CHAPTER 7
Historical Note: This Trilogy takes place in the fifth season of Buffy, and the third season of Angel.
Author's Note II: Come on guys, I need more thoughts on including the Connor/Cordy relationship!! My mind is still un-decided! PLEASE let me know what you think. Im me at Naskt8@aol.com and let me know! Have the Subject be 'Cordy/Connor Opinion'. This is MUCH appreciated!!
Author's Note: By now in the show, Dawn has joined the Summers' family, but the arrival of Glory will be postponed due to my stories perspective; which is about Buffy, Angel, and Connor. Also, you'll notice that some of the plots from both of the shows later episodes are happening sooner since I've altered a lot of both shows story lines.
The next day, Buffy finally came down stairs. Everyone was eating breakfast, and Angel was sitting on the couch. He seemed to be thinking about something; about Connor she assumed.
Angel sensed Buffy's presence and instantly looked towards the stairs where he saw her walking down looking a little more together then last night.
"Hey, you doing ok?" Angel asked as he walked over to her. Everyone else noticed Buffy was downstairs, but they stayed quiet while Angel talked to Buffy. She nodded quickly.
"Have you guys found anything yet?" she asked hopefully.
"Not yet. It's a little hard when we don't even know what dimension he grew up in," Wesley told her. Angel then remembered with last night's events, he hadn't had a chance to introduce Buffy to Fred.
"Oh, I'm sorry. Buffy, this is Fred; Fred, this is Buffy," he said introducing the two. Fred walked over to Buffy.
"It's nice to meet you," she told her truthfully. Buffy nodded.
"You too," she told her.
"Too bad it wasn't under better circumstances," Fred told her. Buffy then remembered what Angel had told her about Connor's growth. She suddenly felt dizzy. Angel looked at her and noticed something was wrong.
"Are you alright?" he asked concerned. Buffy looked at him and tried to smile.
"I don't know. All of a sudden I feel, weird," she told him. Angel continued to look at her concerned.
"I, I just need some aspirin, then I'm going back upstairs and try to get some sleep," she told him before she left the room. Fred looked at Angel worriedly.
"Is she going to be ok?" she asked.
"I think the shock's just setting in about Connor's age." Wesley looked at Angel.
"How about you. You've been very calm since you found out," Wesley pointed out.
"I can handle it," he assured them "At least he's back in this dimension." Buffy then walked back in the room and headed for the stairs. Angel softly grabbed her arm as she walked past him. He pulled her closer and kissed her on the forehead.
"It'll be ok. We'll find him," he promised. Buffy looked up at him and gave him a weak smile before returning back to the room.
* * *
A few hours later, Angel got up and put the book he was looking through down and sighed. They had been searching through books all morning, and now it was late afternoon.
"No luck?" Lorne asked as he put down his book and looked at his boss.
"I just wish we could find him," Angel told them as he scratched the back of his head in frustration.
"Be careful what you wish for," A voice said from behind. Angel quickly turned around to see a young man standing in the doorway with a device that shot out stakes, strapped to his arm; pointing straight at Angel.
"Hello Dad," Connor said. Before Angel could react from the shock of seeing his son, Connor fired a stake at him. The stake hit Angel in the chest only inches from his heart. Connor fired again, but Angel quickly moved out of its path this time.
"Interesting." Connor said to Angel as he pointed the launcher towards him once more.
"Oh my god, it's you!" Angel realized just before dodging a few more stakes. Angel fell to the floor in pain as he was hit with another one. He looked down to see a stake sticking from his chest; inches away from his heart.
Gunn and Wesley quickly took over trying to get Connor, but failed horribly as Connor took the both down once more. Gunn swept Connor's feet from under him, and Connor fell to the floor.
"Stop," Angel said as he slowly got up and walked over to Connor. Angel held his hand out to help him up, but Connor refused it. He quickly got back up on his feet, and ran out of the hotel, into the daylight where he knew Angel couldn't follow.
Suddenly, Buffy ran down the stairs after hearing the commotion from upstairs. She looked around worriedly.
"What the hell happened?" Buffy asked from the stairs as she quickly ran down the steps.
"Connor wait!" Angel shouted as he ran out to catch him; forgetting about the sunlight.
