought so too. She was always so enthusiastic, always ready for more. I never knew there were so many ways. All those positions. And that thing she did to me with her mouth.
XANDER: Enough! I get the idea. You don't need to go into such excruciating detail. She had her way with you. You didn't mean a thing to her. Like I said, these things happen.
CONNOR: Is this the way it always is – sleep with a girl and she goes evil?
Xander takes a few seconds to drink in the irony. He he has no idea how ironic Connor's question is.
XANDER: Usually they're evil before I get a chance to sleep with them. But Anya's not evil. Unless the guy breaks up with her. Which isn't the case here.
CONNOR: Guess I just don't understand older women. Maybe I should date girls my own age.
XANDER: Interesting idea. What are you? 21? 22?
CONNOR: 18.
XANDER: Really? A teenager. You just look older than that to me. I don't think that's a very good idea. By now, you're probably much too experienced to relate to teenage girls. Far, far too experienced. Perhaps you should split the difference, date girls only a little older than you. College girls, for instance.
CONNOR: College. That's the place where the teachers try to kill the students.
XANDER: I see you've heard about the Initiative.
CONNOR: The what?
XANDER: You know. Buffy's psych professor.
CONNOR: Buffy's what?
XANDER: Oh. So what were you referring too? Never mind. I have to go to work now.
CONNOR: What kind of work?
XANDER: Construction. I'm a carpenter.
CONNOR: Like Jesus?
XANDER: Well, no, not at all like Jesus. I'm certainly no miracle worker. Although there was that time I raised the dead, and recently I did save the world with love. But mostly I build things. Like this weapons chest.
Connor checks out Xander's handiwork.
CONNOR: This is nice.
XANDER: Thanks. I really have to get going.
CONNOR: Nice meeting you, Xander.
XANDER: You too Connor. Think about what I said about NOT dating teenage girls.
Xander leaves. Connor goes into the hallway, then into the kitchen. He grabs and orange and starts peeling it. Andrew enters.
ANDREW: Connor. So nice of you to return. Would you like an omelet? I make very good omelets. And while I'm making it you can tell me all about yourself. Do you read comic books? Which hero or heroes would you say you "identify" with most?
Connor looks at Andrew warily. He doesn't understand why a servant would be so annoying and pushy. He takes his orange and leaves.
ANDREW: That young man definitely has something to hide.
A little later, Buffy's drinking coffee in the kitchen, preparing to go to work. Spike comes up from the basement.
SPIKE: Sleep well?
Spike's behind her. She's startled to hear his voice, and spills coffee on her blouse.
BUFFY: Didn't see you there.
SPIKE: Did I scare you?
BUFFY: You? Scaring me? Come on Spike. Caffeine just made me a little jumpy. Also a little stained.
She walks towards the stairs to go up to her bedroom and change her blouse. Spike follows.
SPIKE: There's something I need to tell you.
BUFFY: Make it quick.
SPIKE: I'm leaving. Moving back to my old crypt.
BUFFY: What? Why?
SPIKE: The only reason you wanted me here was to keep an eye on me, make sure I didn't kill again. Now you say you trust me, so I don't see any reason to keep hanging around.
BUFFY: You can't do this. Not right now.
SPIKE: Why not? You don't trust me?
BUFFY: That's not the issue. I need you here.
SPIKE: Maybe you need me as a fighter. But you don't need me as the wacky monster who lives in the basement.
BUFFY: You think that's how I see you?
SPIKE: It's how I see myself. Why do you think I've been off my game? Not like there's anything keeping me here.
BUFFY: What about me?
SPIKE: You mean you and me? You mean us? Don't kid yourself. There's no there there. The fact that this comes as a surprise to you only proves my point. I'm through being your charity case. I don't have much, but I have my dignity.
Spike puts his blanket over his head, opens the front door, and runs off. Not the most dignified means of travel. Connor, who's out walking to the school, notices a man streaking through people's yards with smoke rising off his back. He wonders what vampire would be foolish enough to travel above-ground during the daytime. Spike dashes into his old crypt.
SPIKE: Thanks for house sitting. Now get out. I'm back.
CLEM: Spike! This is certainly a surprise.
SPIKE: What part of get out don't you understand?
CLEM: You mean right now?
SPIKE: No time like the present. You have your own place.
CLEM: The thing is, I let Rolf live there.
SPIKE: Then unlet him.
