CHAPTER THREE

I I let go of all my lonely yesterdays
I've forgiven myself for the mistakes I've made
Now there's just one thing the only thing I wanna do
I wanna love somebody, love somebody like you

b Keith Urban - Somebody Like You /b /I

"Etruscan influence on early Roman culture?" Buffy shuddered, looking over Connor's shoulder as he typed.

He glanced up at her, smiling. "Fascinating stuff."

"Keep it up and we're going to call you 'Giles Junior'." She patted his back.

"Ooo, I think Dad would not like me turning English. Sorry Giles," Connor said, shooting the Watcher an apologetic look. I Neither Dad /I , he added to himself.

Giles glanced up from his books. "It's understandable, Mr. Reilly." His lips twitched in a faint grin, hitting the word 'mister' hard.

"Reilly, I'm still working on that name." Buffy wagged her head.

"Oh?" Connor swiveled away from the computer to give her his full attention.

"Old boyfriend," Buffy said somewhat sheepishly.

"Ah, so you like them Irish." Connor knew he was being pushy, a little arrogant even, but he was that now. Maybe it was a side effect of Vail's spell or maybe it was natural for him. Either way, arrogance hid inside him. He didn't miss the daggers Andrew was glaring at him when he was supposed to be helping Giles. Connor couldn't honestly tell if the boy was interested in Buffy or not because he seemed to be rather infatuated with Xander and another guy named Spike. Connor was fairly certain it was the same Spike he knew even though Andrew had never said his Spike was a vampire. Connor preferred not to be engaged in conversation with Andrew and so had never asked.

Buffy's lips pursed as she thought about that. "You know, two of my last three boyfriends were Irish."

"That shows good taste," he assured her and Giles snorted. Even Willow looked up from her laptop at that declaration. "Input from the English, aside."

"That was more directed at my boyfriends being in good taste, including the last one who was English." Buffy's shoulders hunched up.

"Riley was a good man," Giles replied after a moment's thought. He twisted on the couch to look at Connor. "I'd love to read your thoughts on the Etruscans when you get the paper done, Connor."

"Thanks, Giles. A few more lines and I'm good to go. I'd appreciate a second set of eyes on the paper before I turned it in." Connor glanced at them all in turn. "And I appreciate you guys letting me come here to work. It beats me being stuck in the coffin all day."

Buffy put her hands on his shoulders. "Usually I'd protest using that description but I've been to your dorm room. Prisoners get more space."

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"Which is why I'm glad you've been letting me crash here." Connor meant it. He had taken Buffy up on her offer last week to stay over in a guestroom after a patrol that had lasted until nearly dawn. He hadn't even been thinking sex at the time, well not much at any rate. He was, after all, staying in an old home that housed three women, Buffy, Concetta and Alcina; five now, counting Willow and Kennedy in one of the guest rooms. It was hard to not think of sex when there was that much femininity.

It might have been more appropriate to stay in the guest house that shared the courtyard with Buffy's home. Giles and Andrew lived there and it had another spare room. He didn't know where Buffy and her friends got their money but they were obviously using a lot of funds to afford the main house and its guest home. Connor didn't feel comfortable in the guest house, even though he knew Giles liked the company. The older man had a kick ass record collection that Connor coveted, however. Andrew was online most of the time either chatting with Xander or playing Everquest or some such nonsense that Connor had never gotten into. He needed the computer for his school work and didn't feel right about displacing Andrew from his so he stayed in the main house. Willow used her lap top and none of the other girls were that interested in the main computer, too busy with working out and patrolling.

He didn't mind staying with the girls, and they seemed to like having him around. Even Kennedy didn't seem put out by his presence so long as he stayed out of her way, which he did willingly. He liked the others. Willow was stunning but obviously not interested in what he had to offer. Concetta was smart and sultry, Alcina bright and perky. He was drawn, however, to Buffy. The world-weariness in her eyes sparked something in him. He felt a kinship with her that went beyond the brief amount of time he knew her. She was as strong, if not stronger, than him, which was alluring. She had a few years on him, not too many but enough to be enticing.