"Angel, no!" Gunn exclaimed as he and Wesley ran after him.
"Angel!" Buffy exclaimed as she ran down the stairs. She was relieved when she reached the outdoors to find Wesley and Gun had caught up to Angel and was able to stop him inches before he reached the sunlight. Just then as Buffy looked up, she caught a glimpse of Connor running behind a bus.
"Oh my god, Connor!" she yelled as she began after him, but he was too fast and he escaped by jumping on the top of a passing bus. Buffy watched as he stood on top of the moving bus and disappeared down the road.
Buffy quickly ran back over to Angel. As she knelt beside him she noticed a wound on Angel's chest, and could tell that the wound was made from a stake.
"Angel!" Buffy said worriedly as she put her hand on his bleeding wound. Apparently Angel had already pulled the stake out. Buffy quickly looked over at Wesley.
"Wes, give me a hand," she said as she began to help Angel up. She knew that his injury needed to be cleaned up, and fast. She also realized she needed to get him back into the hotel where it'd be a lot safer.
"Are you ok?" Buffy asked as Angel collapsed down on the couch. Gunn walked over to her and handed her some gauze and some tape for her to bandage him up. She looks up at him and silently thanked him as she immediately began to work on cleaning and bandaging up Angel's wound.
"Fred, you know how to run a computer, right?" Gunn asked.
"It's been a while, but yeah. I think so, why?" she asked.
"Let's see if we can look up where the bus is headed," he suggested.
"Alright, I'll see what I can do," she said as she walked over to the computer and began to search.
"The bus is on its way downtown," Fred called out a few minutes later as she looked up from the computer at the front desk.
Buffy looked at Angel worriedly as she finished bandaging him up.
"Is that ok?" she asked. Angel nodded as he started to get up.
"'Maybe you shouldn't." Buffy began. Angel got up anyways and winced in pain as he got up.
"I have to find him before we loose his trail." he told Buffy in between clutched teeth.
"Are you kidding me? You were almost staked," Buffy reminded him. "You could get yourself killed!"
"I have to go after him Buffy," he told her as he began to button up his shirt. "I'll be ok," he assured her.
"But Angel, what if he's out somewhere in broad daylight? What are you going to do?" she asked.
"Well first, I'm going to track him through the tunnels," he told her. Buffy still didn't look convinced.
"I'll track him by foot on the surface," Gunn volunteered.
"I'll go too," she told him. Angel shook his head.
"It's not safe; you'd better stay here," he told her.
"No. Don't do this to me, Angel. He is my son too," she reminded him.
"Buffy, your exhausted, and you might get hurt," he told her. "I want you to stay here with Fred, Lorne, and Wesley," he told her. "I shouldn't take too long," he said before going down to the basement and into the sewers.
"I'd better be going too," Gunn said as he began towards the door. He turned around and looked at Buffy, who was hugging herself worriedly. "Oh, and about Connor; I think he got your fighting traits, cause he's good," he told her before he left.
Fred walked over to Buffy to comfort her.
"They'll find him. With Angel covering the sewers, and Charles covering the surface, they're sure to find him," she assured her.
"Thanks Fred," Buffy told her. Fred smiled at her. "I'm going up to my room. If you guys hear anything," Buffy asked.
"We'll let you know," Wesley told her. Buffy nodded and walked up the stairs. She had to call home and give them an update as she promised.
She sighed as she sat down on the bed and reached for the phone. She knew her mother would be waiting for her phone call. Dawn as well since she had missed Connor as much as everyone else.
"Hello?" An eager voice answered. Buffy smiled as she recognized her sister's voice.
"Hey Dawn," Buffy said.
"Buffy, I'm glad you called! Was it Connor? Is he all right? When are you coming home?" Dawn asked all at once.
"Dawn, is mom there? I need to talk to her," she told her sister not wanting to tell her yet what was going on.
"Is everything alright?" she asked worriedly.
"Ah, yeah everything's fine," she lied. She heard her sister sigh.
"Fine. Here she is," Dawn told her as she handed the phone to her mother. Buffy took a deep breath.
"Honey, is everything alright?" Joyce asked.
"Not really. Everything's all messed up," she told her mother.
"Why, what's wrong?"
