Connor says goodbye to Dawn and leaves Sunnydale, but not before getting a visit from FE Holtz. When he gets to LA, Connor is met by Faith and the two of them are attacked by a powerful and mysterious demon. Connor meets Lindsey and sees Fred, Wes, Gunn and Lorne, who are shocked by how different he is. Then he returns to his old apartment, where he gives Cordelia the dissing of a lifetime.
Dawn and Connor hold hands as they walk towards the high school.
DAWN: It's all been such a blur. Like we were all alone in this wonderful cocoon, away from the real world, and now I have to go back, and it's cold and hard and lonely and boring, except when it's scary. Sure, it was like that before. But now it seems so much worse, cause I know it can be so much better.
CONNOR: Isn't that good? Knowing it can be better? Knowing it will be better?
DAWN: When did you become an optimist?
CONNOR: I thought you were one. What about what you said this morning?
Flashback to an hour ago. The two of them are lying in bed.
DAWN: Too bad it's morning already.
CONNOR: It was nice seeing you in the sunlight.
DAWN: This is nice. Holding you. Feeling your heart beat. You have the biggest heart of anyone I've ever met.
CONNOR: How would you know? You never cut me open.
Dawn laughs.
DAWN: I was speaking in metaphor.
CONNOR: Oh.
DAWN: Definitely a foreign language in your case. You have such a big heart, such a kind heart. When you hurt people, that wasn't really you. You're not a killer, or a monster, or a freak. You're an amazing human being, full of passion and love. You just needed someone to prove that to you, to make you feel something besides pain and anger.
Return to the present.
DAWN: That's why it hurts. We won't have that when we wake up tomorrow morning. Can't you play along? I'm trying to go for poignant agony, and you're muddying it up with your hopeful optimism.
CONNOR: Can't miss you yet. You're right here. But it will hurt. It should. This is new for me. Never had anything to lose before.
DAWN: You better call.
CONNOR: Guess I could learn to use a phone. Doesn't look too hard.
DAWN: This from the guy who said he got thumb cramps last summer from playing too much Tetris on his Gameboy. Sometimes I wonder how much of your noble savage act is real and how much is a put on.
CONNOR: Im serious. Never had anyone I wanted to call.
They stop in front of the school and look at each other.
DAWN: Guess this is it.
Dawn puts her right hand up to Connor's face.
DAWN: I really gonna miss seeing this face.
She hugs him. He holds her close.
DAWN: I know we just met, like, last week, but I love you so much.
CONNOR: Love you too, Dawn. Always.
They look each other in the eyes for a few seconds, then kiss. Neither of them wants the moment to end, and it's a little more than a minute before they stop. After their lips part Dawn keeps her eyes closed for a couple seconds. When she opens them, Connor is gone.
Connor heads home, grabs his stuff, then goes over to the railroad tracks.
HOLTZ: Going back to Angel. Just like the last time I saw you.
Connor turns to his right and sees Holtz.
CONNOR: You're not real.
HOLTZ: Then why are you talking to me, son?
CONNOR: That's not how he looked.
HOLTZ: You're half-right. This is not how I looked the last time you returned to Los Angeles. But it is exactly how I looked when you were a baby. Don't you remember any of that? How I cared for you, kept you safe from harm. It's strange, but you've been hurt more as an adult on earth than you ever were as a child on Quor Toth. What does that tell you, son?
CONNOR: That you did a lousy job preparing me.
HOLTZ: Nonsense. I told you Angelus would return. I told you it was only a matter of time before Angel lost his soul and started killing again. Was I wrong?
CONNOR: Are you disappointed because I haven't killed him? You're the one who didn't kill him when you had the chance. What a hypocrite.
HOLTZ: I wanted you to learn from my mistakes, son. By failing to kill Angelus, I allowed my wife and children to be murdered. Please don't make that same mistake.
CONNOR: How could I? Don't have a family.
HOLTZ: You have Dawn. Think of how you would feel if he did something to her. Imagine if you lost her forever. Then you can begin to understand how Angelus made me feel.