CLEM: It's not that simple. Technically, it is. But on a more practical level, he's a lot stronger than me.
SPIKE: You're afraid of him. I'm not. Tell Rolfie that if he has a problem with the new living arrangements, he can take it up with me. Now go back to your own nest.
CLEM: You seem a little tense. Is something bothering you?
SPIKE: Yeah. I don't have a home. You can take care of that by leaving. And if Rolf starts bitching and moaning, remind him that I'll be more than happy to kill him. And the fact that he has four thumbs and three eyes only means there are more parts for me to break.
Clem leaves. Spike turns on his stereo, grabs a bottle of wine and sits down on the couch. He uncorks it, leans his head back and takes a swig. When he brings his head back down and looks forward, Connor is standing right in front of him. Jane's Addiction's "Had a Dad" is playing on the stereo.
SPIKE: Didn't your parents teach you to knock?
CONNOR: I want you to teach me how to kill you.
SPIKE: Bloody hell. Compared to you, Anya's the queen of subtlety.
CONNOR: What does she have to do with this?
SPIKE: Still lacking that sense of humor. [Spike stands up] Where are my manners? [He tosses the bottle to Connor] Have a drink.
CONNOR: Blood?
SPIKE: No. Wine.
CONNOR: I don't drink.
Connor tosses the bottle back.
SPIKE: Maybe that's part of your problem.
Spike takes another swig.
SPIKE: Fine. I'll teach you. Even if you know how to kill me, you still won't be able to.
CONNOR: There are other demons I can fight. [like his father. Essentially, Connor wants Spike to teach him how to beat daddy up.]
"Had a Dad" ends. "Ted, Just Admit It" begins.
SPIKE: This is my favorite by them. What kind of music you like?
CONNOR: It don't really care for music.
SPIKE: Maybe that's also part of your problem. No wine. No song. All that's left is women. And the women come and go all too quickly, don't they Connor? Looks like Anya's already tossed you aside.
CONNOR: I don't know what you're talking about.
SPIKE: You'd make a lousy poker player. First off, you've been reeking of her the past two days. Second, nobody getting it from Anya could look that mopey unless she cut them off. Trust me, it's for the best. Just feel lucky you didn't break up with her. I'll be over in a few.
CONNOR: You know where my place is?
SPIKE: I think I can find my way there.
CONNOR: Why were you running outside in the sunlight?
SPIKE: I'm a part of this world, and I won't let some attention-hogging heavenly body make me cower underground like a sodding Morlock.
Connor leaves. Spike sits down again and finishes the bottle as the song continues to play: "Camera got them images, camera got them all, nothing's shocking. Show me everybody naked and disfigured, nothing's shocking." When the song finishes, Spike takes the tunnels to the mansion.
Spike and Connor are at the mansion. Spike's trying to give the boy the benefit of his wisdom.
SPIKE: Okay kid. Take your best shot. I'll give you a little help with motivation. As if you needed any. [goes bumpy]
Connor runs at him. Spike steps out of the way at the last minute and tosses Connor on his face.
SPIKE: You're doing a pretty good impression of a bull. Now all I need is a red cape and some knickers. I said take your best shot.
Connor leaps at Spike. Spike jumps back ten feet.
SPIKE: No use trying to impress a vamp with tricks they already know. Have to admit, you make a pretty good leapfrog. How bout you try to hit me. After all, that's the whole bloody point, isn't it?
Connor hits Spike's face with a right hook. Spike responds with one of his own. Connor hits Spike again. Spike hits back. They exchange blows a third time. Connor staggers back a step.
SPIKE: You're human. Stop pretending you're a bloody vampire. Keep depending on brute force, you won't last very long. You're missing something. Make me try, and I'll show you what it is.
Connor tries a left roundhouse kick. Spike backpedals out of the way. Connor throws a right kick. Spike blocks it. He blocks Connor's left jab and nails Connor in the chin. Spike blocks three more punches, hits Connor with a left jab to the nose and a right hook to the jaw. Connor ties Spike's arms up and tries to use his quickness to get inside on Spike. Spike tosses Connor into the wall.
SPIKE: Care to guess what you're sorely lacking?
CONNOR: Weapons?
SPIKE: Defense. All you do is attack. If that doesn't work, you take your punishment. How many beatings do you have to take before you learn that lesson? Let the opponent create your opportunities. Block and counter. Defense is everything.
