After the Storm
Chapter 24
By Vixen
Willow hurried to open the door to the hotel, seeing as she was one of the only persons not carrying a bag of Chinese food. She turned the knob and gestured towards the door, "Welcome back home, guys." The lights were still on, running on the power of magick, and Willow suddenly felt sorry for not cleaning up the place before Angel came back, "It's a little messy, but.."
"..it's home." Angel finished her sentence, walking into the lobby. It felt good to be back. The apartments at Wolfram and Hart had never felt very welcoming; they had no history, no ambiance. It had been in The Hyperion that he had first felt a sense of belonging, being amongst friends and family. There was a past here, though looking at Connor he frowned, wondering if there was to be a future too.
Illyria inspected the hotel, running her fingers over the surface of the wooden wall, listening to the echoes of the past. She looked up at the high ceiling, the patterns of the tiles intrigued her, it was a beautiful place. Though not a palace, and not fit for the god she had once been, it was enough for the woman she was becoming. Cocking her head towards the others who were settling down by the couches, she gave her approval, "It is.. acceptable."
"Guess that means she's gonna be sticking around for a while," Spike plopped down on a chair, "Think I will too. Seems like a good place to hang my coat for the time being, plus annoying the hell out of you is always good for a laugh."
When Angel barely acknowledged Spike's ribbing, Faith nudged Willow and the two of them disappeared into the kitchen to have a private talk, on the pretense of getting some blood out of the refrigerator for the two vampires.
Meanwhile, Gunn sorted out the packages of food. "Ribs, oh those are mine," he said happily, setting the tray out on the coffee table. Then he pulled out another take-out food box and handed it over to Illyria as she joined the group, settling down on a chair next to Spike. "General Tao's Chicken. That would be for Big Blue over there."
Illyria snatched up the food container. She did not need to eat, but the name of the food interested her. In the restaurant, she had asked the man working at the counter who General Tao was and what his battle plans had to do with chickens, and had only gotten a curious look from the human. Holding her chopsticks in one hand, she stabbed the pieces of chicken, turning them over inquisitively, trying to access their strengths and weaknesses.
"Pet, we've been through this," Spike laughed, watching her, "It's just a name."
"The humans have strange customs for naming things," She said derisively, upset that the dead one was snickering at her. There would be time enough to make him pay for that remark, since they would be spending time at the hotel together now that he was staying there too. Illyria would make him sorry he had said used such a tone with her, and then she planned to make him her pet. Sooner or later, for now she was just biding her time. Taking a bite of the chicken with the strange name, she smiled, "Enjoyable. Though not nutritious."
"That's fast food for you," Willow replied to the blue-haired girl, as she returned to the lobby and sat down in the midst of the company. Gunn handed her the fried rice she had ordered, and the witch dug in, hungry from spell casting and from battle.
Faith was right behind her, bringing out two cups full of warm blood. The slayer handed one to each of the vampires, receiving an appreciative nod from Angel and just a quickly grunted 'Thanks' from Spike. She ignored the irony of a slayer feeding two vampires in one night, and instead watched the silent interaction between Connor and Angel.
The boy had been quieter than usual after they picked up the food, lost in thought like his father. Now their darting glances continued; each of them watched the other secretly, trying not to be noticed. Faith sighed inwardly, she was going to have to step in and sort this mess out eventually. Not that she really wanted to be the one to say something, but she'd promised Willow she would.
Faith took a few wantons for herself and watched as Angel tried to stay in the on-going conversation, though his focus never left his son. He would only take a drink of his blood when Connor wouldn't see. It was kind of sweet, him not wanting to press the vampire problem that was between them, though Faith hoped they would just deal with their issues already and move on.
Didn't they realize how lucky they were, Faith wanted to kick the both of them in the ass and tell them to get over it. She had never had parents that really cared about her, not the way Angel clearly cared about Connor. Faith's father had died when she was really young, and her mother was a perpetual drunk who slept around with men who liked to hit whoever was in their way. It was the reason Faith had dropped out of school and ran away many years ago, before she had the strength to fight back with her slayer power. Now, watching Angel and his son practically avoid each other all night, she was more than a little annoyed at the both of them.
