Author note: Here's a brief interlude before the big showdown. Just wanted to start tying up loose ends in the story. And if I didn't post, then I might have been put on the "Didn't finish a story" list by my reviewers, since I've started another fic already. I promise I'll finish it. I know where I'm going with it. Just review, review, review. Thanks for all the support on this. To the best reviewers in the world. Yay!!

Chapter Twenty-Three -- Brief Interlude

"The full moon is day after tomorrow. You have a plan Buffy," Wesley asked as he re-entered the room with Dawn and Connor in tow.

"Yeah, I do. Ready to listen?"

Buffy laid out her plan. It was simple and to the point. They would enter the areas that seemed the least protected, those areas that Gunn's people had entered undetected before. Buffy knew where Faith and the others were; she just needed the muscle to get there.

What she didn't understand was her former watcher. Man had he changed. Everyone had been using the word scary to describe him. The last time she saw him, he'd been beaten up by Faith. She never would have described him like that then. Although he did seem to have a sort of edge to his voice when he decided to help Faith instead of the Council. Those damn idiots sure did mess up more than one person, she thought.

And Dawn's declaration that Faith and Wesley was an item? Nonsense and she knew it. Although no one would have ever believed her relationship with Spike, but it happened. Life was so screwed up at the moment.

She'd seen Faith after she had returned from Los Angeles. She had mellowed, unlike herself. Faith had finally become comfortable in her own skin. Maybe the ex-watcher had something to do with it.


"So we go tomorrow?" Lindsey asked from behind her. He'd been scarce ever since the punching incident earlier in the day.

"Yeah. Hit them hard and hit them fast. Now it's time for a good night's sleep."

Lindsey smiled at her. "Right. Like you'll do that."

"Hey, not easy to sleep before battle, but I try."

Lindsey sat down beside her, close enough to press up against her shoulder. "You're one hell of a woman, you know that?"

"You're a big flirt. But I think you know that. Just so you know. That really tall blonde guy over there. Former flame. Angel. Former flame too. Not too good on the relationship front."

Lindsey looked at her directly. His blue eyes sparkled with amusement. "You're a little too serious for your own good."

"Yeah, you're right. I need to chill."

Lindsey traced one finger on the back of her hand, making her a little warm inside. Would he just be a distraction or something more? She really did need to stop thinking and start living.

"When this is over, Lindsey, I think the French Riviera looks promising."

Lindsey's eyes widened at the prospect. She didn't say that he'd be there with her, but if he played his cards right, maybe it would happen.


"So?" Connor asked.

"So." Dawn was not happy with the guy's expression. She couldn't read it at the moment.

"I, um, things are a little crazy right now, with Angel and Cordy and everything."

"I understand." No, Dawn didn't understand. Was the guy giving her the brush-off?

They had found a quiet corner in the large warehouse to talk, finally talk with each other. It had seemed like forever since they had. Dawn was scared to talk to him. But she knew in the end it had to be done.

"You escaped?" he stated, face expressionless. Inherited from his father, no doubt.

"Had a little help from Faith. She helped create the distraction."

Connor looked down at his feet, like he didn't know what to say next. Damn, guys were so dense.

"I'm sorry I wasn't there to protect you." Oh, he definitely sounded like his father.

"Look, Connor. It was so not your fault. And it turned out fine."

"We, I, what are we doing here?" Connor leaned against the wall, clearly frustrated.

"It looks like we're having a discussion."

"That's not what I mean. I thought that we were, you know, close."

Dawn snorted. He had no idea how to do this. Frankly, neither did she. Buffy kept most guys away. All of her experience had either been clandestine or just watching. Not that much time to date when there was an apocalypse on the horizon.

"Close? Much closer than that, you silly." Connor raised his head to stare at her, like he didn't understand her sentence. "They really didn't teach you much in that hell dimension, did they?"

"You see, all I wanted to know was," he started. Dawn moved in closer to him, pinning him to the wall. She'd have to be the aggressor in this relationship. He didn't have a clue what to do next.

"I really do like you, doofus." Connor half-smiled at her. God, did he have a great smile, she thought.

They both moved in to kiss, only having accomplished one before, in that cabin right before that vampire had burst in to challenge them. They'd been all arms and legs, not quite getting it right. And being interrupted had definitely killed the mood. Not much time for kissage after that, Dawn surmised.

But Connor's lips were warm and inviting. She liked the fact that he was a little clueless about these things, the Cordelia vision aside. That had been the old Connor. This was the new Connor, her Connor. As she sank into his arms, she couldn't think of a better place to be right at that instant.


"I'll kill him," Buffy hissed as she saw the two teenagers in a lip-lock in a remote corner.