Thinking on women older than him reminded him briefly of Cordelia, Faith, and Fred and his relationships with those women. He never understood why anyone thought he should know Angel had meant for Cordy to be a mom to him. He never really got the whole Oedipal thing. Remembrances of Fred, however, made him blush. He thought about the time he ogled Illyria, not realizing who she was and felt a little queasy. If anyone had been a mom to him, it was Fred, or at least a big sister with the way she and Gunn tried to take care of him after Father had died. Faith, while he hadn't known her well and she had originally irritated him, had impressed him with being able to go toe to toe with him. In his naiveté he hadn't even understood how arousing that was to him. Cordelia, however, had no trouble seeing it. It was just as well Faith was back in America

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because the mere thoughts of how she made him feel were a dangerous distraction from the women at hand.

Concetta was his age and Alcina younger still. He rather liked them older. He was just romantic

enough - more of Vail's magic? - to long for a summer fling in Rome. Of course, Buffy hadn't said anything about last night's kiss in the catacombs but he thought it hadn't been a one-sided affair.

"You know, Riley was a psych major, too," Buffy said, running a hand through her hair. "Grad student."

"See, doubly good taste." No sense in suddenly being less brazen, he decided. Connor hit the save icon.

"Got something on the deaths," Willow sing-songed, looking up from her lap top.

"Pow wow time," Andrew declared.

"Let me print this out and I'll join you," Connor said, clicking the printer icon.

"You weren't invited," Andrew said. Connor's head snapped up, looking at the young man in disbelief. Andrew shot him a haughty look. "This is for Watchers and Slayers. You're neither."

"Andrew." Buffy's lips pulled into a grim line. "Connor can listen in to the meeting if he wants."

"That's not SOP," Andrew protested, looking to Giles for support.

"Connor has been patrolling with Buffy. He's part of the team now," Willow added. "And it's not like we didn't let you help back in Sunnydale."

Andrew wilted a little at that reminder.

"I think it would be a benefit to us to have Connor's insights. He obviously knows a little something about fighting demons." Giles held out his hand for the paper Connor took out of the printer hopper.

"Thanks. Believe me, I know about killing demons." Connor eyed Andrew. He knew the type. His roommate in his fraternity house was the same way, a wanna-be big dog who'd never be more than a yappy Yorkshire terrier. Connor had already put in a request to his fraternity president to be assigned to a new roommate next semester, provided, of course, he even returned to Stanford.

"You might know how to kill vam-pyres," Andrew said, hitting the second syllable hard, totally missing the eye rolls at his affectation. "But there's more to demons than that."

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Connor nodded. "I know. I'm conversant in about six different demon languages...and for some reason I know a few Irish lullabies translated into Pylean...whatever that's about." He didn't know for sure how he knew the translated lullabies. A bit of something from the time his Uncle Lorne - he still shuddered at that - changed his diapers? I No, no thinking on that /I , Connor berated himself, knowing that was the path to more sleepless nights. He could accept Lorne was a good demon. Connor still didn't want to think about the fact the creature had powdered his ass while singing him lullabies. "And I even know how to pronounce vampire correctly."

Andrew glared.

"Go on, Willow," Buffy said tightly, her fingers digging into his shoulders as warning to knock it off. He figured she was losing patience with both him and Andrew at this point. "What did you find out from the autopsy reports?"

"Nothing," Willow said and watched Buffy's face twist into a scowl. "But that's significant. There was no reason for any of them to die. The heart just seemed to stop with nothing accounting for it. No injuries, no drugs, no signs of any disease. All the victims were young and healthy. They're looking now for exotic poisons, even an infectious process."

"So where do we look first?" Alcina turned to Buffy for guidance. "That doesn't tell us much."

"No, certainly it doesn't give us much of a starting place," Giles said. "But there are demons that kill with a touch, Willow, Andrew, and I can start looking in that area."

"I can help with that, Giles," Connor offered. "I'm done with my school work."

"Again, it's not for civilians to be handling Watcher texts," Andrew said, a protective look in his eyes.

Connor grated his teeth, deciding he wasn't going to press the point. If Giles needed him, he'd supercede Andrew. "Buffy, what do you Slayers usually do while your Watchers do the research?"

"Sometimes we help. Other times we patrol and occasionally we try to pretend we have a real life." She smiled wanly.

"Well, since we have a surplus of Slayers and a couple of Watchers, how would you like to do the real life thing with me? I'd love to take you to the I Villa Doria-Pamphili /I ." If Andrew didn't want him around, Connor could live with that, use it to his advantage even.

Buffy raised a pale eyebrow. "Like a date?"