"Almost forgot about these," Gunn grabbed a handful of fortune cookies and laid them out in a pile on the table. He tore open the wrapper of one of them and retrieved the cookie. Breaking it in half, he pulled out his fortune, "'You'll be going on a trip soon. Pack light.'" He laughed, "I think it's a bit too late for that one."
Connor picked one out of the batch, opened it and read the message that was inside. 'Your destiny lies before you, choose wisely.' The universe was definitely trying to tell him something here. He'd come to the crossroads, which way he turned was not entirely up to him however. It had already been decided by his actions, by the events that had transgressed the past few days, and by his own fear. He abruptly got up, leaving the conversation behind, and headed upstairs without saying a word. There were things to do before he left and he needed to get out of everyone's way as soon as possible, to stay any longer would make it even harder to leave.
Angel watched Connor leave the room, frowned, and got up himself. Leaving the group, he headed outside, for the peace and solitude of the garden. Away from the others, sulking in the shadows, this was where vampires belonged. They didn't get to have families, didn't get to redo the past or change mistakes. Alone, he starred up at the night's sky. It had been easier in the other dimension, where no one knew him. They had looked up to his, thought he was some sort of hero, when in reality Angel didn't think he was anywhere close to being able to be redeemed. Destroying the Black Thorn had accomplished nothing, neither had working for Wolfram and Hart under the misguided belief that he was still helping the helpless. What's more, it had cost him his son. He made a deal with the devil, to give Connor everything he could not, a normal life, a normal family. It was killing Angel though; knowing Connor now belonged with them, not with him. They were everything he could never hope to be.
He didn't turn around when he heard Faith open the backdoor and join him, her black boots clicking on the patio. She rested her elbows on the stair railing, enjoying the quietness with the vampire that had once saved her from self-destruction. It was time to repay the favor, "So, is it good to be home, or do you want to go back to where you were," She paused, her voice passive and non-aggressive, though she was still annoyed. "Cause the way you're acting, maybe we should have left you there, but then you know we would have had to stick around here and do your job, and I've gotta get back to N.Y.C sometime soon. So not bringing you back wasn't really an option, cause you know, we missed you and stuff."
"Willow's been a bad influence on you," He pointed out, "You're babbling."
"Yeah, well," She sighed, "I've never been great with the one-on-one talks where everyone shares their feelings, but me and Red drew straws to see who would have to talk some sense into you. I seriously think the witch cheated."
"So.. we're going to share." He asked, skeptically.
"Apparently." Willow was so going to pay for this, Faith thought to herself. She should have been the one doing this, not Faith. The witch was so much better at tackling emotional issues and doing the mediator thing. Jumping into the talk, she began, "I'll go first. You're being a dumbass."
"I'm being a dumbass," He repeated her words, but the lingo sounded strange coming from him. He crossed his arms, standing tall, and asked roughly, "Why?"
"If you don't like hearing this, we can throw down here and now, I'm a little tired but I think I could still take you, but.. you really need to stop acting like this," She jerked a thumb towards the backdoor, "Connor's up there avoiding you, you're down here avoiding him, when you both just gotta suck it up and talk to each other. Or at least that's what Willow thinks."
Angel shot a glance towards the door, but didn't move. Instead he turned back to the darkness of the night sky, his expression full of melancholy. "He doesn't want to talk to me. He hardly said two words to me all night. It's probably just best if I just stay out of the way."
"Yeah, because I know if I risked everything to bring my father home from a place that was world's away and unreachable, I wouldn't want to talk to him either." She sighed, running a hand through her hair and let out the bulk of her frustration, "God, Angel, you and Connor could have a future together. You know, you're family whether or not you changed that with some stupid magic spell. You're blood. That'll never change."
He looked a bit startled at her outburst, "Why are you getting so upset about this?"