"It was him; it was Connor they saw," she told her mother, "Only he was...older,"
"What do you mean older?" Joyce asked confused.
"I mean, he's not a baby anymore. He's a teenager," she told her mother in a saddened voice.
"A what? How is that possible?" she asked sounding even more confused. Buffy sighed.
"I don't know. Wesley said the reason for his age difference is because he grew up in a different dimension where time there moves different from ours," Buffy explained.
"A different dimension! Buffy, is he all right? I mean, he's not hurt or anything, right?"
"Ah no, he didn't look hurt, but all I saw was him running off; after he stabbed Angel in the chest," Buffy told her.
"Oh god, is Angel-"
"No. No, he missed; barely, but Angel's going to be ok." Buffy explained. "Angel and Gunn are out right now looking for him,"
"Well, did Connor know who you two were?" Buffy thought about her mother's question for a second before answering.
"Well, he, he didn't see me. I came down just in time to see him running off, but I have a feeling he was brainwashed or something, and now for some reason, he's out to kill Angel," she told Joyce.
"I really don't like this, Buffy maybe you should come back home," Joyce suggested.
"No mom, I can't. Connor's my son. I won't give up on him," she told her mother honestly.
"Alright honey, but just be careful," she told Buffy.
"I will." she promised before hanging up.
* * *
Angel watched from the shadows as Gunn walked over to him. By night fall, Gunn and Angel ended up downtown at a building where cops were all around. He to listen to what the police were talking about, trying to find out what was going on.
"I think it's safe to say your son's been here," Gunn said as he motioned over towards the police commotion.
"Should I continue tracking him?" Gunn asked. Angel shook his head.
"No. I'd better take the trail from here. I don't want to scare him," he explained.
"Alright then, I'll head back to the hotel in case he decides to come after Buffy." Gunn told him.
"Good idea," he said. He then backed up and disappeared back into the shadows in search of his son.
A little while later, Angel's searching led to an old abandoned motel. As he walked closer to the abandoned place, he instantly picked up his son's scent. As soon as Angel walked in, and could sense Connor was close by. He slowly walked over to the bathroom where heard movement coming from. Slowly and carefully, he pushed the door open.
Connor was kneeling beside a young girl who appeared to be about the same age as him; another run away as well. Angel knew instantly that the young girl was dead. He looked down and instantly noticed a syringe poked into the girl's arm, which would explain the young girls death.
He looked back over to Connor, who was upset and on the verge of tears. Angel walked over to Connor and knelt down beside him.
"Connor, I'm-," he began. He then noticed the bottle of drugs in Connor's hand. Angel looked up at Connor in shock. He quickly grabbed Connor's arm and began to check for needle marks, but quickly found none. Connor pulled his arm away from Angel.
"I didn't take any," he told him truthfully. He looked back over to the girl. "She said it was medicine, but I knew it really wasn't." he confessed.
"Connor, let me help you." Angel offered.
"It's too late." Connor replied. He looked at the dead girl for a few more seconds before angrily wiping away the few tears that he had shed. He quickly got up and walked out of the small bathroom.
Angel got up and quickly walked out into the other room. He watched as Connor picked up a jacket from the old beat up couch and brought it up to his face, smelling it. Angel quickly realized his son had superhuman powers, which he had expected when he was born.
Angel grabbed Connor's arm and spun him around. "Connor don't. Now I know-" Angel began.
"No you don't know!" he said before pulling his hand back.
"Look, it's not safe for you out there," he told Connor, trying to talk to get through to him. Angel didn't want to loose him now, not after he had found him.
"I can take care of myself." he told Angel. Angel smiled, remembering how Gunn and Wesley went on about how strong Connor was and how well he had fought.
"I've heard," he assured his son. The two stood there in an awkward silence as they looked at each other.
"Look, Connor, I don't know how you were brought back here, but, were so glad your back," he told his son.
Connor looked at Angel confused. "We?" he repeated.
"Buffy, I mean your mother and I," he explained.
"The Slayer, right?" Connor asked. Angel looked at him a little surprised that he knew about Buffy.
"Good call, but how'd-" he began.
"Holtz told me." Connor told him quickly.
"He told me that you didn't want me," Connor told him, his gaze to the floor. Angel walked over to him and put his hand on his shoulder.