CONNOR: No. Balance is everything. [Spike laughs]
SPIKE: Now that has to be the stupidest thing I have ever heard. Don't have balance, you fall down. So what? [Spike jumps in the air, and falls on his back] Go ahead. Grab a stake and try to kill me. I'm on my back. I'm helpless. Bet you can't kill me. Bet you can't even hurt me. Let's make this interesting. You land one blow, one single good hit, and I'm walking out that front door. Without my coat.
CONNOR: This is a trick.
SPIKE: Well, yes. Of course it is. Doesn't mean I'm lying. Quit stalling. I'm starting to get hungry. And in case you didn't notice, you're starting to bleed.
Connor runs at Spike, who kicks him away. Connor circles round, looking for an opening, trying to get behind Spike or to his side. Spike laughs and pivots around on his back so he's always facing Connor. Connor makes a quick move to Spike's left, but Spike trips him up before Connor can land a blow. Frustrated, Connor leaps on top of Spike, stake in hand. Spike pulls his knees back, put his feet against Connor's chest, and kicks him across the room and into the wall. Spike laughs. He puts his hands behind his head, closes his eyes and pretends to sleep. Connor leaps on top of him again. Spike blocks a punch and grabs both of Connor's arms. He flips Connor on his stomach and gets on top of him, twisting his right arm behind Connor's back. Connor grimaces.
SPIKE: Huh. This would break a normal person's arm. Let's see how much more you can take.
He twists Connor's right arm a little bit more until Connor finally groans in pain. Then Spike slams the right side of Connor's face into the cement floor and stands up.
SPIKE: Balance is everything? Maybe if we were fighting on a tightrope. Or the tippy-tops of bamboo trees. In the real world, on solid ground, good balance means you'll die on your feet. That's sodding all it means.
Connor gets up and walks to the other side of the room. Spike's really pissing him off. Spike approaches. Connor turns around. Spike kicks him in the ribs. Connor throws a right cross. Spike moves his head out of the way and connects with a right uppercut to Connor's chin. He flies ten feet back into the mantle.
SPIKE: See what I mean about defense?
Connor gives Spike a fiery stare. He hurls his stake at Spike, who turns to the side and watches it fly harmlessly by.
SPIKE: You notice how easy it is to defend against a predictable opponent.
Connor leaps in the air and tries to nail Spike with a flying kick. Spike grabs him in midair, then hurls him into the far wall. Connor decides to give it a rest.
SPIKE: You bend your knees, it means you're going to charge. You put your left leg in front of your right, it means you're going to take off on your left leg and try to kick me in the head with the right. You couldn't do a better job of telegraphing your moves if you worked for Western bloody Union. That reminds me. Don't grapple with vampires – they'll overpower you. And keep you feet in the ground, boy. Save the flips and leaps and spins for the ballet. No point showing off and trying to impress demons you're planning to kill.
CONNOR: That's it? That's all you got? No cool moves? Nothing I could use to actually HURT a demon?
SPIKE: Aren't you the blankest slate in the classroom. You have moves. Just need to use them better. Conserve your energy. Humans have to breathe. Vampires don't. They can outlast humans. That's how Slayers die. Can't make a quick kill, they get tired. After a while, there's nothing left. Stalemate always favors the vampire. That's how you'll die if you keep this up. Think of the toughest vampire you can imagine. (Connor imagines Angelus) You start off good, fight furiously, land blow after blow. But you can't quite drive that stake home. He counters. Hurts you a bit. You hurt him some more. The two of you go back and forth for, let's say, five minutes. Both of you are fighting for your lives. It's furious, intense, draining. Finally, your arms feel a little heavy. You're not as quick on your feet as you once were. The vampire's hurt, and tired, but he holds up better than you. He gets the upper hand. Pounds away. You try to get up, he kicks you. You're too exhausted, too battered, to fight back anymore. He wins. If he's smart. If he knows what he's doing. Not many vampires out there who fit that bill. But you find yourself alone in the dark with one of them, you'll be sorry.
Connor imagines the fight all too vividly. He remembers how he started off well against Angel in their fight in the kitchen when Angel had amnesia. He remembers how Angel took control and overpowered him. He pictures what Angelus, with his killer instinct, could have done in the same situation.
CONNOR: So I win fast?