She shook her head, clearing it. She'd never told anyone this, but if there was anyone in the world she trusted to confide in, it was Angel, "Look, I never knew my father. He died before I ever got a chance to really know him. I would give anything to have what you and Connor have right now, a second chance. And the both of you are just so damn eager to throw it all away." Faith looked like she wanted to smack him, to push him away for making her tell him all that. Though, she realized, it had all been at her own discretion. Taking a deep breath, she continued, steering the conversation clear away from her own life, "The kid's just worried is all. The First was back. Buffy told you about the First, right?"
Angel nodded, trying to control the pain in his voice. Connor should never have had to go through that, "She mentioned it before the Hellmouth closed."
"Yeah, well, he got a little mixed up. Willow says he's showing signs of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, or something with a long name like that, but I think she just likes to sound all smart and stuff." She shrugged, "All I know is, Connor could really use a father right now. One who really knows him, one who understands him in a way his other parents don't."
"So, you really think I should go talk to him," Angel still looked unsure. "What would I say?"
"Hey, don't look at me," Faith shook her head as they headed back into the hotel, "One deep conversation is enough for me. I think I'd like to get back to kicking things now."
"You were always much better at that," He cocked a smile at her, though it was clear she had helped him. As he walked through the lobby, and continued up the stairs, Willow gave Faith a small smile. They'd helped as much as they could, now it was up to Angel and Connor to do the rest.
Angel heard Connor in the last room in the hallway and followed the noise. He knocked on the bedroom door even though it was already open and stood there in the hallway waiting for an invitation. He didn't need one, it had been his own bedroom, but he didn't want to intrude on Connor's privacy.
"Oh, hi," The boy looked up as he continued shoving clothes haphazardly into his duffel bag. He looked to be in a rush, like leaving was the only thing on his mind. However, he still managed to fake a smile, "Come in, if you want. It is your bedroom after all, and you can have it back as soon as I'm done here."
"You're packing," It was half question and half sentence. In the back of the vampire's mind he knew that's what Connor had rushed off to do, though watching his son so eager to leave hurt. "I thought you'd stay at least until the morning. You've had a busy day, maybe it would be best if you.."
"No, really, I've gotta go. There's one last bus leaving tonight, and if I get my ass in gear I might just actually make it," Connor avoided facing his father, and continued pushing the clothes into his bag, with a growing intensity, fighting back the emotions that seemed so willing to come out.
"Connor, can we.. talk?"
The boy sat down on the bed, "I knew this was coming."
"Whatever happened between us, you know that's in the past, right?" Angel shifted uncomfortably, searching for the right words. He pulled up a chair and sat down opposite Connor. "You know you can tell me anything, right?"
"Dad," Connor started, but couldn't seem to get the words out. There was too much to say. Too much to apologize for. The bridge between them had burnt down long ago; rebuilding it seemed to be more difficult than had first imagined. He laughed it off, "Faith put you up to this didn't she? Or was it Willow?"
"Actually they're both worried about you," He paused, "And seeing you fighting yesterday, I'm more than a little worried myself."
"Yeah, well, I think I inherited your bloodlust," It was supposed to be a joke, but when the words left Connor's mouth they came out lost, cold. The trickster's smile that he hid behind quickly faded after the truth had been spoken. "It's the fighting, its just.. too much. It's not me anymore."
"I think that's a good thing."
Connor stood up and looked away guiltily. A moment passed before he spoke again, "I'm sorry. I know, I'm just causing more problems... I wish I could do the right thing for a change, be a champion, understand what it means to be one of the good guys but I'm just, really confused. I screwed up so badly, dad." He stopped pacing, and turned back to his father, willing himself not to cry. "I messed everything up."
"You're talking to the king of screw ups, Connor." Angel said, walking partway across the room to his son, "I blame myself for what happened too, but in the end it wasn't just one person. Everyone had played a role in what happened. You, me, Holtz, Wesley, Justine.. but things are different now. We're different."
