Fred and Gunn walked sombrely behind Connor as he made his way back to the hotel, still clutching to Lania's dead body.
They finally arrived at the Hyperion, and Connor didn't stop to talk to the others, instead he climbed the stairs, taking Lania's body with him. Fred and Gunn exchanged worried glances, but followed him.
They found him in Lania's bedroom. He had very gently laid Lania's body on the bed, and he had pulled the covers over her. He was sitting on the window seat, gazing out at the mocking darkness, that had finally reclaimed its child of the night, its saviour, its Slayer.
"Connor?" Fred said gently, standing behind him. He didn't look up at her, or answer. He just sat in stony silence.
"Con, maybe you should take Lania's body to the authorities." Gunn suggested quietly, touching Connor's shoulder.
"She's sleeping." Was the simple, naïve and pained reply.
"Yeah, she is. But we can't keep her here." Fred reasoned, sitting in front of Connor, but not able to bring herself to look into his startlingly blue eyes.
"She promised she'd never leave me again, she wants to stay here." Connor argued wearily.
"I know Con, I know. But she has to be buried."
"No! I can't bury her! She'll be cold and alone and she'll miss me." Connor cried, tears streaking down his pale cheeks. Fred was startled, but she held him anyway, trying to soothe him.
And so they sat, all night, Connor crying on Fred's shoulder, while Gunn stood by and watched. There was no way to calm Connor, he wouldn't stop crying, or murmuring to himself. He was completely inconsolable.
The night melted into glorious morning, and Connor declared he needed to be alone. He stole away down to the basement, and grabbed a spade. He cracked the floor open, and began digging. He didn't stop till the sweat was stinging his eyes, and he had a relatively deep narrow trench. Then he went upstairs, and gently lifted Lania's body. He wrapped it in the velvet bed sheet, and lowered it gently into the hole. Then he covered it with planks of wood, and laid a rug over it. With that done, he sat beside it till he could no longer keep his eyes open.
As the night fell, Angel was stumbling down an abandoned alleyway, gasping in pain and clutching his wounded heart. It was not the wound that was bothering him; it was the intense pain that was connected with the return of his soul.
It started to rain, and Angel lay on his back, letting the rain wash over him, soothing his burning pains. He closed his eyes, and then all the horrible memories came flooding over him. He could hear the crack of Lania's delicate neck as if it was echoing inside his head. He could see Connor's eyes widening, and filling with tears. The guilt was unbearable, Angel had to get to Connor, to beg for forgiveness, but he could think of no words to say. Still, he made his way to the hotel, to find his only son and try to repair the immeasurable damage he had caused.
Connor heard the door opening and closing. He heard Fred exclaim Angel's name, and his hands curled into fists. He leapt to his feet, and ran up the stairs, grabbing his cross bow as he did. He loaded it with a bolt, and burst into the foyer, and pointed the crossbow at Angel. Connor couldn't help but grin as he pulled the trigger, and he watched as the bolt speed towards Angel's unbeating pierced heart.
Angel ducked, and held up his hands in a gesture of surrender. Connor didn't lower the weapon.
"Connor, it's me!"
"I don't care what the hell you are. You killed Lania and I will kill you." Connor replied coldly, reloading the weapon.
"I'm sorry, I am so sorry Connor. I would never do anything to hurt you." Angel pleaded.
"YOU KILLED MY GIRLFRIEND!"
"I'll make it better, I swear."
"You can't make it better, she's dead and she's never coming back!"
"I'll do anything, I'll bring her back." Angel begged.
"How can you?" Connor asked warily, lowering his weapon slightly, but still holding it tightly.
"I'll find a way, and if I don't you can kill me." Angel offered. Connor regarded him stonily.
"You have twenty-four hours, and if she's not alive, I will kill you."