CONNOR: Leave me alone already. I didn't choose to be his son. I didn't choose to have you raise me. But I did choose to believe you when you lied to me. I loved you, and the last thing you ever did was trick me. Get lost.
HOLTZ: So now you think I'm really Holtz?
CONNOR: More fun that way. Wish you were. Then I could ask him if he felt bad about trying to trick me with his death. Holtz was a good man. He should have known he was doing wrong. Like to hear him say that.
HOLTZ: Trying to use the First Evil for therapy. That's a first. Pardon the pun. I'm beginning the sound like a Slayer. [goes to a raspy voice] The horror. The horror. [returns to his normal voice] You're not laughing. Ask Angel to explain. I'm sure he'll find it amusing. That is if he ever comes back. How long are you willing to let him go on killing before you decide to take him out for the good of humanity? A month? A year? How many innocent people have to die while you wait to get your daddy back?
CONNOR: I don't take orders no more. Not from anyone.
The First turns from Holtz into Buffy.
BUFFY: I understand. I also had trouble getting up the courage to kill Angel. I loved him so much. [the First is trying to exploit Connor's disgust with the idea of B/A] Have you ever wondered why Angel didn't lose his soul when he conceived you? How come he could have that moment of Perfect Happiness with me, but not with your own mother?
CONNOR: Why you talking to me bout other people's problems? Get lost. Or don't. Whatever. You can't hurt me.
The First turns into a monster and envelopes Connor. It looks like it's going to swallow him. Then it disappears. Connor's not impressed.
Dawn sits in Math class. She can't concentrate. Halfway through the period she walks out of the room and leaves the building. She races over to the railroad tracks. From 100 yards away, she sees Connor on the other side. He is looking to his right, watching the approaching train. He does not see Dawn. The train carriages rush between them. A minute later, they all have passed. Connor is gone. Dawn heads back to school. She goes to see Buffy, who's cleaning out her desk. Robin hired her, and with him gone, the unqualified Buffy doesn't really have a place on the Sunnydale faculty.
DAWN: Connor's gone. He's going home.
Buffy pauses for a few seconds.
BUFFY: I'm sorry. What I mean is, I'm sorry for you. I know this must be hard, and I'm here for you if need someone to talk to.
DAWN: Wasn't expecting that.
BUFFY: Did you think I would celebrate?
DAWN: It wasn't exactly a secret that you wanted him away from me.
BUFFY: I want what's best for you. I don't know what that is right now, but I know that you'll miss him. And I don't see the point in making you feel any worse. Gloating just wouldn't be very big-sisterly of me.
DAWN: Thanks. For understanding. I won't force you to listen to me go on-and-on about my feelings for Connor. Not right now.
Dawn heads off to class.
It's 8:35. The phone is ringing in Lindsey's hotel room. He reaches across the bed, over Faith, and tosses the phone to the ground. The receiver comes loose, so the ringing stops. Faith wakes up. They're both bleary-eyed.
FAITH: Who was that?
LINDSEY: Too early to care. Let's go back to sleep.
FAITH: Strange how I want to stay here with you.
LINDSEY: That don't sound like a very nice compliment.
FAITH: Never been a very nice girl. And I'm not known for sticking around in the morning. Never stuck around for several mornings. This is definitely new territory for me.
LINDSEY: I'm convenient. And it doesn't hurt that I'm paying for your place.
FAITH: It's not like I have nowhere else to go. I could always crash at Gwen's. Or I could just blow you off and take another room on this floor.
LINDSEY: Then why don't you?
FAITH: Dunno. Maybe I like you. Or respect you. Or, I don't know, something else. Like I said, new territory for me.
Lindsey and Faith start kissing. Someone is banging very loudly on the door. After about ten seconds, Lindsey realizes this person isn't going away. He gets out of bed, puts on his bathrobe and walks to the door. He opens it.
LINDSEY: Wesley. This better be important.
WES: Connor is on his way home.
LINDSEY: That qualifies.
FAITH: What is it?
LINDSEY: Connor's coming.
FAITH: When?
LINDSEY: Apparently now.