Wesley had sought out the slayer, to apologize for his outburst. But that would have to wait. He needed to save the two from her wrath. More like he needed to save Connor from it. She loved her sister and protected her too much to let anything happen to her.

"Wait," Wesley implored before Buffy could take off after the two.

"You don't order me around any more," Buffy told him as she whirled around to face him.

"No I don't. I just wanted to speak with you for a moment."

"After I take that kid's head off, then we'll have all the time in the world."

Wesley laid a hand on Buffy's arm, trying to save her from a messy scene. "Dawn's a smart girl. You should be proud of her. She handled herself quite well out there."

Wesley could feel her muscles bunch under his hand, but he didn't remove it. Buffy had always been a stubborn, protective woman, especially of her family and friends. Listening was not her strong suit. He was afraid that she would never listen to any explanation her sister would give her.

"If you're trying to protect him, it's not going to work," Buffy sneered back.

Wesley sighed. He really liked her the way she was back in her high school days. At least then she was just sarcastic to him. Here she looked like she could take his head off with one punch.

"I don't have to protect him, Buffy. He can do that all on his own. He is his father's son."

"That sounds like a threat."

"No, not at all. Just a fact. And if you want to blame someone for the way he is now, then blame me. It's my fault he is the way he is."

"There's a story there, I'm sure."

"Yes, indeed." Wesley let go of her arm, almost sure that she wouldn't bolt over to take Connor apart. As he looked over at the corner, the two teenagers had disappeared anyway.

"You're different. That much I know. You come in here spouting that we have to find Faith. Just because you're not that wimp of a watcher back in Sunnydale doesn't mean squat to me."

The girl knew how to hit him hard. He remembered the ribbing he had gotten from the group in Sunnydale vividly. But he was beyond that now. The hard exterior shell that had formed over him had survived intact. He'd walk away before he hit her or worse.

"You're right," he called as he walked away. But the woman followed him. Now did she want to take her pound of flesh on him too?

"Not done talking, Wes," she told him as she caught up with him.

He told himself that he'd tune her out. Needing to get ready for the impending battle was the goal at the moment. Fighting with his former slayer was not. He made his way to a bathroom, wanting to shut out her insistent prattling. He grabbed his bag, not glancing back to see if she followed.

Noticing that the bathroom looked empty, he walked in and set his bag down beside him, pulling out a new shirt. Unfortunately the woman didn't get the hint and walked in behind him.

"You need to realize something. I didn't like you then and I don't like you now. The influence that you've had on my sister."

So this was about Dawn still. At least she didn't go back to insulting him. Wesley ripped his shirt over his head, still trying to tune her out. Her gasp of surprise wasn't unexpected; although he had just wanted to clean up a little, not shock her.

"What happened to you?" she asked a little slowly.

"Don't have that famous slayer healing unfortunately. Shall I point out all the scars I have. This one here is from zombie cops." Wesley pointed to his abdomen. "This one here is from a woman named Justine. She took the baby Connor right out of my arms right after she did it." He pointed to his neck. "And this one right here, demon decided to snack on me." He pointed to his shoulder.

"I didn't know," was all she could say. "I guess we've both been on the front lines a little too long."

For the first time since his arrival, he looked at her directly. There was a darkness he hadn't seen before in the young woman. Like she had seen and done too much to ever be innocent again. Being a slayer had its problems. One saw too much death and destruction in such a short life.

"Buffy, I know that a lot has happened in the last year. I know that you've lost too much, but think about Dawn for one instant. She's not the girl you used to know. She's a young woman capable of making her own decisions. Smart decisions."

"She's just a child."

"Not any longer." Oh, how he longed for those days when he didn't know any better.

"I'm just a little overprotective. And I'm sorry for the insults. Not deserved. But answer me one question. Faith? Talk about baggage central."

Wesley chuckled. Yes, lots of baggage between the two. Much pain to deal with after this was over. "Something we have in common though."

"Oh?"

"She hurt us both and we both forgave her. Says something, now doesn't it."

Buffy looked puzzled. "Not sure what you're getting at."

"We're both more alike than you know."

Buffy shivered. "No thank you. Being British and drinking tea all day is not my idea of fun. I'll let you and Giles do that for the rest of us."

"And Buffy?" Buffy turned to leave, hopefully getting what she needed from him for the moment. "You're standing in the men's restroom."

Someone cleared a throat over in a stall, probably wanting to get out of there, but too embarrassed to leave with her present. Buffy slowly backed out of the restroom, a slight blush to her cheeks.

TBC

Next: Faith's getting antsy being imprisoned, and the battle begins.