Disclaimer: Buffy, the Vampire Slayer and Angel are not mine, I'm just playing with them.
Chapter 14: Still Frames
Connor and Dawn appeared behind Angel, Cordelia, Fred, Gunn, Groo, and Lorne. They each took stock of the situation, Dawn speaking first.
"This must be where they worked before." She said, looking at Connor.
"Before?" He asked, clearly clueless.
"Before Wolfram and Hart. They didn't always work there." She answered him, moving closer to the conversing figures in front of them. Connor sniffed in reply, but his expression abruptly changed.
"Something's about to happen." He told her.
"How do you..." Dawn trailed off as a bright light appeared in the ceiling above them. She vaguely registered Fred's voice mentioning a Destroyer. Both Dawn and Connor were shocked to find Connor himself standing under the light, an arrow pointed right at Angel's heart.
"Hi, Dad." The younger Connor nearly spat. Dawn did a double take.
"It's you!" She exclaimed.
"Of course it's me." Connor replied, using a tone that implied he thought her very slow. "These are my memories. Who did you think it was going to be? Elvis?" He snarked at her, trying not to show how thrown he was by the situation. Sure, Eve had told him what to do when he'd confronted his father before, but he'd had no clue that it would mock their original confrontation. Hell, he until this moment, he hadn't been sure he'd ever met his father before.
Young Connor fired at Angel, who managed to dodge the bolt. He was not so lucky a second time, as one hit him in the chest. Pandemonium had broken loose in the hotel as Young Connor fought all of Angel's friends, and then took off out the front doors. Angel was right behind him, as were the Older Connor and Dawn. Older Connor and Dawn watched in horror as Connor's younger self ran into the sunlight, a distraught Angel tried to follow. Angel was held back by one of his friends, and his cries echoed in Older Connor and Dawn's ears as they disappeared in a flash of light.
*
Lindsey leaned on the edge of his open door.
"And you would be?" He drawled, not believing that the young woman on his doorstep had any kind of good intentions.
"Buffy Summers. Dawn is my sister, and I want her back." Buffy said, pushing roughly against the door, and knocking Lindsey off balance. She stepped firmly over the entrance to the apartment, and stared up at Lindsey, looking him directly in the eye. "Either tell me where she is, or get out of my way." Buffy said, her tone low and dangerous. Lindsey flinched. He remembered where he'd heard the name Summers before. This was the Slayer. He held up his hands in mock defeat. Long ago, when he'd been evil, he would have jumped at the chance to take on a slayer and win. Hell, he'd worked with Faith. Now, he just wanted to stay alive.
"Your sister is with Connor." Lindsey said. Buffy appeared thrown by his willingness to answer.
"Well, Mate, it's your lucky day." Spike spoke up, still standing in the hall. "Now, if you'd be so kind as to invite me in?"
*
Connor and Dawn landed in a heap of arms and legs. As they struggled to get up, Dawn let out a cry of frustration.
"You know, I'm really getting tired of this whole flashing without warning thing." She grumbled, before loosing what footing she'd managed to gain. She slumped against the ground; Connor nearly sprawled on top of her. They shared an intense look, before they each broke the gaze, blushing to the roots of their hair. Connor managed to get himself upright, and held out a hand to Dawn. He helped her up, and the sound of the ocean crashing to the shore met their ears.
Dawn took in her surroundings. They were standing on a cliff, overlooking the ocean. It was a beautiful night, with the moonlight shining down, and the surf in the background. Connor met Dawns eyes for a second time. He leaned closer to her. He's going to kiss me! Dawn thought, unexpectedly excited about the prospect. She found herself leaning back, until their lips were inches apart. A cry interrupted their moment, for behind them was a scene playing out. They hadn't even been paying attention. Embarrassed, they each turned towards the noise, and watched as Connor's younger self and Angel toppled over the side of the cliff. They ran to the edge, and watched as a fight ensued. Angel collapsed after several minutes, and they watched as Young Connor dragged him down the beach.