"Complete with dinner." He grinned. "Then you and I can patrol or you can join Concetta, Alcina, and Kennedy or they can join us."

"Oh, I don't want to see you two on a date." Kennedy grimaced. "Willow can join me in the south of the city. Alcina and Concetta can pick a quadrant and you two can do the same."

"Works for me. Beep me if you need us or if you learn anything," Buffy said, looking happier than he'd ever seen her be.

Connor couldn't help the superior look he shot Andrew as he walked out with Buffy. She paused to get her digital camera and he picked up his motorcycle helmet plus the spare. They got on his Yamaha V Star classic motorcycle and he headed for the villa, one of the finest parks in all of Rome.

For a while, they didn't talk business. They simply ambled through the grounds, enjoying the greenness and little lakes. They were spoiled for choice as to which statues and fountains to look at. They had been in the villa three nights ago, chasing down some vampires, but it looked different by day, more beautiful and majestic. He took a picture of Buffy in front of the I casino dell'allegrezze /I , the house of mirth. Buffy seemed to be taking a particular joy at being out in the bright Italian sun. Given what she did for a living, mired in the darkness, he understood this might be precious to her.

"You don't mind me bringing along the camera, do you? I mean, it's not normal first date behavior," she said sheepishly, taking the camera back until someone offered to take their picture together in front of the beautiful building.

"I don't mind," Connor said as the passing stranger gave the camera back. "Besides, if you count last night, this is the second date...but only if you count the catacombs."

Buffy linked arms with him. "It smelled bad down there...doesn't count."

"I see. Only places that have a pleasant aroma count?" He slid his arm around her slender waist.

"That's a new rule." She paused to snap another fountain. "I should have brought another smart card. These are for Dawn. She really wanted to stay here in Rome but I couldn't afford it. Dawn could speak the language but with us being Americans…it was an expense we didn't need."

"Yeah, I know what you mean. My classes are supposed to be in English but not always. I know the language a little," Connor said, thinking this was another thing to thank Angel and Vail for. "Rome's damn expensive. Dad's got money, so I lucked out. I was wondering how you guys afforded your house."

"The Watchers are paying for it." Her lips pulled into a grim line. "Trust me, if it was up to my salary, I'd be living in that coffin with you."

"I've heard worse ideas," he replied, looking into her eyes.

She blushed just a bit and he probably should feel just as guilty for even suggesting it but he didn't. "You're dangerous."

He tapped his chest, indicating the T-shirt that read ' I when your mother warned you about the Irish, did she mention me name? /I "Like the shirt says."

"Hmm, I think the warning I got was about Liam." Buffy went sad for just a moment.

"That's the other Irish boyfriend?" He couldn't help being perverse and prying into it.

She nodded. "I shouldn't have brought it up. He's always there, you know, never sure if he's really in my past or not." She scuffed a toe on the walkway. "You don't want to hear about him."

"We all have pasts, Buffy. Believe me, my last relationship got too serious too fast and it ended badly," he said. I Understatement of a lifetime /I . He had multiple deaths weighing on him from that, the poor innocent girl he helped Cordelia murder, the death of his own child, the poor cop he probably had beaten to death when his mind fractured into little shards of disjointed sanity, and finally Cordelia's death. If he hadn't gotten her pregnant she would never had been in a coma and subsequently died. Before he left to go back to his 'normal' life, he had Angel take him to where Cordelia was buried. He wanted his dad to leave him there alone but was glad when Angel insisted on being there, at least in the background. He wouldn't have been able to walk out of the cemetery on his own. "I'm not looking to repeat that. I guess I should be up-front about that now."

A shield came down between them, a sudden defensiveness. She had the look of someone who had been badly burned before. "Just looking for a little fun?"

He shrugged. "Yeah. I mean, I'm not just looking for a little fling, a little meaningless sex. I could find that anywhere on campus. I don't want you thinking I'm just out for the sex and will be gone by morning. I'm not interested in that, but I'm not sure I'm ready for anything big either."

"I didn't come out here thinking you might be." Her eyes looked old. "You'll be heading back to the States in a few months to go back to school. I don't know where I'll be. Something light and commitment free might be a very nice change for me, too. If it becomes something more, great, it not, that's okay, too. I like the idea of just being...I don't know, free to actually just enjoy myself without having to worry about things. I want someone fun to be with who doesn't have all these expectations right off the bat." She glanced over at him. "Does that make me a bad person?"