Faith gets up. Puts on a pair of boxer shorts and a tank top. She walks over to the door. Wesley isn't very uncomfortable seeing Faith in so casual a setting. He prefers seeing as little as possible of other's private lives.
FAITH: He's coming here?
WES: I don't believe he knows where we are.
LINDSEY: Who's bringing him back?
WES: He's traveling on his own.
FAITH: I'm gonna take a quick shower, then I'll go off to meet this kid.
WES: How will you know where to find him?
FAITH: I'm sure he's coming the same way I did. And if so, I'll know him when I see him. Sit tight. I'll bring Connor straight here. This might be worth getting out of bed for.
Connor tosses his duffel bag down leaps out of a freight car going 30 miles per hour. He falls on a pile of rocks and rolls through them before stopping on the pavement. Connor looks up and sees Faith. She's holding out her right hand.
FAITH: Bet you hoped it was gonna stop. I know I did. Hey Connor. I'm Faith.
Connor takes her hand and she helps him up. He runs over, grabs his bag, then takes a good look at her. He's heard the name.
CONNOR: Faith. You're a Slayer?
FAITH: Guilty as charged.
CONNOR: You're a lot prettier than the other Slayer.
Faith smiles and laughs.
FAITH: They were wrong. You really aren't like your old man.
CONNOR: Bout time someone noticed.
FAITH: I'll take you to the others. They'll be glad to see you.
CONNOR: That's new. You sure?
They continue walking parallel to the tracks. A man in a dark suit wearing a black fedora passes by them. His eyes turn yellow as he pulls out a 15 inch-long dagger in his left hand and an 18 inch-long curved falcata sword in his right hand. Connor hears the sword brush against the attacker's belt buckle as he pulls it out. He turns around. The attacker swings for his neck with the sword. Connor ducks, but the man knocks him down with a left roundhouse kick. He tries to stab Faith in the stomach with his dagger. She moves to her right, grabs his left arm and throws him to the ground.
FAITH: This would also be new.
The attacker gets to his feet. Faith and Connor back up. The sword's blade flares out to four inches in width, and the dagger's blade is three inches wide. The weapons could cut through either of them like a meat cleaver. The man swings the sword in his right hand, keeping Faith and Connor at bay. He puts his left hand behind his back and goes after Faith, who stands to Connor's left. As he moves towards her, slashing his sword, Connor hits him in the face with a right hook. The attacker pulls out his left hand out from behind his back and stabs Connor in the stomach with his dagger. Connor grabs the man's left wrist with both his hands and stops the dagger when it is an inch into his skin. Distracted by Connor, Faith is able to kick the man in the face, knocking him backwards. He knocks Connor down with a leaping right kick, then he ducks Faith's kick and hits her in the stomach and chin with his left foot. Connor charges him from behind, but the attacker decks him with a flying right roundhouse kick. Finally, he can focus on Faith. He comes at her slashing with both weapons. She backs up. Aside from his bright yellow eyes, he looks like an ordinary human.
FAITH: Thought your kind only came out at night. What kind are you, anyway?
His hands are extremely fast, making it tough for Faith to attack him without getting stabbed. She arches her back to avoid a sword slash and lands a right backflip kick to the attacker's face. When her feet are on the ground again, Faith notices a large gash on the outside of her right calf muscle. The man has forgotten about Connor. After all, he came to kill Faith. Connor runs to his bag, which is 30 feet behind the man. He pulls out two Bringer knives and hurls them at the attacker. One goes through the back of his skull. The other one goes into the middle of his back, right where his heart should be. The man turns around and charges Connor, who is more than a little surprised that the guy is still alive. He closes in on Connor very quickly. Connor backs up towards the railroad tracks. He glances to his right and sees a passenger train approaching. When the man is close enough to slice Connor open with his heavy cutlery, Connor dives across the tracks, beating the train by a few feet. Faith runs at the distracted attacker and nails him in the head with a flying left kick. The blow knocks him into the side of the moving train. His spins around several times and falls to the ground, but quickly returns to his feet. Faith kicks him in the mouth before he can try to stab her. He staggers backwards. When he regains his balance and prepares to attack, he notices Faith is not in front of him. She snuck around behind him and pulled the two daggers out of his body. The man spins around, trying to slash Faith with his sword. She ducks. He keeps spinning, and knocks her down the next time around with a right kick. She gets up, brandishing her new-found weapons, which are formidable, though less formidable than his.
