Title: Like Father Like Son

Author: Elionwy Ersatz

Disclaimer: I'm just borrowing them for a while, they're not mine.

Source/Challenge/Plot Bunny: Chocolate Covered Strawberry challenge by Beboppin' Betty. Details at bottom of fic.

Dedication: Let's just say... to the wearer of the Blue Towel.

Connor stomped, sulkily, into the hotel. His 'father' was sitting quietly on the couch, reading.

He looked up. "Connor. Hi." He said, startled. "What are you doing here?"

Connor mumbled his answer. He wished he hadn't come, now, but he had no other choice. "Needyourhelp."

Angel cocked his head to the side, slightly. "What?"

"Need your help."

Angel almost smiled. Almost.

Connor took a deep breath. "Cordy had a vision. I can't... handle it..."

"On your own," Angel finished, quietly.

Connor nodded. "She says she saw a demon... a big one."

Angel stood up. "Well, it's not like I have important things to do..."

After directions from Connor, they found themselves outside a block of new and expensive looking apartments.

"You sure this is the right place?" Angel looked round.

Connor nodded briefly. "Yeah. Second floor."

They climbed the stairs, thankful that there seemed to be no-one in the corridors. When they reached the landing, Connor led them to room 13.

"So, what are we expecting to see here?" Angel asked, wishing suddenly he'd brought a bigger weapon. An axe, perhaps.

"Cordy just said demon. And that it was bad, and needed to be stopped."

Angel frowned as he knocked on the door. "Vaguest vision ever."

They waited. The door was opened just a tiny bit and an eye peeped through the crack. A human eye. An old man was revealed as the door was opened.

"Whaddaya want?"

Angel opened his mouth to speak-

"Let us in, Grandpa," Connor snarled, sounding astonishingly like his father's soulless counterpart.

The old man raised his eyebrows.

Angel glared at Connor. "Connor!"

"What?! We come here to kill some spiny demon, and we're supposed to play nice first? Get real, Dad." He hissed, spitting on the last word.

"That's enough! Act like a grownup for once Connor, especially when we're working! You're always telling me how independent you are, prove it!" Angel spat back.

The old man held out his hand. The sudden rush of energy sent them both flying into his apartment, where they slammed against the wall.

Angel, dazed with the unexpected attack and still burning with leftover fury and annoyance, struggled to get up as the old man stalked across the room towards them.

"Gentlemen, if you're talking about the Brologh demon two doors down, don't worry. It's dead. I killed it three hours ago. I knew about your coming. I had to direct you to my room. I need to talk to you."

"This... isn't... talking," Angel said slowly, as though he couldn't get his mouth to work.

"I need to teach you boys a lesson," the old man said, eyes blazing black as he narrowed the gap between them.

Angel tried to speak, but the old man held up his forefinger and Angel suddenly found he couldn't.

"A lesson about knowing what it's like. Both of you are so wrapped up in yourselves, you don't know what the other feels."

Connor laughed harshly. "I know what my 'father' feels. A whole lot of nothing for me."

"BE SILENT!" The man yelled, his voice unnaturally loud in the big room.

Connor gulped. He was afraid. He was afraid of this little man, and what he meant.

"So I'm going to make you see," the old man continued. "I'm going to make you feel what the other feels. I'm going to teach you what it's like to be each other."

Before either Angel or Connor could protest, the man lifted his hand and chanted...

Angel suddenly felt very light, as though he was made of air. He tried to turn his head to see Connor, but couldn't seem to control his body. The feeling was strangely familiar. He'd felt it before, though then he'd been too crazed with pain to comprehend it. It was the feeling of his soul leaving his body. He tried to scream, tried to do anything, but then his world went black.

And, as suddenly as he'd gone, he was back. 'Oh, no...' he panicked. What had happened? Had Angelus been free? Had he been cursed again? He listened for Angelus' taunting voice but heard nothing, just dull empty silence. Aloneness.

'What the...?'

His vision slowly cleared. He was still in the old man's apartment, still on the floor. He blinked his eyes- they weren't as sharp as they should have been. Blinked again. Then he recalled the old man and what had happened. He held his breath, thinking- and quickly let it out again, realising he had to. He had to breathe. 'Alive?'

"Hey, what the..." He heard his own voice echoing dimly from somewhere else in the room. But it wasn't his voice, couldn't be. He hadn't spoken.

He felt his heartbeat quicken. He looked around wildly. There he saw himself, lying on the floor next to him, looking as confused as he was. Confused as he was? It was him! He, the other he, turned towards him, looked directly into his eye, and started back violently.

Angel stood up, slowly. As he rose he saw a mirror on the wall and in it, Connor's reflection looking back at him, terrified.

You like? If you don't then say so (nicely please) and I won't continue... and well, if you like it then expect more.

Challenge details:

For whatever reason, S4 Connor switches bodies with Angel, and finally realizes that his perceptions of his father might not be quite right...

Requirements:

- the switch lasts no longer than a week
- while Angel gets thrown into Connor's body, Angelus stays in Angel's.
- Connor seriously, however briefly, considering walking into the sunlight while inhabiting Angel's body
- Angelus trying to (literally) drive Connor insane