"I don't know how you can do it," Connor backed away, shaking his head. His father was looking at him with eyes full of love; it was just too much, "How can you forgive me when I can't even forgive myself?"
"You're my son." It was enough of a reason as Angel needed.
Connor looked at the ground, thinking over everything and gathering his strength. After a moment, he turned to his father, "I wish I could stay here with you, I just.. I don't trust myself to be in Los Angeles right now; it's just a little too much for me. I need some time."
Angel nodded, "Take all the time you need. I am immortal after all."
Connor laughed, despite himself. "Yeah.. my father's a vampire, how weird is that? I'm guessing the father-son picnics are out.. but you know, if you want to stop by for coffee some time.." he left the invitation hanging in the air. Then as an aside he added, "Just make sure the world isn't ending next time."
"It's a deal," Angel shook Connor's hand when the boy extended it to him. Then Connor pulled him into a tight hug suddenly, and Angel wrapped his arms around his boy. They were back in each other's lives now, and this time around things would be different.
It would all work out.
Somehow.
..............................................................
Last Author's Notes:
38 days and 50206 words later.. and I'm done. I can't believe I wrote another novel (50,000 is novel length according to NaNoWriMo. I'll miss torturing my little Connor. I'll also miss everyone who gave me such great feedback too. Great big thank you's to:
Abuhin, Adam, Aeryn's Tales, andy, Angelfirenze, Arekanderu, connorassassin, D.M. Evans, Erica Richardson, fanfiction fanatic, greg, Imzadi, Jamie, Kitten, Lori, m, ManniElf18, Pylea Princess, Randye, Supergurl15, Tariq, terra fea, The 2nd Evil, Trillian, tp96, trina-k.. and anyone else out there who had been reading this.
Now that I'm done with this story I can check out some of yours.
Last Pointless Side Note:
I actually have that Chinese fortune that Connor read. It's where I got the whole idea for this story. And that's why Chinese food rocks so much, it gives you ideas.. and the wantons are yummy.
Chapter 24
By Vixen
Willow hurried to open the door to the hotel, seeing as she was one of the only persons not carrying a bag of Chinese food. She turned the knob and gestured towards the door, "Welcome back home, guys." The lights were still on, running on the power of magick, and Willow suddenly felt sorry for not cleaning up the place before Angel came back, "It's a little messy, but.."
"..it's home." Angel finished her sentence, walking into the lobby. It felt good to be back. The apartments at Wolfram and Hart had never felt very welcoming; they had no history, no ambiance. It had been in The Hyperion that he had first felt a sense of belonging, being amongst friends and family. There was a past here, though looking at Connor he frowned, wondering if there was to be a future too.
Illyria inspected the hotel, running her fingers over the surface of the wooden wall, listening to the echoes of the past. She looked up at the high ceiling, the patterns of the tiles intrigued her, it was a beautiful place. Though not a palace, and not fit for the god she had once been, it was enough for the woman she was becoming. Cocking her head towards the others who were settling down by the couches, she gave her approval, "It is.. acceptable."
"Guess that means she's gonna be sticking around for a while," Spike plopped down on a chair, "Think I will too. Seems like a good place to hang my coat for the time being, plus annoying the hell out of you is always good for a laugh."
When Angel barely acknowledged Spike's ribbing, Faith nudged Willow and the two of them disappeared into the kitchen to have a private talk, on the pretense of getting some blood out of the refrigerator for the two vampires.
Meanwhile, Gunn sorted out the packages of food. "Ribs, oh those are mine," he said happily, setting the tray out on the coffee table. Then he pulled out another take-out food box and handed it over to Illyria as she joined the group, settling down on a chair next to Spike. "General Tao's Chicken. That would be for Big Blue over there."
Illyria snatched up the food container. She did not need to eat, but the name of the food interested her. In the restaurant, she had asked the man working at the counter who General Tao was and what his battle plans had to do with chickens, and had only gotten a curious look from the human. Holding her chopsticks in one hand, she stabbed the pieces of chicken, turning them over inquisitively, trying to access their strengths and weaknesses.