FAITH: Let's see how you like it.
The attacker tries a straight right kick. Faith backs up out of the way. She takes a step forward, planning to go on the attack, but is held back by his slashing swords. The attacker smiles as he rubs the blades of his weapons against one another and laughs under his breath.
FAITH: What's so funny?
He reaches forward with the falcata in his right hand. Faith blocks it with the dagger in her left hand. He thrusts his left arm out and rubs his dagger's blade about the blade of the dagger in her right hand. Clearly, he finds something amusing about her choice of weaponry. Now he attacks in earnest, plunging the point of his very large dagger towards her throat. Faith's weapons are too light to parry the blow. She swerves her head to the right in the nick of time. He swings his curved falcata at the left side of her neck. Faith puts up her left arm and gets slashed in the shoulder. She backs up, in pain. At that moment she sees Connor leap over the train and land behind her attacker.
FAITH: Bout time you showed me some superpowers.
Faith tosses the dagger in her left hand over the man's head. Connor pulls it out of the air. The man slashes for Faith's stomach with his sword. She jumps in the air to avoid it and kicks him in the face with her right foot, knocking him back ten feet. Connor comes at him from behind and sweeps the man's legs out. He flips through the air and lands on his face. Connor tries to stab him, but the attacker is too quick. As he rolls out of the way, he slices Connor's left thigh with his dagger. When he gets to his feet, the yellow-eyed attacker notices Faith is in front of him and Connor is to his right. He kicks his right foot sideways, knocking Connor down. Without bringing the leg back in, he pivots inward and kicks Faith with his right foot. Before she can counterattack, he spins around and decks Faith with an extremely quick left roundhouse. She tumbles along the pavement. When he gets close and tries to finish her off, Faith spins around on the ground and sweeps his legs. She gets up, as does her attacker.
FAITH: Sorry pal, but I don't go for strong, silent types no more.
He tries a right kick. Faith grabs his right foot with her left hand. He spins like a corkscrew and gets free. Connor comes at him from behind. Without turning, he sticks his right leg back and knocks Connor down. Faith attacks from the front. He brings his right leg forward like a pendulum and kicks her in the chest, knocking Faith back 15 feet. She gets up, holding the Bringer dagger in her right hand.
FAITH: Okay pal. Now ya got me angry. And I also got this nice knife. That's a bad combination.
They circle round each other. He's sizing her up, seeing if her injuries create any vulnerabilities he can exploit.
FAITH: It's been a long while since I cut somebody open. Maybe I'm rusty.
He tries a quick stab with the dagger in his left hand. She slashes his left wrist. He swings his sword. She grabs his right hand with her left hand. Faith sticks the knife into his abdomen and pulls it upwards, cutting him from below his navel to above his collar bone. The attack falls on his back, dead. His eyes go back to looking human.
FAITH: Nope. Still got it.
Connor walks over to her and looks at the dead body. They hear numerous gasps. Connor and Faith turn around and realize that the people getting off the train had watched the tail end of what looked to some of them like a gruesome murder.
FAITH: Yo, that was self-defense. And it ain't none of your business.
They do what the tough chick with the knife tells them and move along. Faith and Connor, turn around to examines the corpse.
FAITH: Not like he was human anyway.
Connor takes the weapons out his hands. He notices the dead man has intricate designs branded onto his knuckles. Faith sticks her dagger inside the chest cavity and realizes he's filled with some sort of sticky gray goo.
CONNOR: What is it?
FAITH: Dunno. Pretty sharp dresser for a demon. Nice hat.
She takes it off his head. Connor and Faith notice what appear to be decorations and possibly writing carved into the skin on top of his skull. Connor uses the falcata to cut off his head and his hands.
CONNOR: We should show these to Fred and Gunn. They might know what it is.
