She sat on the ledge, legs dangling off the side of the building. Of all the things that frightened her, even after the super-power boost, heights weren't on the list. Perhaps the best thing about being up this high, besides the view, was the quiet. There wasn't anyone around, and even if someone invaded her bubble, it seemed like their negative energy would dissipate into the air around them. Downstairs, however, where tensions ran high, where there was nowhere to hide, you were forced to absorb the stress and anger.
She knew she should go down, say goodbye. Despite the fact that Buffy hated her right now, the older Slayer had taught her a lot. And her cousin – well, she wasn't exaggerating when she said he rescued her. Somehow, someway, he had found out she was a Slayer, and that she was in L.A. They had found her living in poverty, not understanding what had happened to her, and seriously thinking about giving up, ending her pathetic existence. The cousin she'd always of as a goofy kid was now a man, with an eye patch as a battle scar and answers to most of her questions. He and his friends taught her that she could fight back, and protect others. She'd found a father in Giles, an older sister in Faith, and friends in some of the other girls, including Dawn. That had last until a few months ago, when she'd had the first vision.
She heard the footsteps on the stairs and slid off the ledge, automatically defensive before she even knew who was coming. She didn't relax when she saw it was Angel, followed by a boy about her age.
"Caitlin." Angel said. "I didn't realize anyone was up here."
"I can go." She said quickly.
He wished she would just go. The last thing he needed was someone else to be responsible for. He had shown her first hand how ill-equipped for the job he was. Having Connor here threatened to overwhelm him as it was. "No. I just didn't want to talk around them, but if you're staying, you might as well meet my son."
The kid held out his hand. "Hey, I'm Connor."
Stunned, she shook his hand. "I – uh, I thought I heard all the best Angel stories, but somehow I'm thinking I missed one."
He grinned. "I'm still sorting out what's real and what isn't in my head, so you'll have to get the big guy to explain." He turned to his father, giving Caitlin a chance to study them both, looking for similarities. "So, it's good to see you survived the wrath of the lawyers."
Angel nodded. "I was going to find you as soon as my visitors cleared out. You made it out okay?"
"Yep. Went home and tried to finish my homework, but I had forgotten how wired a fight gets you." He hesitated. "So, I got to thinking. I don't know what you were going to do now, but I want to help."
"No." Angel said in a tone meant to convey that there would be no arguments.
"Come on. At least I could-"
"No. You are going to go to school, live a normal life."
"I can go to school and help you out. I can do research."
Caitlin brightened. "Hey, that's not a bad idea."
Angel sent her a dark look. "You don't get a vote."
"Fine," she said with a shrug. "But I know I suck at research, and it isn't Faith's best area either. Who else you got? The blue haired freak?"
"She has a name."
"I won't fight," Connor promised. "Unless you really need me."
"Not even then." Angel said, giving in. "I don't want you doing this for me."
"I'm not." The boy said earnestly. "I'm doing it for me. I can't just ignore what's out there. It's either this, or I patrol by myself."
She had to admire the kid. He looked normal enough, wore nice clothes suggesting there was money there, so he could just turn his back on the creepy little world she knew Angel lived in, what with vampires and evil lawyers and other assorted demons. "If that's settled, I guess I'd better go down and say goodbye."
Connor beat her to the door, holding it open for her. "I can go down with you."
"Yeah, whatever." She said, shooting a glance at Angel. See, the kid even had manners. Not like she needed some guy to hold a door for her, though.