Disclaimer: Buffy, the Vampire Slayer and Angel are not mine, I'm just playing with them.

Chapter 8: Hostage

Angel stared at his friends, silent as they each took their turn reacting to his explanation about Connor. Up until that point they hadn't really gotten a chance to react, and now that Buffy, Spike and Eve had all left the room, they were taking the opportunity.

"I can't believe you would do something like that, Angel." Fred said, upset. Before he could defend himself, Wesley chimed in.

"I can." He said. Wesley had been a friend of Angel's a long time, and it hadn't always been a peachy relationship. He also knew that Angel didn't do things rashly, so while he was upset about having nearly a year of his memories falsified or erased, he wasn't about to throw Angel out into the sunlight. "I know that we've had some differences in the last couple of years." He told Angel. Angel nodded, knowing that both of them had made serious mistakes. "But I know you. If you tell me that you did this for Connor, to save his life, then I believe you." Wesley finished.

"I don't know." Gunn replied. "I don't like the feeling of someone messing around in my head without my permission." He went on.

"Just with it, right?" Fred said to him, momentarily looking away from Angel. "Wesley's right. I'm sure you did what you thought was best. I guess I just wish you'd told us about it. Of course, you could have, and I just don't remember." She rambled on. Everyone smiled, and the mood of the room relaxed.

"I'm sorry." Angel apologized, before standing up. The understanding faces of his friends met his gaze. His face broke out into a grin. "I'm going to go see my son." Angel said, before leaving the room.

*

Connor shifted restlessly. His head was starting to feel better, and he was tired of being tied up. He eyed Dawn, recalling their little wrestling match from the night before, and decided he could take her if he had to. He was hoping he wouldn't have to. He liked the girl, in spite of himself.

"Look, could you untie me?" Connor asked Dawn. She looked at him, clearly surprised that he would ask.

"I'm not supposed to. My sister would kill me." Dawn replied, biting her lower lip. Connor tried to ignore his reaction when she started nibbling on her lip. "Well, you are armed. I'm not. I won't do anything, I promise. My legs are starting to go numb." He pleaded with Dawn.

She was torn. On the one hand, Dawn knew she shouldn't untie him. He'd come here with the intent to attack Angel. It would not be a good thing if she let him loose and he tried it again. On the other hand, he did have a head wound, and she did have his crossbow. Sighing, she got up and went over to the couch. Leaning forward, she untied him quickly. Dawn picked up the crossbow from the coffee table, and backed up a few feet. She watched as he stretched out his arms and legs, and then got up off the couch. Dawn realized that he was approaching her and backed up another step. When he realized what she was doing, he stopped moving toward her.

"Just stay right there." Dawn told him.

"All I want to do is thank you." Connor said, moving slowly towards her once again. Hesitating, Dawn tightened her grip on the weapon in her hands. He stopped inches from her, and caught her chin in his right hand. Dawn's breath caught in her throat, and as Connor leaned toward her the door to the office opened.

"Connor!" Angel shouted, unsure what he was walking in on. In on swift movement, Connor went from standing in front of Dawn, to standing behind her, his hand using her own to hold the crossbow to her throat. She looked up at him, clearly betrayed.

"Don't move and I won't hurt her." Connor said, ignoring how much the look on her face hurt.

"You promised." She hissed, struggling against him.

"I know." He replied, edging closer to Angel. They moved in a circular pattern, Angel shifting so that Connor could reach the door. Angel knew he couldn't risk something happening to Dawn. Buffy would kill him. "I lied."

They reached the door. He began walking backwards down the hall, Angel following, trying to talk him into letting Dawn go.

"Connor, stop. Let her go and you can walk out of here." Angel said, hoping his son would listen to reason.

"I don't think so, Dad." Connor sneered at his father. "Besides, I like her right where she is." He said. Angel wasn't sure what to do. If Dawn weren't in the equation, he would not have any qualms about stopping Connor. Connor was half-dragging Dawn at this point, and she was still trying to get away. It was hard when he was using her own body against her. They were almost to the elevator, and as she met Angel's gaze, Dawn knew he wasn't sure what to do. Dawn gave up fighting Connor, and used her secret weapon. Opening her mouth, Dawn began screaming for her sister.

"Buffy!" She screamed. "Buffy, help!" She screamed again. A disheveled Buffy and Spike appeared in the hallway as Connor dragged a still screaming Dawn into the elevator. The last thing Buffy saw was a glimpse of Dawn before the doors shut.

"Dawn!" She cried out, racing to the elevator doors.