Connor isn't very familiar with Wesley and as of yet doesn't know Wesley's talents, or even his role in the organization. He takes the lining out of an empty trash can, puts the head, hands and weapons inside, then stuffs the bag in his duffel bag. Faith looks at his injuries.
FAITH: You okay? I mean, you got stabbed in the stomach.
CONNOR: I heal fast. Faster than Slayers. This is nothing. How bout you?
FAITH: Five by five.
CONNOR: Huh?
Faith smiles. They continue walking to the hotel.
FAITH: Thanks for the knife. You get those from a Bringer?
CONNOR: Killed a lot of them.
FAITH: You kill any other interesting things in Sunnydale?
CONNOR: Almost killed Buffy.
FAITH: Was this before or after you boned her sister?
CONNOR: Before.
FAITH: You really got ones made of brass. How the hell did you get off so easy?
At Buffy's house.
ANDREW: Connor's gone? This is a disaster! Filming had just begun. There are no fight scenes. No interviews. My project is ruined. Future generations will not be able to know of his amazing story.
GILES: Andrew, please. He's not dead. He's just in Los Angeles. [Giles thinks for a moment] We could always send you there. To continue your "work."
ANYA: They'd probably send him back.
ANDREW: How come you weren't here for breakfast?
ANYA: Because we had the limo until 9 am and . . . never mind.
Anya smiles and turns her head away from them. Buffy comes in.
GILES: Why aren't you at school?
BUFFY: Because I don't have a job. The new regime doesn't see a need for unqualified guidance counselors with super powers.
GILES: They fired you?
BUFFY: They said I could still work there, but they weren't going to pay me.
GILES: Then you're going back tomorrow.
BUFFY: Shouldn't I be spending more time with the Potentials?
GILES: That is precisely why you are going back. I did some thinking last night. We kept the girls here because we thought that was the best way to keep them safe. Drusilla debunked that fallacy. Our training facilities are woefully meager. Isolation isn't good for morale. Furthermore, I learned from my experience with you that Slayers can be more effective if they are integrated into their communities.
BUFFY: You're enrolling the girls at Sunnydale High?
GILES: Of course not. But they will train there during the day.
BUFFY: Where? How? You have no right to use any of their facilities. You're not even a librarian anymore.
GILES: I've worked out an arrangement.
BUFFY: With who?
GILES: With the people who hired me in the first place.
BUFFY: You're saying you have friends on the inside?
GILES: Think about it. Someone had to nudge the previous librarian into retirement. Someone had to go completely out of their way to get me that job. And someone had to keep Snyder from firing me and had to convince everyone to look the other way when I trained you in the library during school hours. Those things didn't take care of themselves, Buffy.
Faith and Connor are going up the hotel elevator.
FAITH: Gotta give you props for that plan, Connor. You're pretty good at being evil.
CONNOR: Won't happen again. Dawn took care of that.
FAITH: And then some. Tasering big sis. [smiles] That is definitely not the Dawny I knew.
Lindsey's showered and dressed, as are the others. Wes Gunn, Fred, Lorne and Lindsey wait in their headquarters.
GUNN: What are we supposed to expect?
LORNE: I'm hoping for laid-back, non-violent and sullen.
FRED: He didn't exactly leave on good terms with any of us.
WES: Let's go easy on him. Don't put him under any pressure. Give him time to re-adjust. We should refrain from giving him any orders right away.
LORNE: What about "Don't you dare try to kill you father"?
GUNN: We do hafta set boundaries.
LINDSEY: You guys are acting like you're afraid of him.
FRED: Afraid?
GUNN: Hell no.
WES: That's nonsense.
LORNE: Nonsense shmonsense. I'm afraid!
LINDSEY: He's just a kid. How bad could he be?
LORNE: In his first three days in this dimension, Connor did more to hurt Angel than Wolfram & Hart did in three years.
LINDSEY: People change.
GUNN: Not overnight.
Faith opens the door and enters with Connor. He's smiling. This scares Wes, Gunn, Fred and Lorne.
CONNOR: Hi.
They pause nervously for a few seconds.
FAITH: Something attacked us at the station.
