CHAPTER 2

Historical Note: By now, the story takes place in the end of the fifth season of Buffy, and the fourth season of Angel.

Author's Note: Ok, in advance, It may be a little longer posting new parts. It's true, a few chapters on this one have been pre-written as well, but I still have to go through and edit, and sometimes make a few changes. Plus, Mid-terms are coming up, so I may be kinda busy, but I'll try my best!! Please come back every few days and see if I've posted more tho! I got an opinion recently, thanks soo much! But that only brings me up to 2 opinions about the Cordy/Connor thing. One says yes cause it'd be interesting, one says no cause it was gross to see the first time around. I need people's advice here. I'm begging you, I mean, on my knees! Lol. PLEASE e-mail me and met me know!

Author's Note/Historical Note: This part takes place three months after where the second one left off. Angel is still missing, leaving Buffy to deal with the Hyperion Hotel, and to raise Connor. Cordelia has also gone missing, and the crew is searching for her as well. Also, Joyce gets terminally ill, forcing Buffy to go back to Sunnydale and take care of things for awhile not knowing she'd end up doing it permanently.

The next evening, Buffy, Gunn and Fred were discussing plans to go check out their newest and only lead when Connor came running down the stairs. Buffy knew by the look on his face that he wasn't happy about something.

"Why didn't you tell me?" he asked angrily as he walked over to them.

"Connor, what is it?" Buffy asked as she slipped out from the desk and walked over to Connor.

"Why didn't you tell me about this lead?" he asked.

"Connor, I'm sorry. I didn't want to say anything to you until we knew for sure this person was a solid lead. I didn't want to disappoint you," she explained.

"I want to go with you when you check this place out," he told her. Buffy nodded.

"Alright," she said. Connor smiled before heading upstairs.

"Remind me again why were letting junior go?" Gunn asked as Buffy walked over to where they kept some of their weapons.

"Because he has every right to," she answered as she pulled out a knife and examined the blade.

"Yeah, but he might scare away our only lead," he explained.

"Look Gunn, I don't want to argue this. Angel is Connor's father; if he wants to come with us to help find him, I'm not going to tell him that he can't," she said. The room went silent for a few minutes.

"How about Wolfram & Hart? I mean I know were not exactly chummy with them, but maybe they know something about Angel's disappearance?" Buffy suggested.

"Oh no. Poking your head in there is just begging for trouble, and we have all the trouble we can handle," Gunn told her. Buffy nodded.

"Your right. Ok, where's Wesley?" Buffy asked as she realized the on going absence of her ex-watcher.

"Not sure. Swung by his house a little while ago. He wasn't there; don't think he has been there for a few days or so," he explained.

"Great. Angel's missing; Cordy's missing, and now Wesley's missing?" Buffy asked.

"Actually, he told me he had some things to take care of and wouldn't be around for a few days," Fred told them as she stepped forward.

"Ok, good," Buffy said as she looked over at her. "Ok. At least our missing people's list isn't growing. Let's get going, huh? I want to get this over with," Buffy suggested as she walked towards the staircase.

"Connor, were ready to go!" she called up.

"Alright. Let's go," Connor said as he appeared behind her. Buffy jumped at the sound of his voice as she spun around.

"Connor, where'd you-" she began.

Connor smiled. "I was in the other room; downstairs; getting my knife," he explained as he held out the knife he'd made in Quor-toth.

"OK. Let's get going," Buffy suggested to the group. She looked over at Fred and Gunn.

"You guys got your weapons?" she asked just as both Fred and Gunn walked over to Buffy and Connor.

"Yes we do," he said as they held up their weapons.

"Alright. Let's go find ourselves that lead," she said as she led the group out the door.

* * *

The crew arrived at the abandoned house a little while later, fully armed, and ready to fight. As they cautiously walked into the abandoned building, they were greeted with only an eerie silence. As they made their way further into the old house, Connor picked up on something.

"Do you guys hear that?" he asked as he walked towards an old room that had once been used as a bedroom.

"Hear what? Connor?" Buffy asked as she followed Connor towards the room.

"Music. I can hear music playing in there," he said pointing to the room. Buffy frowned.

"Guess I'll have to check it out. Gunn?" she said as she prepared to go into the room. Gunn stepped forward beside Buffy. Before they could check out the room, Marissa dropped down from the ceiling behind them. Connor quickly snapped into fighting mode, and captured Marissa before she could attack Buffy.

"Oh good. We were just looking for you," Buffy said as she walked over towards Connor and Marissa.

"Go to hell Slayer," Marissa told her. Connor backhanded the vampire.

"Don't talk to her like that," Connor snarled. He was very protective of Buffy, even though she could take care of herself.

"Connor, it's ok," Buffy told him. She then looked back at Marissa. "Look, we can do this the easy way or the hard way. We just want to know if you've seen a missing person," Buffy explained.

"I don't know anything about a missing vampire," she told them as she squirmed in Connor's grasp, trying to get free.

"Funny, we didn't say who was missing," Gunn said.

"I think you know exactly who were looking for. Spill," Buffy said. She looked at Connor. "Or else I think my son can help you out with that," she threatened.

"Alright, alright, I might have seen the vampire you're looking for," she said. Buffy raised her eyebrow. "Alright, I did see him a while back," she told them. Buffy sighed impatiently. Then all of a sudden, Marissa broke free of Connor's grasp and ran up to the roof. Buffy instantly moved to run after her when Connor put out his hand.

"No. I've got her," Connor said as he ran after her. Buffy stood and waited a second.

"What? Were letting junior go after her?" Gunn said in disbelief. Buffy turned around towards him and shrugged.

"Why not?" she said. "He's a good fighter," she reminded him.

"Yeah, but why aren't we going after her. He's going to scare her away," Gunn told her.

"Gunn, I don't want to argue this. Come on, let's go after them," she said before running in the direction Connor took off in only minutes ago. She could hear both Gunn and Fred running behind her as she climbed up to the roof. When she got there, she found Connor kneeling on the ground beside a pile of dust.

"Connor, what happened?" she asked as she walked over to Connor and noticed he had a gash on his arm.

"She left me no choice," Connor told them.

"Oh, you've gotta be kiddin' me. You staked the only lead we've had in three months!" Gunn said angrily.

"It was self defense. I had to," he told him.

"Had to my ass. There goes our lead," he told him.

"Gunn, stop it. He had no choice," Buffy told him.

"No mom, he's right. He's always right," Connor said angrily. He then ran over to the side of the building and jumped off.

"Connor!" Buffy yelled. She ran over to the side just in time to see Connor disappear into the night. She turned around and looked at Gunn.

"Is he...?" Fred asked worriedly.

"He's fine. He has heightened strengths," she reminded her. She looked at Gunn once more before walking back to the hotel.