SPIKE: Like kicking a football into a brick wall. Can't even make a dent in that thick skull of yours. You tried to win fast. That's why you lost slow. You're both strong. If he's smart, then you need to be smart. Let him attack. Try to predict what he'll do. Block his attack. Then he's exposed, and you go to work. Keep this up, he gets frustrated, he gets stupid, and you kill him, unless he gets smart at the end and runs away. [Connor imagines the fantasy fight when he finally gains the upper hand against Angel. He imagines the look on Angel's face when he realizes his son can take him. Course it's just fantasy.] Play to your strengths. Use your speed. Your reflexes. Like when you caught that ax. Be too quick for them to hit you.
CONNOR: Don't get hit. Sounds simple. Too simple.
Spike walks over to Connor, puts up his fists, pretends like he's going to spar with him.
SPIKE: For ever hand extended, another lies in wait. Keep you eye on that one. Anticipate.
Spike fakes a right jab. Connor goes to block it. Spike gently slaps the right side of Connor's face with his left hand.
SPIKE: Learned that from a brilliant woman.
CONNOR: Buffy?
Spike laughs. It's an Ani DiFranco lyric.
SPIKE: Someone much cooler. And possibly nearly as tough. Tell me Connor, how long have you possessed your special abilities?
CONNOR: Always. I think.
SPIKE: So you were born super. Not many come out that way. Ever figure out why?
CONNOR: No. Still trying to find out.
Spike walks into an adjacent room, and whispers something very softly to himself.
SPIKE: Buffy wants you, Connor. She thinks you're her soul mate, the only one who can understand her, make her happy. [ironic, since that's how Buffy feels about Angel.]
CONNOR: She has a funny way of showing it.
SPIKE: I knew it! [walks back over to Connor] A whisper. From halfway across the bloody house. How's your nose? That's how you found those Bringers. You tracked them! Like a bloodhound. Or something else that can smell blood. Something else with super-hearing. And super-strength. See a pattern?
CONNOR: I thought you were lying. All you do is trick people.
SPIKE: And yet you still bit down hard on the bait. I know the analogy is far from perfect. You breathe. Your heart beats. You're alive. I assume you age. And you probably don't live off blood. A vampire-human hybrid. I know what you are, Connor. The only question is how. It's a pity you don't know the answer to that one.
CONNOR: I already said that.
SPIKE: Smart. You know better than to say the same lie twice. We all have something to hide, to keep mum about. I respect that. But if you really wanted to keep your secret, wouldn't you do a little less showing off? You obviously like the attention, but don't care for the scrutiny. Can't have the first without the second.
CONNOR: You're a hypocrite. (like his father) What are you hiding from me about your own past? I'm 18. You're over 100. Which one of us has more to hide?
SPIKE: Sorry if I haven't published my memoirs as of yet. No need to get testy. I'm hungry, and I've been trying to lay off the live blood, so I'll be splitting. How bout we end with something less paranoid. Right now, I can take you. Buffy could beat you into a bloody pulp without so much as breaking a nail. But you're growing. The vampires aren't getting any stronger. The Slayers aren't either. You are. I've peaked. Buffy's plateaued. You'll just keep getting better. As long as you don't get yourself killed in the meantime.
CONNOR: I know. But thanks. Nice to hear from someone who believes in me.
SPIKE: Let's not go overboard, kid. I'm just stating the obvious. One final question. Been on my mind since you got here. Why this particular house?
CONNOR: It was empty. It had high ceilings. And a fireplace.
SPIKE: And I know that's the truth. After all, you're a lousy poker player.
Spike heads for the basement and the sewer tunnels, which he takes back to his place. Connor goes over to the high school. When he was in the school the day before, he kept hearing stuff from below ground level. He wants to explore.
Connor walks through the halls of the high school, looking for a door which leads to the basement. Preston, walking to class with his friend Gary, spots Connor.
PRESTON: See that kid.
GARY: Yeah. What about him?
PRESTON: That's the guy Amanda was with last night! She said he went to Spring Valley. I knew she was lying to me.
GARY: Why you so hung up on Amanda? Thought you could do better.
PRESTON: So did I. Amanda's an acquired taste. But it's one that I've acquired. I can't explain. But seeing her, with him.
GARY: You want what you can't have. Nobody likes to lose. But you haven't lost. Not to that runt. You want her, make a move.
PRESTON: And if she rejects me?
GARY: Then everyone would laugh at you. What me to beat him up?
PRESTON: Wouldn't be a fair fight. And she'd probably feel sorry for the little pipsqueak. Forget it. Like I even wanted her in the first place.