CONNOR: Faith killed it.
He pulls out the head, the hands and the weapons.
LINDSEY: Faith, you're hurt. So are you, Connor.
CONNOR: It's nothing.
LINDSEY: Sorry I didn't introduce myself. I'm –
CONNOR: Lindsey. Faith told me about you.
Lindsey glances nervously at Faith.
FAITH: Just the present tense. No history.
LINDSEY: Are you okay, Faith? Your shoulder's cut. It looks pretty deep.
FAITH: I'll be fine.
Wes, Gunn, Fred and Lorne look at the head and hands.
FAITH: Any clue what it is?
LORNE: Certainly ain't local to this or any other dimension I've been to.
FAITH: The eyes were yellow. I think that's just a cover.
CONNOR: It didn't open its mouth. Ever. Thought that was kinda weird.
WES: You killed the creature by beheading it?
FAITH: Nope. Gutted it like a fish. Connor lopped off the head post-mort. He was wearing a suit. And this hat. [she tosses it to them] Covered up the weird stuff on its head.
Wesley is able to use some tweezers to pry open the eye coverings and see the creature's yellow eyeballs.
FAITH: Oh, and it's filled with gray goop. If that helps.
WES: So it's a demon that takes great care to disguise its identity, yet still fights with a traditional panoply. It wants to blend in, yet has no qualms about attacking in public in broad daylight.
FAITH: And I seemed to be the target. You agree with that, Connor?
CONNOR: It only attacked me when I went after it. When it knocked me down, it never tried to follow up. It wanted Faith.
FAITH: I thinkin' First?
WES: You're probably right. These markings should allow us to identify the creature. Can you tell us anything more?
FAITH: Really quick. And it did lots of spinning.
CONNOR: Hard to kill. [shows them the head wound] Put a knife in there. Put another through his back. Didn't even hurt him.
WES: If this is a new agent of the First, I should probably contact Rupert.
LINDSEY: You can use the camera on my computer to take pictures of the head and hands, then email the images to him.
WES: I'm pretty sure Rupert doesn't have electronic mail. He probably doesn't even own a computer.
FRED: We could send them to Willow's address. She can print them out and show them to him.
WES: How would we – how would you know Willow's address?
FRED: We've been writing back-and-forth the past few days about Cordy and Angel's soul and all that stuff. Also, she went and read by paper on Super-String Theory and had a few questions for me about that.
WES: Willow reads scientific journals?
CONNOR: Nice place you got here.
LORNE: Are you talking to me?
CONNOR: I thought I was.
LORNE: Oh. Yes. It's not home. But at least it ain't demon-infested. Except by yours truly.
Connor laughs. This freaks Lorne out even more. The others return to paying attention to Connor and leave the mystery demon for later. Connor sits down.
CONNOR: Sun's back. Beast's dead. Cool.
They're still trying to find a way to break the ice.
FRED: So. Connor. I hear you met someone. A girl.
CONNOR: Dawn's more than a girl. [a smile comes across his face] She saved me. If it wasn't for her, I don't know what would have happened to me. Everything looks different now. The world makes sense. I just wish I had met her when I first came here. She could have kept me from doing all the stupid stuff I did. You guys aren't still mad at me, are you?
Fred and Gunn, who have the most experience with Connor, look at each other. They're wary. Past experience tells them it could be a trick.
WES: We all do stupid stuff we live to regret.
Conscious reference to kidnapping Connor. Connor of course knows nothing of Wesley's role in the abduction.
GUNN: So tell us, what did you think of Sunnydale?
CONNOR: It's quiet. Small. Easier to find the demons than here. People are real nice. Most of them. Things work different there. The women do the fighting and protect the men. And the men always do what the women tell them to.
FRED: For a Hellmouth, it sounds strangely utopian.
LORNE: Like a demon Lake Wobegon: All the women are strong, All the men are good-looking, and All the monsters are above average.
GUNN: That don't sound like the town Cordy told us she grew up in.
FAITH: Wouldn't say all the men are good-looking. Hell, I'd take the men here over the men there any day. Gunn over Xander, Wes over Giles, Angel over Spike. Lorne over . . . any demon they got in that town.
