Part 2.
In LA.
Angel just stared at the empty crib. He'd been staring at it for days.
Conner was gone, missing, kidnapped, and he had been powerless to protect him.
Tears flowed down his cheeks, unchecked. Angel had lost count of how many times he had felt the tears.
But he didn't care. It didn't matter. His son mattered, and he was missing.
Cordelia and Lorne watched from the doorway, feeling guilty at watching his unbridled display of emotion, yet unwilling to leave him alone in his suffering.
Her heart bled for him, she knew how much he loved his son. She loved his son.
And like him, she couldn't believe that Conner was gone.
Silently she took hold of Lorne's hand and dragged him away from the door.
In the foyer Gunn and Fred sat silently, comforting each other. They both stood up when Cordy and Lorne entered.
"We have to do something about him." Cordelia announced.
"I don't know where else we can look for Conner." Fred said to her sadly.
"I've never seen him so unhappy." Cordy confided, "Not even back in Sunnydale when he got his soul back. It's like he's lost."
Lorne nodded. "I don't even have to read him to know how unhappy he is."
"So what do we about it?" Gunn asked.
Cordelia sank down into a chair. "I can only think of two things. One is to find Conner and bring him home." she stopped.
"And the other?" Lorne asked.
"Take him to Sunnydale. Maybe Buffy can snap him out of it." she answered.
"You think that'll work?" Fred asked.
"If it doesn't I'm all out of ideas." Cordy replied.
"Lorne and I will get him ready to leave." Gunn volunteered.
"Just tell him we're taking a trip. Don't say where we're going." Cordelia instructed. "I'm going across town to pack some clothes, Gunn you'll need some too. When I get back we'll go."
Within the hour they were on their way to Sunnydale.
**********
Gently Buffy laid Conner down in his crib. He curled up sucking his thumb into his mouth. Then he became still. She smiled, he was so peaceful.
Dawn found her standing there. She slipped her arms around her sister's waist. "You really love him don't you?" Buffy nodded, saying nothing. She pulled Dawn into her arms and her held her tight. "I love you. You know that, right? I know I've been kind of spacey lately, but that doesn't mean I love you any less."
Dawn held on tightly, this was like having the old Buffy back. She just hoped that the old Buffy was back to stay. They stayed there like that until Willow called them both downstairs for dinner.
**********
It was early in the evening when Cordy, Angel, Gunn and Fred arrived in Sunnydale.
"What are we doing here?" Angel asked, confused.
Cordelia captured one of his hands in her own. "We're taking a break. Lorne and Kate are keeping an eye out for Conner in LA."
Angel nodded silently. "I'll have to go and see Buffy. She'll get mad at me if I don't."
"That's why we're here." Cordelia told him. "We're going to see Buffy right now."
A few seconds later they pulled into the Summers' driveway.
Angel paused before getting out of the car. He was silent as they walked up the front path and up onto the porch.
Cordelia rang the bell.
In LA.
Angel just stared at the empty crib. He'd been staring at it for days.
Conner was gone, missing, kidnapped, and he had been powerless to protect him.
Tears flowed down his cheeks, unchecked. Angel had lost count of how many times he had felt the tears.
But he didn't care. It didn't matter. His son mattered, and he was missing.
Cordelia and Lorne watched from the doorway, feeling guilty at watching his unbridled display of emotion, yet unwilling to leave him alone in his suffering.
Her heart bled for him, she knew how much he loved his son. She loved his son.
And like him, she couldn't believe that Conner was gone.
Silently she took hold of Lorne's hand and dragged him away from the door.
In the foyer Gunn and Fred sat silently, comforting each other. They both stood up when Cordy and Lorne entered.
"We have to do something about him." Cordelia announced.
"I don't know where else we can look for Conner." Fred said to her sadly.
"I've never seen him so unhappy." Cordy confided, "Not even back in Sunnydale when he got his soul back. It's like he's lost."
Lorne nodded. "I don't even have to read him to know how unhappy he is."
"So what do we about it?" Gunn asked.
Cordelia sank down into a chair. "I can only think of two things. One is to find Conner and bring him home." she stopped.
"And the other?" Lorne asked.
"Take him to Sunnydale. Maybe Buffy can snap him out of it." she answered.
"You think that'll work?" Fred asked.
"If it doesn't I'm all out of ideas." Cordy replied.
"Lorne and I will get him ready to leave." Gunn volunteered.
"Just tell him we're taking a trip. Don't say where we're going." Cordelia instructed. "I'm going across town to pack some clothes, Gunn you'll need some too. When I get back we'll go."
Within the hour they were on their way to Sunnydale.
**********
Gently Buffy laid Conner down in his crib. He curled up sucking his thumb into his mouth. Then he became still. She smiled, he was so peaceful.
Dawn found her standing there. She slipped her arms around her sister's waist. "You really love him don't you?" Buffy nodded, saying nothing. She pulled Dawn into her arms and her held her tight. "I love you. You know that, right? I know I've been kind of spacey lately, but that doesn't mean I love you any less."
Dawn held on tightly, this was like having the old Buffy back. She just hoped that the old Buffy was back to stay. They stayed there like that until Willow called them both downstairs for dinner.
**********
It was early in the evening when Cordy, Angel, Gunn and Fred arrived in Sunnydale.
"What are we doing here?" Angel asked, confused.
Cordelia captured one of his hands in her own. "We're taking a break. Lorne and Kate are keeping an eye out for Conner in LA."
Angel nodded silently. "I'll have to go and see Buffy. She'll get mad at me if I don't."
"That's why we're here." Cordelia told him. "We're going to see Buffy right now."
A few seconds later they pulled into the Summers' driveway.
Angel paused before getting out of the car. He was silent as they walked up the front path and up onto the porch.
Cordelia rang the bell.