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

Chapter 18: Stuck in the Middle

Lindsey and Spike were sitting at opposite ends of the couch in Lindsey's living room. An awkward silence permeated the air.

"So, you hate Angel, huh?" Spike broke the silence by being blunt and to the point. In other words, he was being himself.

"Hate is such a...well, actually, yeah." Lindsey answered, glancing at the blond vampire. "You, too?" He asked Spike.

"Like the air I don't need to breathe." Spike answered. "Peaches and I have been through a lot together, but when you get down to it, he's a ponce." He went on.

Both of them would have gladly gone on making fun of Angel, but Willow chose that moment to arrive. Rather, teleport right into Lindsey's living room. While Spike was surprised, he had been expecting she would appear suddenly, so he was able to hide his reaction. Lindsey, on the other hand, had no real warning, and nearly fell off the couch at the red head's sudden appearance. Willow took in her surroundings, and nearly gasped as she came face to face with Spike.

"Spike." She said, a smile on her face. His uncertain look was replaced by a smile as well.

"Red." He replied. The smile on his face changed to one of shock when the redheaded witch leaned up and hugged him.

"It's good to see you." Willow said, smiling brightly as she stepped back. "I dropped the phone when Buffy told me." She told him. He smirked at her, but before he could reply, Lindsey spoke up.

"I hate to break up this charming reunion, but would you care to introduce me?" He asked, sounding annoyed.

"Introduce yourself, you git." Spike snarked at the former lawyer. Lindsey sighed, and extended his hand to Willow.

"I'm Lindsey Mcdonald." He shook Willow's hand. "If there is anything you need, let me know, and I can get it for you." He offered. Willow smiled at him, and Lindsey felt something he hadn't felt since his brief affair with Darla.

"I have everything I need, but if you could show me where Dawn and Buffy are, I'd appreciate it." Willow answered him, patting the bag slung on her shoulder to emphasize her point. He nodded, leading the way. Willow and Spike followed.

*

Buffy wasn't sure what she was doing. Hell, at this point, she wasn't too sure what she was feeling. She had been so certain of her love for Spike. A part of her did love him. A part of her loved Angel, too, and that's how she'd gotten into the mess she was in. That's how she'd ended up kissing her ex-boyfriend, four feet away from the unconscious forms of her little sister and Angel's son. She could blame it on the romantic lighting. She could blame it on the trip down memory lane they'd taken before Angel had kissed her. She could blame it on a multitude of things.

It just wouldn't do any good. She may not have been responsible for Angel kissing her. She was, however, responsible for kissing him back. His hand caressed her face, and for a moment, she was sixteen again. She was sixteen, and he was her first love. Both of them were so into the moment that neither of them realized they had company.

"Well, now. Ain't this cozy?" A southern voice drawled. Startled, Buffy and Angel turned to look at them. They met the startled gazes of Willow and Spike, and Lindsey's smug one.

*

Dawn could barely see through the white mist that surrounded her. Okay, she thought, mist was not a strong enough word. This was fog as thick as pea soup. Then she grimaced; remembering the time her mother had actually made her eat pea soup. She realized then, that Connor wasn't with her. In fact, as far as she could tell, he wasn't anywhere near by. Dawn tried peering through the fog, trying to see if she could spot Connor.

"Connor?" She called, moving forward cautiously. She crossed her arms across her chest, debating on a direction in which to head. Dawn had no idea where she was and no idea if Connor was even here with her. Sighing, she shivered as she began moving through the cool mist. Any direction was better than nothing. The thin cotton tee shirt that Lindsey had loaned her was fine for a warm California day. In her current environment, it was barely adequate. "Connor?" She called again.

Dawn ran over the last memory they'd experienced together. They'd flashed out at the same time, of that she was sure. She was pretty sure that the memory spell didn't include this trip to the middle of nowhere. Maybe something had gone wrong. Sure, they'd relived Connor's memories, but after the memory they'd just witnessed, Dawn was sure they should've woken up. What if something had gone wrong? She gasped as another thought hit her. What if he'd woken up, and she hadn't?

Tears filled her eyes, and she wiped them away with the steely determination that was inherent in all the Summers women. She would find Connor, and she would get them both out of here. She would.

"Aw, hell." She whispered, as she let loose a sob. She crumpled to the ground. Dawn curled into a fetal position. She would be strong and determined later. For now, she was cold, alone and scared. Everything had just caught up with her at once. After the emotional trip through Connor's memories, and then arriving in this desolate place alone, it had become too much. She lost track of how long she sat there, crying her eyes out.

A loud voice penetrated the fog surrounding her. A male voice. Dawn raised her tear stained face, searching through the fog, afraid to hope. There it was again.

"Dawn?! Dawn, can you hear me?" She heard dimly through the fog. She choked back her next sob, her face lighting up.

"I'm here!" She called. "Connor, I'm here!"

"Dawn?" Connor replied, hearing her voice.

"I'm over here!" She nearly shouted with joy. After a few more minutes of playing Marco Polo, the mists parted and the two teens were standing face to face. Dawn wasted no time flinging herself into Connor's arms. He was surprised, but relaxed into the hug. She buried her face in his neck, reveling in his warmth.

"I thought I might never see you again." Dawn mumbled, her earlier tears still wet on her cheeks.

"It's ok." He murmured, placing his hand at the back of her head and smoothing the hair. While he had been frantic when he couldn't find her, he hadn't been expecting this reaction. "I'm right here." Connor reassured her.

Dawn pulled back after a second, wiping her eyes. She felt like a total idiot for crying all over him. He used a free hand to wipe a tear from her cheek, and their gazes locked. Dawn's breath caught in her throat, and it was a good thing that Connor still had his arms around her, because she was sure her knees would have given out otherwise.