Within seconds, Older Connor and Dawn were running after him. Clearly, this memory was not finished, or they'd have flashed away by now. They watched as Younger Connor loaded Angel onto a nearby boat, and met up with a red headed woman. She smiled at Younger Connor, and patted him on the shoulder. Dawn looked at her Connor out of the corner of her eye. She couldn't believe that he'd actually do something to Angel.
And when did you start thinking of him as yours? She asked herself, before going back to the scene at hand. Both of them were silent as Younger Connor and the redheaded woman loaded Angel into what looked to be a crate, and started sealing it shut. Dawn gasped when she realized what was going to happen. At that moment, Angel came to, and began pleading with his son. Tears came to her eyes as Younger Connor ignored his father's cries. Her hand covered her mouth as the redheaded woman and Younger Connor unceremoniously dumped the crate overboard, and watched as it sank to the bottom. Dawn was in shock, and unable to look at the Connor standing beside her. He was silent as well, clearly waiting for this memory to end.
Moment's later, the boat they were on docked, and Dawn just had one thought.
Run.
So she did.
*
At Spike's comment, understanding dawned in Lindsey's eyes. He looked at Buffy, almost surprised.
"Still have vampires at you beck and call, I see." He said, before looking back to the door. Sudden recollection hit him, and he realized that in addition to being a vampire, the man leaning his hallway was also one of Angel's line. William the Bloody. Buffy's eyes widened as she registered his comment. In seconds she had Lindsey pinned against the wall, her right arm thrust against his windpipe.
"Invite him in or I'll crush your windpipe. It won't kill you, but it will hurt like a bitch." Buffy threatened. Lindsey gurgled against the pressure on his throat. Buffy glared. "I'm sorry, I didn't catch that." She told him, her tone intimidating.
"I said, come in." He gasped. Buffy released him abruptly, and crossed her arms over her chest.
"Now." She began, looking totally in her element, but extremely pissed off. "Where's my sister?"
*
Dawn took off down the beach, sand flying out from her feet, her chest heaving as she gasped for air. She didn't know where she was going, or why the memories hadn't changed like before. All she knew was that she had to get away from Connor. How could he have done that to his own father? She had more questions than answers, and she knew that Connor didn't have any answers to give her.
She head him call her name and desperately tried to speed up. It was to no avail, as Connor was faster, and he tackled her to the ground. She fought him, kicking, screaming and crying. After a moment, he pinned her arms down. Defeat settled over her features, as she sobbed. He gathered her to him, holding the crying girl in his arms, unsure of what else to do.
"How could you do something like that?" Dawn managed to get out, her voice thick with emotion.
"I don't know." Connor whispered. "I don't remember!" He cried out. Angel's cries would haunt them both, of that Dawn was sure. She struggled to calm herself down, as he rocked them back and forth slowly. He wiped away her tears with his thumb, and Dawn's breath caught in her throat. Only for a moment though, and then she remembered what he had done to Angel. What he'd almost done to Spike that night in the cemetery. Hell, what he'd almost done to her as he taken her hostage. She separated herself from him, and then stood up. She towered over him as he knelt in the sand, clearly distraught at the situation.
"Don't touch me." She said, her voice unnaturally quiet and calm. He looked up at her, devastated at her reaction. They disappeared in the blinding white light, leaving an empty beach behind them. The waves crashed, sounding something akin to thunder.
*
"Like I said a minute ago, Ms. Summers. Dawn is with Connor." Lindsey told her, clearly enjoying his upper hand. Buffy moved as if to pin him to the wall again, but Spike grabbed her hand to stop her. He turned to Lindsey and vamped out, snarling.
"And where exactly is Angel's darling boy?" Spike growled. Lindsey shivered at hearing what Connor had told him earlier confirmed. Connor was Angel's son. Lindsey sighed, and wished he'd thought to keep a stake handy.
"In my study." Lindsey finally answered. He just hoped they were done with the spell by now. Buffy and Spike exchanged a look, before Buffy grabbed Lindsey by the collar and pushed him in front of her.
"Lead the way." She said.