Connor finds a door which leads to a staircase down to the basement. It's dark. He walks around. It's quiet. After about 30 seconds of wandering, he sees a young man in front of him. He has a deep bite mark on his neck. He is the guy Darla killed in the opening scene of "Welcome to the Hellmouth," after they had snuck into the high school at night. Buffy found his corpse the next day in the girls' locker room. He points at Connor.
DEAD GUY: You! You again. You killed me. What's inside you killed me. That little slut. All tarted up nice and innocent. Big wide-eyed look, like the one you're giving me. And then she did what you want to do to me right now.
CONNOR: Who are you?
DEAD GUY: I'm your true face. You've always wondered what you are. I'm going to show you.
CONNOR: Didn't know zombies could talk.
DEAD GUY: They can't.
CONNOR: Whatever.
He throws a right hook, which goes straight through the apparition.
DEAD GUY: Can't fight me. Can't fight yourself.
Connor rushes him again. He disappears. Connor's confused. He's never met an invisible person before, and isn't familiar with the idea of ghosts or spirits.
CARLOS: Hey buddy. Somethin' wrong? You okay, man?
Connor hears the voice, and goes towards it. He's expecting to meet another apparition.
CARLOS: You get attacked? There's some crazy stuff down here.
CONNOR: Who are you?
CARLOS: Carlos. Don't think I've seen you around.
He reaches out his right hand, holding his cigarette in his left. Connor looks at him suspiciously, then decides to shake his hand. It's warm. He's not a vampire. And he doesn't look or act like a demon.
CONNOR: I'm Connor.
CARLOS: It's creepy, but it's the only place to light up around here. I don't wander around, the walls don't move, I don't have no problems. You want one?
Holds out a cigarette. Connor's never known anyone who smokes. (Spike's never lit up around him.) So he's a little confused.
CONNOR: No thanks.
CARLOS: What were you doing down here anyway?
CONNOR: Looking around.
CARLOS: Looking for trouble sounds more like it.
CONNOR: Trouble always finds me.
CARLOS: I hear that. [the bell rings] Gotta go to lunch. Wanna come?
CONNOR: Okay.
They go upstairs, and meet Kit.
CARLOS: Kit, this is Connor. We met downstairs.
KIT: Seems to be a good place to meet people. Long as you can get out alive.
CONNOR: So there are things to kill down there.
KIT: Things to kill you.
CONNOR: Many have tried. I'm still here.
KIT: You sure sound a lot tougher than you look.
Connor hears sounds of a struggle. He looks down the hall and sees a very muscular guy picking on someone much smaller. The jock made a few ribald cracks about a female friend of his, and he objected. Connor hurries over.
CARLOS: He better not be thinking what I'm thinking he's thinking.
KIT: Kid's sure got brass ones if he's taking on Dwight.
CARLOS: Or he's – what's that word we had on our vocab quiz last month? The windmill guy.
KIT: Quixotic. He seems like the type.
CARLOS: Hope he doesn't think I got his back. I don't feel like getting expelled from two schools.
They walk over to see what transpires, and hopefully pull Connor back before he gets in too much trouble.
CONNOR: Leave him alone.
Dwight turns, sees Connor, and laughs.
DWIGHT: Or what?
Connor puts his left fist into a locker. Makes a dent about two inches deep. Several people gasp. What they don't know is he hit the solid metal bar between two lockers, which makes the demonstration even more impressive. A crowd gathers, expecting a fight. Dawn walks up to see what all the fuss is about. She's too far back to glimpse what's going on. Dwight's friend Colin walks up.
COLIN: This tweeker want a piece of us?
CONNOR: I wasn't talking to you.
COLIN: Kid's got a mouth bigger than his fist.
CONNOR: Shut up and back away if you know what's good for you.
A loud "oooooh" emanates from the crowd. Colin gets in Connor's face. He's got about four inches and 80 pounds on Connor. Dwight has six inches and more than 100 pounds on Connor. Dwight nudges his friend back a step.
DWIGHT: Relax. He's mine.
CONNOR: You got five seconds.
Dwight and Colin laugh.
DWIGHT: Or what?
CONNOR: 4 . . . 3 . . . 2 . . . 1.