"That's not true. You are very much wanted." Angel told him. "And your mother and I loved you; and still love you," he told Connor truthfully. "I would give my life to save you."
Connor looked up at Angel. "My fath-" Connor began. "Holtz said that you were a killer," Connor told him. Angel sighed before making his face change, showing Connor his second face.
"I was a killer, a long time ago. Back when I was Angelus," he told him, then changed his face back. Connor looked at him surprised.
"Was that what Holtz said my name was?" Angel asked. Connor nodded. Angel stood in silence once more for a few moments and realized he would never really pay for all that Angelus had done.
"I am so sorry I didn't try harder to find you." Angel told him. Months had gone by after Connor had been kidnapped, and every day he had been so upset with himself for not being able to find his own son.
"It's alright. I lived; I took care of myself." Connor told him. Angel smiled at the sight his long lost son. He couldn't help but notice how much he looked like Buffy. He remembered that when Connor was first born, everyone had said that he looked like him.
Angel was quickly dragged from thought as a rugged looking guy broke down the door, his gang closely following.
"Hey guys, what seems to be the problem?" Angel asked. The leader walked up to Angel.
"The little runt here cut off my ear," Tyke; the leader said as he pointed to Connor. Angel turned around and looked at Connor surprised. Connor shrugged.
"He bugged me." Connor explained. Angel turned back towards the gang.
"I'm sure we can talk about this, huh?" Angel suggested. Just then, another member of the gang ran in with a worried face.
"The cops are surrounding the place!" he announced. Tyke; not seeming to be fazed by the news turned back towards Angel.
"Yeah we can talk about this; after I kill him," he said pointing to Connor. Angel growled at him and he could feel his anger rise as his face yet again morphed.
"Alright, that's it. Now your bugging me," Angel said as he grabbed Tykes arm and twisted it. The man screamed in pain as Angel twisted his arm further. The other gang members tightened up their fists, and prepared themselves to fight both Connor and Angel.
"Now you tell your boys here to get back before you loose another part tonight," Angel growled.
"Get back you guys!" Tyke screamed. The men looked at each other for a second, then stepped back upon command. Unbeknownst to both Angel and Connor, one of the members of the gang had come in through an opening in back of them.
"Now you take your little gang, and scram. Leave my son alone, and if I ever hear about any of you coming near him again; I will kill you," he promised. A few of the gang members smiled at him.
"You think it's funny?" Angel asked just as one of them grabbed Connor from behind. Just then, a group of police managed to punch through the wall with massive fire, sending both the gang member and Connor to the ground. Angel quickly released Tyke as the police began to enter the room. Connor slowly stood up with his hands held high.
An officer then walked in with a shotgun.
"Everyone drop your weapons!" The officer commanded. Angel looked at Connor worriedly.
"Connor; out the window, quick!" Angel shouted. Connor quickly ran over to the window, but hesitated, not sure if he trusted Angel completely. One of the officer aimed his gun at Connor, but Angel quickly ran in front of the officer; taking the bullets that were meant for Connor, in the back. Connor looked back at Angel surprised as he ran towards him. He put his hand on Connor's back as they both leaped out the window.
* * *
Outside, Angel and Connor were careful and hid in the shadows to avoid the police units as they snuck away from the building. As they reach safe distance away from the building, and the two begin to walk out from the shadows, Connor noticed Angel walking slower than him from being shot.
"Are you going to, you know, be alright?" Connor asked. Angel smiled at him.
"I'll live." he told him. The gunshot wound stung like a bee sting, but he'd live. It wasn't the first time he got shot, and he knew it wouldn't be the last.
"Thanks for doing that back there," Connor said sounding surprised that Angel had taken the bullets for him.
"Your welcome." he said as they continued to walk down the street. The two walked in silence for a few minutes.
"You know, if you have know where's else to stay, you can always come back with me," Angel offered. Connor shook his head.
"No. I'm alright." he said.
"You're not alone; you know that, right?" he asked as he stopped walking and turned to face his son. Connor looked up at him.
"Yeah, I know." he said. He then ran off into a dark alleyway, leaving Angel to return back home alone without Connor.
Angel sighed as he watched his son run off.