Lorne smiles and starts quietly humming the melody to "I Feel Pretty."
FRED: Wesley, did the men do what the women told them to do when you lived in Sunnydale?
WES: It always seemed to turn out that way.
CONNOR: There's just so many of them. The attention was nice. They're so friendly.
GUNN: How "friendly" are we talking?
CONNOR: Oh, you mean did I - ? [Connor smirks] Only with Anya.
LINDSEY: Only what with Anya?
CONNOR: We slept together.
Lorne slams his glass down onto the table.
LORNE: Son of a bitch! No offense, Connor. Please don't take that literally.
WES: Is someone jealous?
LORNE: What would I want with her now? She's human! But – now get this – she saw me in Vegas last summer. When she was a demon. And she LOVED me! It's just a shame to miss your chance with a Vengeance Demon, especially one as red hot as Anyaka must have been.
WES: You like them when they're all scaly and veiny?
LORNE: First of all, they're not at all scaly. A Vengeance Demon's skin is smooth, almost velvety to the touch.
WES: And you don't mind the blood larvae?
FRED: [looks queasy] Blood larvae?
LORNE: I know, it doesn't sound very erotic when taken out of context. But when they put it on, they're naked, and it's like a glistening red dress. Plus, when they lick it off you at the end – [Lorne's smiling, but he notices everyone else is looking at him like he's some deviant.] You people have NO right to judge me!
They quickly forget this unwelcome glimpse into Lorne's private life.
GUNN: You were only gone a week!
CONNOR: Nine days.
GUNN: And what's this about her being an ex-demon?
WES: An 1100 year-old ex-Vengeance Demon. But she looks our age.
GUNN: Damn. That's like four times Angel's age.
CONNOR: I didn't know any of this when we had sex.
GUNN: Would it have stopped you?
CONNOR: Probably not. We spent two nights together right after I came to town. But even after she said it was over she was always nice to me. She was great. But nothing like Dawn. Me and Dawn, that was, well, words can't describe it.
FAITH: I've having a wicked hard time squaring this up with the Dawn I knew.
WES: I think it's best if we don't try to do that.
Considering they knew Dawn when she was 12 and 13, Wesley makes a good point. Connor takes out some pictures Dawn's friends took. Faith, Wes, Fred and Gunn look at them.
FAITH: Look at little Dawny. All grow'd up. And not quite so little.
CONNOR: She's a lot taller than Buffy.
FRED: Awww. Don't the two of them look cute together?
GUNN: Scary cute.
Clearly this is a side of Connor none of them have ever seen, or ever expected to see. They've never glimpsed Connor in this sort of context before.
WES: Are these her friends?
CONNOR: That's Carlos. He's cool. There's Carlos's girlfriend Denise. Here are me and Dawn with Kit and Elijah. She's Dawn's best friend. Eli's real fun to hang out with. And here's Dawn with Kit and Carlos.
FAITH: Looks like Dawny's got her own Scoobies.
FRED: Her what?
FAITH: I'll explain later.
CONNOR: Are you guys glad to have me back?
GUNN: Damn straight.
WES: Absolutely.
FRED: We missed you, Connor. Not that I'm saying you shouldn't have left. Or that we wanted you to leave, either.
CONNOR: I don't wanna think about what I'd be like if I never left. Or if I left but never met Dawn.
FRED: Sounds like you really like this girl.
CONNOR: I love her. She's beautiful, and brave, and smart, and funny. She understands me, sometimes better than I do. Always makes me happy, even when bad things happen. Like we were meant for each other.
Connor puts the pictures away, picks up his bag and prepares to go. He's humming the melody line to the Ramones' "I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend."
CONNOR: I'm going home now. Pretty tired. I need to get some sleep. I'll come by tonight. Round sundown.
Connor leaves. Everyone's still a little in shock.
FRED: Why is he tired? It's not even noon. [she gets it, then cringes] Oh.
LORNE: I heard him humming, and let's just say Connor's very, very happy. If I didn't know him, I might say he was at peace with the world.