"Pet, we've been through this," Spike laughed, watching her, "It's just a name."
"The humans have strange customs for naming things," She said derisively, upset that the dead one was snickering at her. There would be time enough to make him pay for that remark, since they would be spending time at the hotel together now that he was staying there too. Illyria would make him sorry he had said used such a tone with her, and then she planned to make him her pet. Sooner or later, for now she was just biding her time. Taking a bite of the chicken with the strange name, she smiled, "Enjoyable. Though not nutritious."
"That's fast food for you," Willow replied to the blue-haired girl, as she returned to the lobby and sat down in the midst of the company. Gunn handed her the fried rice she had ordered, and the witch dug in, hungry from spell casting and from battle.
Faith was right behind her, bringing out two cups full of warm blood. The slayer handed one to each of the vampires, receiving an appreciative nod from Angel and just a quickly grunted 'Thanks' from Spike. She ignored the irony of a slayer feeding two vampires in one night, and instead watched the silent interaction between Connor and Angel.
The boy had been quieter than usual after they picked up the food, lost in thought like his father. Now their darting glances continued; each of them watched the other secretly, trying not to be noticed. Faith sighed inwardly, she was going to have to step in and sort this mess out eventually. Not that she really wanted to be the one to say something, but she'd promised Willow she would.
Faith took a few wantons for herself and watched as Angel tried to stay in the on-going conversation, though his focus never left his son. He would only take a drink of his blood when Connor wouldn't see. It was kind of sweet, him not wanting to press the vampire problem that was between them, though Faith hoped they would just deal with their issues already and move on.
Didn't they realize how lucky they were, Faith wanted to kick the both of them in the ass and tell them to get over it. She had never had parents that really cared about her, not the way Angel clearly cared about Connor. Faith's father had died when she was really young, and her mother was a perpetual drunk who slept around with men who liked to hit whoever was in their way. It was the reason Faith had dropped out of school and ran away many years ago, before she had the strength to fight back with her slayer power. Now, watching Angel and his son practically avoid each other all night, she was more than a little annoyed at the both of them.
"Almost forgot about these," Gunn grabbed a handful of fortune cookies and laid them out in a pile on the table. He tore open the wrapper of one of them and retrieved the cookie. Breaking it in half, he pulled out his fortune, "'You'll be going on a trip soon. Pack light.'" He laughed, "I think it's a bit too late for that one."
Connor picked one out of the batch, opened it and read the message that was inside. 'Your destiny lies before you, choose wisely.' The universe was definitely trying to tell him something here. He'd come to the crossroads, which way he turned was not entirely up to him however. It had already been decided by his actions, by the events that had transgressed the past few days, and by his own fear. He abruptly got up, leaving the conversation behind, and headed upstairs without saying a word. There were things to do before he left and he needed to get out of everyone's way as soon as possible, to stay any longer would make it even harder to leave.
Angel watched Connor leave the room, frowned, and got up himself. Leaving the group, he headed outside, for the peace and solitude of the garden. Away from the others, sulking in the shadows, this was where vampires belonged. They didn't get to have families, didn't get to redo the past or change mistakes. Alone, he starred up at the night's sky. It had been easier in the other dimension, where no one knew him. They had looked up to his, thought he was some sort of hero, when in reality Angel didn't think he was anywhere close to being able to be redeemed. Destroying the Black Thorn had accomplished nothing, neither had working for Wolfram and Hart under the misguided belief that he was still helping the helpless. What's more, it had cost him his son. He made a deal with the devil, to give Connor everything he could not, a normal life, a normal family. It was killing Angel though; knowing Connor now belonged with them, not with him. They were everything he could never hope to be.
