Chapter 14:

Connor awoke from a dream with a start.

He reached out beside him, half of him expecting to find Dawn beside him, but there was no-one of course.

He had a bad feeling. He wanted to hold dawn be sure that she was alright. He'd had a dream..

what was that?

He couldn't remember what he'd dreamt, but it sure as hell hadn't been one he'd been hoping for.

A nocturnal visit from Dawn. It had had something to do with dawn though, something *bad*.

that's me and Buffy now.. I wonder if anyone else has been having these feelings?

I should tell dad.

******

Cordy awoke to find herself shaking and Angel holding her making soothing noises.

"Oh my god! What just happened!??!"

Angel shhhh'ed her and kissed her head, "You were having a nightmare cordy."

She struggled to focus on the dream.

She couldn't remember it.

"Dawn! Something bad is going to happen to dawn!!"

Angel looked down at her, "what? Did you have a vision?"

She nodded.

"what did you see."

"I don't remember! Oh.. it was horrible.. I don't know what it was though.. I can't remember.."

The Vampire with a soul frowned.

"Well, there must really be something after Dawn. Connor and I will go and see what we can find out

tonight. At least we know something is coming."

There was a knock at the door.

Angel turned, "come in."

His son entered looking troubled. He didn't say hello or good morning just sat on the end of Angel and

Cordelia's bed.

Cordy sat up, "What's wrong Connor?"

He looked up at his parents, "I had a dream.. or a vision.. something.. it was about Dawn. Something was

after her."

Angel's frowned deepened. "This is serious." He stood and headed for the bathroom, "Connor, go get

dressed. We'll go and see what we can find out around town."

His son nodded.

******

Angel took Connor to his usual contacts. They started with the morons at the comic book store.

Connor seemed skeptical. He picked up a random Japanese manga whose cover featured a half naked

woman with wings and cat ears. (AN: ha-HA!.. not that I'm mocking manga.. and it's reliance on soft porn… K )

"comic's? why are we here?"

Angel leant over and picked up one from the back. And passed it to his son.

The cover of this one held a cartoon rendering of Angel striking a pose with a battle ax. "Angel: issue 36:

Return of the Destroyer? They mean you! And.. me!?" Sure enough behind Angel stood a thinner figure

holding a stake.

Angel frowned, "I don't look like that do I? I don't have fat chin…" he shook his head and returned the

comic to its place.

"Anyway, you'd be surprised what these losers know, even if they do publish with a delay, I think they still

think you're trying to kill me, or that I'm in a casket in the ocean." He waved a hand, "Gunn's the one who

keeps an eye on him."

Connor blushed at the memory of what he'd down to his father.

Angel smiled, "Hey, don't look so gum!"

There was a squeal of excitement from behind the counter as the nerd that owned the store looked up and

saw them, "Oh my god! Angel! In my Shop!"

Angel sighed, "I've come her several times."

"Oh well, its always a pleasure!! Oh, and who have you brought?" the fat man peered around Angel and

caught sight of Connor, he paled, "Oh god.. you brought *him*?""

The man began to shake. "Please Angel don't let him hurt me!!" He turned to Connor, "Stephan! I'm good!

I swear! Please don't kill me!!"

Connor growled and lifter the man by his collar, "NEVER call me bu THAT name. I am CONNOR."

The man's beady eyes flitted back and forth, "but..but.. don't you hate your father? Aren't you plotting

revenge over Holtz??" (AN: is that his name? I forget..)

Connor threw the man up against a wall. "No. If had know what I know now, I would have killed Holtz

myself."

The man looked up from the floor, then smiled, "Ohhh I get it!" he looked at Angel, "Ste.Connor.. knows

the truth?" he scrambled up and grabbed a pen, "I gotta write this down! How did you get out of the coffin

then Angel?"

Angel sighed, "look we're in a hurry, we didn't come here to give you an update. We need information."

The man looked up,"what type of info?"

Connor glared at him, "We know that something has arrived in LA last week. We want to know where it is,

and what it is."

The man shrugged, "well, I might exchange info, say, for details on Angel's escape form his prison."

Angel sighed, "Fine! You tell us what we know and we'll give you something to write about."

Connor looked at his father, "Father? You think we should?"

Angel shrugged, "if we don't he'll just find out from someone else."

"Okay, we have a deal?.. well. Something did arrive, beginning of last week. Or should I say something*s*.

A new group of fanatics. Fully into the dark stuff. You know the type, forever trying to raise some dark

lord or demon of somethingerather. Anyway, these guys call them selves monks. They are trying to get 'the

giver'" He looked at the identical blank faces before him.

Angel frowned, "But Dawn is the key.. I've never even heard of 'the giver'"

The man comic frowned, "dawn..?.. dawn.. wait!" the nerd let out another one of his squeals, "OOOO

*Dawn Summers!! *so they're after her?!??! Oh, next issue is gonna rock! You guys needed a death in

your ranks."

Connor punched the little man, "Don't talk about Dawn like that!"

Angel intervened, "Where can we find these monks?"

The nerdy man peered over his counter, "I think they hang around that strip mall a few blocks away .. that

way," he motioned vaguely towards the east. "But I don't know their actual hide out. They just preach

there.. hand out leaflets.."

Angel and Connor turned and left the store.

The little man waited till they were gone then erupted with a gleeful laugh. "OooOooOo..what a scoop!

The guys will be sooo jealous!!! Connor knows the truth, Angel has escaped, 'the giver' must have

something to do with the destroyer and the key…they're after dawn summers, even though she's the key,

not the giver…hmmm..OooOoOOOooo.. maayybbeee…maybe Connor's so overprotective of young miss

Dawn Summers because…SHE'S HAVING HIS CHILD!!WHO WILL BE THE GIVER!!!

MWAHHAHAHAH!!! … nah… Ithat's too lame… wonder who the giver is?"

******

Fred sighed as Connor and Angel appeared at 3am in the morning dragging what appeared to be a monk

between them. The man was cursing them and flicking them with holy water. Angel ducked as a shower

flew over his shoulder. The monk cackled and tipped the rest of his water over Connor., drenching The

leather jacket Cordy had bought him.

Connor raised an eyebrow, "What do you think that's going to do to me? Wet me to death?"

The monk looked at him in shock, "But. The destroyer.. you are evil! And antichrist!!"

Angel shook his head, "No, my son was born due to the grace of the powers that be. He's anything but

'evil'.. despite the name…"

Cordy appeared, "Oh Connor! You got your jacket wet! Don't you know water and leather don't mix!!"

Connor sighed, "yes mother, tell that to the insane monk."

The monk was sitting on the floor in front of Angel. He saw Cordy and began bowing down to her, "Oh

great lady! I sense the hand of the lord over your soul! Have you come to guide me through this place of

darkness?"

Cordy blinked. "huh?"

Angel looked at the monk in surprise. "'the hand of the lord is over Cordy's soul..?"

Connor pulled the man to his feet, "look, quit freaking out my mother and tell me what you're 'lord' wants

with Dawn."

The old man frowned, "dawn..? oh, you mean the key."

Connor nodded.

"we mean her no harm, she is merely the vessel through which out our great plans may be realised."

Connor frowned, "what do you mean?"

The monk bowed his head. "I may say no more."

"yes you will! What are these 'plans'?!?!"

Angel pulled his son back by the shoulder. "Connor, I have an idea." He looked over at cordy who was

shaking her head and inspecting Connors jacket. "Cordy! Come over here."

******