Dwight pushes Connor away. He still doesn't take him seriously. Connor smiles. He grabs Dwight and shoves his head into the front of a locker. The front door of the locker bends all the way into the locker's back wall. Colin throws a big right hook, trying to knock Connor out. Connor grabs the fist with his left hand, and squeezes. Colin groans and slowly falls to his knees, as Connor looks down at him.
CONNOR: Told you to back off. What do you say?
Squeezes harder. Hears something crack. Possibly a knuckle. Or a metatarsal. Tears begin to form in Colin's eyes.
COLIN: Sorry. Sorry dude. [Colin's shaking from shock and fear]
CONNOR: Was that so hard?
Connor lets go. Colin grabs his hand in agony. Dwight's head is still stuck in the locker. The two students he was picking on are laughing. Connor pulls him free. He looks at Connor and tries to flee in terror. Connor grabs him.
CONNOR: Forgetting something?
Connor gestures over to Edgar and Lacey, the guy he was bullying and the girl he insulting.
DWIGHT: We're cool. Just, just keep your freak friends the hell away from me.
Dwight and Colin run away. The crowd starts applauding the free entertainment Connor provided them with. Dawn makes her way through the onlookers.
DAWN: Connor! What are you doing here? Were you in a fight?
LACEY: Is he a friend of yours?
DAWN: He's new. He means well.
EDGAR: He beat up Dwight and Colin.
DAWN: Oh no.
LACEY: Oh yes. Look, thanks. I guess. Why did you want to help us?
CONNOR: That's what I do. I help people in trouble.
EDGAR: I wasn't really in trouble. Could have handled it fine myself. But that was cool the way you made Colin cry.
DAWN: Are they hurt?
CONNOR: Not really. No blood. Just had to make them apologize to your friends.
Dawn looks at deep, head-sized dent in the locker.
DAWN: Did you do that?
EDGAR: Dwight's head did that.
LACEY: Dawn, chill. Everything's copacetic.
KIT: You two know each other, Dawny?
CARLOS: Is he your older brother or something? He reminds me of your sister. What with the major ass-kicking and all.
Connor feels deeply insulted by the comparison.
DAWN: We're not related.
CONNOR: Thank God for that. My family's screwed up enough already. Last thing I need is Buffy as a part of it.
DAWN: You've met Kit and Carlos?
CONNOR: We were going to lunch.
DAWN: Oh. So was I. With them. Isn't that a coincidence.
CONNOR: Maybe it's just good luck.
Dawn smiles. Connor feels oddly relaxed around her. She seems different than the Potentials, or Buffy's friends. More blase. Treats Connor like he's just another kid, rather than some freak. Connor likes that. Wood comes up. He heard the commotion, assumed it was a fight, and came down to see who the culprits were.
WOOD: Connor. Kit. Carlos. You're together. And alliterative.
LACEY: It's okay, Principal Wood.
EDGAR: Dwight and Colin were causing trouble. Connor set em straight.
WOOD: I see. Just as long as he didn't send them to the hospital. Why are you fighting my students?
CONNOR: I was fighting for your students. They needed a champion.
Wood laughs. It all sounds a bit grandiose. Of course, Connor's doing a reducto ad absurdum with Angel's mission statement, fighting evil no matter how petty.
WOOD: Sorry. Champion. [he laughs some more] This is a high school, not the Roman Colosseum. They walked away? Under their own power?
EDGAR: With their tails between their legs.
CONNOR: They had tails? I thought they were human.
Dawn starts laughing, to make it look like Connor was joking.
DAWN: Good one, Connor. He's such a kidder. Always cracks me up.
She was going to say "leaves me in stitches," but feared Connor would take it literally.
WOOD: Dwight and Colin have been down to my office more than once. I assume they got what they deserved. Just talk to me before you think of doing any more "championing" during school hours.
He walks away. Robin is marveled by Dawn's power as a "misfit magnet." The outcasts have a way of finding her almost as soon as they come to town.
EDGAR: Nice meeting you, Connor. Gotta go. Late for class. Sure was worth it. See you round.
LACEY: Later, Connor. Maybe we can hang out some time. Are you going to Kevin's party tonight?
CONNOR: Depends.
Depends on whether or not demons show up. Connor of course has no idea who this Kevin is. Lacey smiles at him and leaves. She's kinda cute, despite her glasses, stringy hair, and baggy clothes. Reminds Connor of a younger version of Fred, gawky and nerdy and awkward but with a hint of the beauty she might become.
CONNOR: Are they boyfriend and girlfriend?