He didn't turn around when he heard Faith open the backdoor and join him, her black boots clicking on the patio. She rested her elbows on the stair railing, enjoying the quietness with the vampire that had once saved her from self-destruction. It was time to repay the favor, "So, is it good to be home, or do you want to go back to where you were," She paused, her voice passive and non-aggressive, though she was still annoyed. "Cause the way you're acting, maybe we should have left you there, but then you know we would have had to stick around here and do your job, and I've gotta get back to N.Y.C sometime soon. So not bringing you back wasn't really an option, cause you know, we missed you and stuff."
"Willow's been a bad influence on you," He pointed out, "You're babbling."
"Yeah, well," She sighed, "I've never been great with the one-on-one talks where everyone shares their feelings, but me and Red drew straws to see who would have to talk some sense into you. I seriously think the witch cheated."
"So.. we're going to share." He asked, skeptically.
"Apparently." Willow was so going to pay for this, Faith thought to herself. She should have been the one doing this, not Faith. The witch was so much better at tackling emotional issues and doing the mediator thing. Jumping into the talk, she began, "I'll go first. You're being a dumbass."
"I'm being a dumbass," He repeated her words, but the lingo sounded strange coming from him. He crossed his arms, standing tall, and asked roughly, "Why?"
"If you don't like hearing this, we can throw down here and now, I'm a little tired but I think I could still take you, but.. you really need to stop acting like this," She jerked a thumb towards the backdoor, "Connor's up there avoiding you, you're down here avoiding him, when you both just gotta suck it up and talk to each other. Or at least that's what Willow thinks."
Angel shot a glance towards the door, but didn't move. Instead he turned back to the darkness of the night sky, his expression full of melancholy. "He doesn't want to talk to me. He hardly said two words to me all night. It's probably just best if I just stay out of the way."
"Yeah, because I know if I risked everything to bring my father home from a place that was world's away and unreachable, I wouldn't want to talk to him either." She sighed, running a hand through her hair and let out the bulk of her frustration, "God, Angel, you and Connor could have a future together. You know, you're family whether or not you changed that with some stupid magic spell. You're blood. That'll never change."
He looked a bit startled at her outburst, "Why are you getting so upset about this?"
She shook her head, clearing it. She'd never told anyone this, but if there was anyone in the world she trusted to confide in, it was Angel, "Look, I never knew my father. He died before I ever got a chance to really know him. I would give anything to have what you and Connor have right now, a second chance. And the both of you are just so damn eager to throw it all away." Faith looked like she wanted to smack him, to push him away for making her tell him all that. Though, she realized, it had all been at her own discretion. Taking a deep breath, she continued, steering the conversation clear away from her own life, "The kid's just worried is all. The First was back. Buffy told you about the First, right?"
Angel nodded, trying to control the pain in his voice. Connor should never have had to go through that, "She mentioned it before the Hellmouth closed."
"Yeah, well, he got a little mixed up. Willow says he's showing signs of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, or something with a long name like that, but I think she just likes to sound all smart and stuff." She shrugged, "All I know is, Connor could really use a father right now. One who really knows him, one who understands him in a way his other parents don't."
"So, you really think I should go talk to him," Angel still looked unsure. "What would I say?"
"Hey, don't look at me," Faith shook her head as they headed back into the hotel, "One deep conversation is enough for me. I think I'd like to get back to kicking things now."
"You were always much better at that," He cocked a smile at her, though it was clear she had helped him. As he walked through the lobby, and continued up the stairs, Willow gave Faith a small smile. They'd helped as much as they could, now it was up to Angel and Connor to do the rest.
Angel heard Connor in the last room in the hallway and followed the noise. He knocked on the bedroom door even though it was already open and stood there in the hallway waiting for an invitation. He didn't need one, it had been his own bedroom, but he didn't want to intrude on Connor's privacy.
"Oh, hi," The boy looked up as he continued shoving clothes haphazardly into his duffel bag. He looked to be in a rush, like leaving was the only thing on his mind. However, he still managed to fake a smile, "Come in, if you want. It is your bedroom after all, and you can have it back as soon as I'm done here."