"Connor, I..." Dawn broke the silence, suddenly nervous. He placed his first finger against her lips in a shushing motion. A shiver ran down her spine. His finger left her lips and was replaced by his thumb. Her lips tingled as his thumb traced them gently, her eyes as wide as saucers. Her hands were gripping his elbows tightly, and she realized that her pelvis was resting snugly against his. Connor captured her lips in one swift movement, and all rational thought flew from her mind.

*

Buffy pulled away from Angel like a child who'd been caught doing something naughty. And she had, Buffy thought guiltily, taking in the facial expressions of those who'd caught them. Willow looked shocked. Lindsey was smirking. Spike was...she didn't know what he was feeling. Before anyone could say anything, Spike whirled around and headed for the door of the room, his leather coat billowing out behind him. Hand clasped to her mouth, Buffy just stared after him.

Angel ran a shaking hand through his hair as he watched Buffy's reaction to Spike's hasty exit. She did have feelings for the platinum blond vampire, as he feared. He put a hand on her shoulder, intending to comfort her. She glanced up at him, her eyes bright with unshed tears. Angel felt like he'd been punched in the gut. It was one thing if whatever feelings Spike had were hurt. It was something else if Buffy's were. He sighed.

"Well." Willow said, breaking the silence. "This is...awkward." Buffy and Angel both blushed, but Willow ignored it, instead checking out Dawn and Connor. The teens were still laying the same way they had been earlier, and she gasped as she realized what could happen. No need to panic, she thought. We just have to reverse the spell before that happens. Lindsey knelt beside her, a little too close for her comfort.

"Can you help them?" He asked. Buffy and Angel looked relieved to have the attention off of them for the moment. They both kneeled near the circle of candles surrounding the teens as well.

"I'm pretty sure." Willow answered, desperately hoping her answer hadn't been a lie. She had to get them out of there before the unthinkable happened.

*

Dawn wasn't sure how she'd ended up on the ground. Logically, she knew that Connor had had something to do with it, but she was too busy responding to his kisses to care. His fingers tangled themselves in her hair, and his other hand caressed her cheek. She sighed against his lips. His lips left hers and began tracing kisses down the side of her face, before he nuzzled her neck. Dawn made a noise in the back of her throat, and encouraged, Connor did it again.

Connor took a chance, and tried to slide his hand under the hem of her shirt. Dawn pushed it back down, kissing him. Several moments, and kisses later, Connor tried a second time to slide his hand under her shirt. Again, Dawn pushed his hand away. After several more minutes, Connor tried a third time. This time, Dawn did more than just move his hand away. She pushed him away, and managed to stand on shaky legs. Connor looked up at her from his seat on the ground.

"What's wrong?" He asked her.

"We shouldn't be doing this." Dawn replied, sounding lost and scared.

"Why?" Connor wanted to know. He was confused. He thought she had been feeling the same things he had. Obviously, he was mistaken.

"We just shouldn't." Dawn answered him. He got up and took her in his arms.

"It's all right, Dawn." Connor went for reassurance.

"How is it all right?" She questioned him.

"It's right because I'm falling in love with you." Connor told her. Dawn was silent, staring up at him. What did he just say? "Did you hear me, Dawn? I said I love you." He went on.

"But we just met." Dawn whispered, her head spinning. He loved her?

"We've been dancing since you tackled me in the cemetery." Connor said, his voice edgy. "And we just relived a lifetime's worth of memories. I'd say we know each other pretty well." He finished.

"You don't know me at all." Dawn stated, not meeting his gaze. Connor was confused. He had not expected this reaction from her. He pulled her to him

"I think I do." Connor said. "You're funny, and smart. You're determined, strong, and loyal." He listed her attributes.

"It's more than that." Dawn whispered. How could she tell him that up until a few years ago, she hadn't been human? That she'd been made, not born. That she wasn't seven-teen years old, but only three? "There's something I need for you to know." She began, but before she could continue, the flash of light enveloped them.

*

Angel and Buffy were taking turns pacing around Lindsey's living room. Willow had kicked them out of the study, saying that their nervousness was making her jumpy, and the last thing she needed was to be jumpy. They were stuck there, waiting on Willow to help Dawn and Connor, and studiously ignoring the fact that they needed to have a talk. Buffy sighed.

"We need to talk, Angel." She started.

"I know." He replied, running his hands through his hair.

"That kiss shouldn't have happened." Buffy told him. Angel scowled.

"If you're so determined to believe that you don't still love me, then why did it happen?" Angel wanted to know.

"A part of me will always love you, Angel. The sixteen-year-old who fell in love with you is still inside, and she'll love you until the day I die. But Angel, you can't keep telling me I'm in love with you when I'm not." Buffy answered. He grabbed her by the shoulders, desperate to keep her from saying anything more.

"You are. I felt it in your kiss." Angel refuted. Buffy shook her head.

"No I'm not." She sighed again. "I'm scared, and so are you." Buffy declared.

"Scared? Of what?" Angel scoffed.

"I'm scared of what loving, really loving Spike could be like." She slipped out of his grasp, and put some space between them. "But you?" She went on. "You're scared that you aren't you anymore." Buffy analyzed him

"I don't know what you mean." Angel denied her statement.

"Simply put, you are scared that you aren't the hero any longer. That the world doesn't have a use for you anymore. That you have become worthless." Her voice was certain. "I'd psychoanalyze you further," Buffy went on, "But I'm going to try and find Spike while Willow's working on Dawn and Connor." She slipped on her jacket and headed for the door. "Call me the minute anything changes." She finished. Buffy disappeared through the front door, the click echoing in the silent room.