GUNN: What the hell did she do to him?
FRED: I really don't wanna know.
LORNE: I think she tamed him.
FAITH: Dawny's got that boy whipped big time.
Connor goes home. He's putting his stuff away when Cordelia enters. She hugs him. Connor doesn't hug her back.
CORDY: I missed you so much.
She lets go. Connor looks her over.
CONNOR: What happened to you?
Cordy pulls up her blouse so Connor can see her belly.
CORDY: We're going to have a baby.
She takes Connor's right hand and pulls it towards her stomach. He rips it away before her touches her skin. He looks very shocked.
CORDY: I know it's a surprise. But you're going to be a daddy.
CONNOR: How do I know it's mine?
Cordy was definitely not expecting that. She punches him in the face with her right fist, knocking him down. Connor stands up. He's smirking.
CONNOR: I'm serious. It's not like you have standards. Come on, Cordy. You dated Xander. [he chuckles. she looks pissed.] And the funniest part of that story is, he didn't think YOU were good enough for HIM! You were beautiful. You loved him. He was a nothing who would be lucky to get spit on by the likes of you. But he cheated on you. Hell, he probably didn't even care about you. We both know who he cared about. You must have always known you were number two in his book. But you accepted that. Learning you were number THREE – that's what crushed you. You were his girlfriend. He should have been worshipping you. But the truth was that out of all the women he knew, you were DEAD LAST on his list.
CORDY: You don't have a clue.
Connor gets a twinkle in his eye. He smirks and slightly raises his eyebrows as he disses Cordelia. She's never seen Connor like this before.
CONNOR: I've figured you out. And you know what? I pity you, Cordy. I mean that. You're an incredible woman. Too bad the men in your life were too blind to notice. I mean, Buffy? Come on! Even now, when you're all stretched out, you're still hotter than she could ever be. But the men choose her. Everybody loves Buffy! It must have made you sick. I know it made me sick. And you know why they chose her? Obviously not for her looks. No. It was because she had the power. That's why she got Angel. Ain't that right?
CORDY: Turned off by Buffy. Nice to know you're not exactly like your father.
CONNOR: Too bad he didn't see it my way. You wanted him, and he didn't even care. You served him, risked your life for him, but he still belonged to her. So you decided to get some power of your own. Maybe then he'd finally notice you. And it worked. He did. But it was too late. There was too much pain inside you.
CORDY: I'm not in the mood for "This is Your Life."
CONNOR: I'm not making you stay, am I?
CORDY: What happened to you? [smiles] Are you evil?
CONNOR: Been there. Done that. Got laid. Got better.
CORDY: You are evil!
CONNOR: No. I'm just giving you what you deserve. You never loved me. You used me. I'm done with you. I have Dawn. She loves me.
CORDY: Dawn? Dawn Summers? Buffy's sister!
CONNOR: Not like she had a choice about that.
CORDY: You screwed Buffy's sister.
CONNOR: We made love.
CORDY: Listen to you. Just like your father. I hate that stupid family!!
CONNOR: And just so you know, you were lousy. Did nothing for me. You just lay there like a dead fish. Maybe that's another reason the men don't like you. [smiles] I just had a thought. Maybe you could have slept with Angel. You know, without him losing his soul.
She slaps him in the face with her left hand.
CONNOR: It stings, doesn't it? Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to bed. I spent all last night with Dawn, and I didn't get any sleep.
He grins sadistically, as if he's taking pleasure in hurting her feelings. She looks very angry.
CORDY: You stupid boy. You're gonna pay. You think I'll let you get away with this? You think this is over? It hasn't even begun.
Connor waves bye-bye with his left hand. Cordy storms out. He yawns.
NEXT: Cordy gives Dru and Angelus a piece of her mind and shows the vampires why she's a force to be reckoned with. Then Angelus goes to see Connor. They exchange insults and taunts. Then they exchange blows. And this time, neither of them is willing to back down or concede defeat. So it's gonna get pretty ugly. Also,, Angelus and Lindsey both pay a visit to the re-staffed Wolfram & Hart. They do run into each other in the lobby on the way out.