"You're packing," It was half question and half sentence. In the back of the vampire's mind he knew that's what Connor had rushed off to do, though watching his son so eager to leave hurt. "I thought you'd stay at least until the morning. You've had a busy day, maybe it would be best if you.."
"No, really, I've gotta go. There's one last bus leaving tonight, and if I get my ass in gear I might just actually make it," Connor avoided facing his father, and continued pushing the clothes into his bag, with a growing intensity, fighting back the emotions that seemed so willing to come out.
"Connor, can we.. talk?"
The boy sat down on the bed, "I knew this was coming."
"Whatever happened between us, you know that's in the past, right?" Angel shifted uncomfortably, searching for the right words. He pulled up a chair and sat down opposite Connor. "You know you can tell me anything, right?"
"Dad," Connor started, but couldn't seem to get the words out. There was too much to say. Too much to apologize for. The bridge between them had burnt down long ago; rebuilding it seemed to be more difficult than had first imagined. He laughed it off, "Faith put you up to this didn't she? Or was it Willow?"
"Actually they're both worried about you," He paused, "And seeing you fighting yesterday, I'm more than a little worried myself."
"Yeah, well, I think I inherited your bloodlust," It was supposed to be a joke, but when the words left Connor's mouth they came out lost, cold. The trickster's smile that he hid behind quickly faded after the truth had been spoken. "It's the fighting, its just.. too much. It's not me anymore."
"I think that's a good thing."
Connor stood up and looked away guiltily. A moment passed before he spoke again, "I'm sorry. I know, I'm just causing more problems... I wish I could do the right thing for a change, be a champion, understand what it means to be one of the good guys but I'm just, really confused. I screwed up so badly, dad." He stopped pacing, and turned back to his father, willing himself not to cry. "I messed everything up."
"You're talking to the king of screw ups, Connor." Angel said, walking partway across the room to his son, "I blame myself for what happened too, but in the end it wasn't just one person. Everyone had played a role in what happened. You, me, Holtz, Wesley, Justine.. but things are different now. We're different."
"I don't know how you can do it," Connor backed away, shaking his head. His father was looking at him with eyes full of love; it was just too much, "How can you forgive me when I can't even forgive myself?"
"You're my son." It was enough of a reason as Angel needed.
Connor looked at the ground, thinking over everything and gathering his strength. After a moment, he turned to his father, "I wish I could stay here with you, I just.. I don't trust myself to be in Los Angeles right now; it's just a little too much for me. I need some time."
Angel nodded, "Take all the time you need. I am immortal after all."
Connor laughed, despite himself. "Yeah.. my father's a vampire, how weird is that? I'm guessing the father-son picnics are out.. but you know, if you want to stop by for coffee some time.." he left the invitation hanging in the air. Then as an aside he added, "Just make sure the world isn't ending next time."
"It's a deal," Angel shook Connor's hand when the boy extended it to him. Then Connor pulled him into a tight hug suddenly, and Angel wrapped his arms around his boy. They were back in each other's lives now, and this time around things would be different.
It would all work out.
Somehow.
..............................................................
Last Author's Notes:
38 days and 50206 words later.. and I'm done. I can't believe I wrote another novel (50,000 is novel length according to NaNoWriMo. I'll miss torturing my little Connor. I'll also miss everyone who gave me such great feedback too. Great big thank you's to:
Abuhin, Adam, Aeryn's Tales, andy, Angelfirenze, Arekanderu, connorassassin, D.M. Evans, Erica Richardson, fanfiction fanatic, greg, Imzadi, Jamie, Kitten, Lori, m, ManniElf18, Pylea Princess, Randye, Supergurl15, Tariq, terra fea, The 2nd Evil, Trillian, tp96, trina-k.. and anyone else out there who had been reading this.
Now that I'm done with this story I can check out some of yours.
Last Pointless Side Note:
I actually have that Chinese fortune that Connor read. It's where I got the whole idea for this story. And that's why Chinese food rocks so much, it gives you ideas.. and the wantons are yummy.