DAWN: Edgar and Lacey? No. They're just friends. Why?
CONNOR: Edgar should make a move before it's too late. He'll be sorry if he lets her get away.
It's about an hour later. Buffy walks into Wood's office.
BUFFY: Here are the progress reports.
WOOD: Those go to Albert, the Vice-Principal. You know, bad cop.
BUFFY: Meaning you're good cop?
WOOD: Vice-Principal always does the dirty work. Lets the principal above the fray. That's how it always is.
BUFFY: Someone forgot to tell that to Principal Snyder. But it did work that way in middle school.
WOOD: You mean back in LA? Which reminds me of when I was looking over your Permanent Record.
BUFFY: That's really permanent? And I thought that would have been destroyed when I blew up the high school. Which of course I had a very good reason to do.
WOOD: School records go into storage during the summer. They weren't here during the impromptu demon-inspired demolition.
BUFFY: So it's really true. Your Permanent Record does follow you around your whole life?
WOOD: It exists. But it doesn't follow. No one cares. That's the cool thing about high school. Nothing you did there matters to anyone who didn't go to school with you. And juvenile police records are sealed, so any felonies you committed as a minor can't haunt you.
BUFFY: I didn't commit any crimes. Oh, that. There was a reason. And how did you know!? You just said it was sealed.
WOOD: I was in LA at the time, getting my Masters in Education from USC and teaching English lit at a run-down public school in South Central. I know, how cliched. I heard about the arson, and my mother's Watcher knew your Watcher, so he filled me in on the pertinent details. I thought it was cruel, how he set you up like that. Figured there had to be an easier way to get you down to Sunnydale.
BUFFY: You mean he WANTED to get me expelled? To cost me all my friends, screw up my family, ruin my life?
WOOD: No, the Council just wanted to get you to move to the Hellmouth. Like I said, there must have been an easier way.
BUFFY: So you knew about me from the beginning? Since I was 15? And you were, well, older than that, but still younger than – (she's about to say Angel, but wisely holds back). Gee. That makes are age difference seem a lot more unsettling than it does right now.
WOOD: I knew of you. Didn't actually see you or anything like that. You were called at 15? Granted, that would have been a bit R. Kelly of me – college guy checking out a teenager – which makes me glad that I didn't meet you until you were an adult. (He knows nothing of the backhanded insults he's giving Angel, and Buffy doesn't completely realize this subtext either.) I just heard about the expulsion, and pretty much had no idea of what you'd been up to since then, until I came to Sunnydale last summer. After I got my Masters I was in Milwaukee, then St. Louis, then New Orleans. Cutting me teeth, in a non-literal way. I've spent way too much time around vampires.
BUFFY: Tell me about it.
She means too much time fighting vampires. It's not conciously meant as a Spike or an Angel diss.
WOOD: And, for the record, I wouldn't have been attracted to you, if I saw you when you were younger. I don't see women who are young enough to be my students in that way. That would just be sick. Like a Watcher falling for his Slayer. Sorry if I'm babbling, but that little flashback put our currently slight age difference in a completely different, very distorted light.
BUFFY: Age is nothing more than a number. (she's had more than six years to convince herself of this.) And in our case, numbers which really aren't that far apart. It is SO not a problem for me. Emphasis on NOT.
WOOD: Does that mean you would like to go out with me this evening? I know it's sudden, but it's Friday, I thought you might be free tonight, and I promise we'll go to a restaurant that is not in a dark alley.
BUFFY: Another dinner date?
WOOD: Is that a problem?
BUFFY: No. No, it's just, I'm not accustomed to dinner dates. The previous men I've dated – very few previous men, I might add, two actually – weren't exactly into gourmet cooking. But that sounds nice. Looking forward to a pleasant, delicious evening, with a minimum of demon interruptions.
She was thinking of when they fought the vampires. He was thinking of when Spike barged in on their dinner. Buffy was stretching the truth when she claimed to only have two previous boyfriends. But she could have just meant she was involved with two guys (Angel, Spike) who didn't eat solid food. Or she could have meant she dated two human men. (Parker, Riley) Or she could have not counted Parker or Spike, and meant Angel and Riley, since these were the only two men who were officially her boyfriends.
Speaking of which, we now shift to the Hyperion. Since going bad, Angelus has turned the place into a decadent fin-de-siecle vampire hang-out.
Next: Angelus on the hunt, seducing and killing.