"Not hardly. It's good I mean, that we're both on the same page. So, what would you like to do next?" He shifted feeling a little uncomfortable when he thought about the ramifications of what they both had just said, like they were two very hollow, damaged people. I Quit psychoanalyzing things. You need about a dozen more classes before you'll be any good at it anyhow. /I

"You know what, I know it's silly but I haven't been to a movie in forever." Her eyes glinted. "And I know you're going to laugh, given what I do, but I want to see I Van Helsing. /I "

He did laugh. "Should I interpret that to mean you want to drool over Hugh Jackman?"

She laughed right back. "Can your ego handle that?"

"I'm secure enough in my manhood to survive," he assured her. "Though I wish I could get past Beckinsale's lousy acting enough to even think about drooling over her."

"I hear Dracula has super model brides in this." She patted the hand he had resting on her hip.

The corners of his mouth quirked up. "Ah, well then I'm happy."

"I've met the real Dracula. I'll have to tell you about that some day." Buffy scowled. "Well, parts of it at any rate."

I Dracula's real? Did Dad know him? /I He knew he shouldn't be too surprised at that tidbit of information but it did make him insufferably curious. "Oh, I have to hear it now."

The movie wasn't due to start so Connor took Buffy to I il gelato di San Crispino /I . She got the honey flavored special while he took away a I zabaglione /I gelato with real Marsala wine flavoring it. They went back to the Trevi fountain with their desserts.

Buffy sighed, savoring a mouthful of the gelato. "This is so good. How did you find out about this place?"

"It's supposed to be the best in Rome."

"I'm going to be back here every day now thanks to you." She kicked his foot playfully. "I'll weigh three hundred pounds."

"Worse things could happen. Besides, you and I together would be lucky to weigh three hundred pounds. " He looked at the fountain, going too serious. "So, do you think Giles and Willow will be able to figure out what it is we're looking for?"

"Never underestimate those two."

"I don't think I'll be making that mistake." He shoveled in some gelato, letting the flavor dance on his tongue before saying, "I'm sorry about goading Andrew. He just gets on my nerves."

"I know the feeling. He just takes it all too seriously. I mean, he should take it seriously. This is deep dark stuff but well, he gets carried away. He gets like that about all his obsessions. Be thankful he's out of the videotaping everything phase." Buffy shuddered.

Connor smiled flatly. "See, that's grounds for murder."

"There are days..." Buffy trailed off and concentrated on her gelato.

They got lost in the simple, peaceful moment. Buffy turned the conservation to his history class and all the sites he planned on seeing for it. They planned to see some together, which told him he was actually making an impression on Buffy. She wanted to see him again and that made him happy. It had been a while since he had felt happy and he figured she might be feeling the same way. With all the talking, they barely made it to the movie in time. Buffy and Connor traded laughs at all the least appropriate times as they slogged through the English subtitling and listening to whoever did Jackman's voice over in Italian trying to sound serious. She was still giggling when they left the theatre. Connor's mood had soured slightly over the whole vampire children thing. He was just as glad he wasn't a long tailed, little, green gargoyle.

"Come on," Buffy said, after he parked his Yamaha and they started walking for the restaurant. "You have to admit the whole idea of vampires breeding is hysterical. I mean, they're dead. They might be able to have sex." She paused for a moment, an indescribable look on her face. "But they can't have kids."

He wanted to tell her how wrong she was but he still didn't feel like that secret should come to light. "Well, it's just stupid that anything that started as human is suddenly laying hundreds of eggs like a queen bee."

"You're taking this way too seriously." She took his hand, swinging it. "Come on, it's funny."

"I guess."

The whole I Van Helsing /I debate raged through dinner. They were both rather glad that vampires really couldn't turn into giant bat creatures nor have quite that much fang. He was steadfast in his conviction that the fate of Anna helped redeem the movie and that it would have been a better one if she had been the werewolf and they had shot for a buddy picture with Van Helsing and Velkan. Buffy was on board with that but he figured it was because of how nicely the prince moved. The movie did substantiate one of his beliefs; it's not a good thing to be chosen by God to do anything. They were debating getting another dessert when Buffy's cell went off.

Her happy expression melted instantly. "Calm down, Concetta. Where are you? Oh, damn. Have you called the others? Stay with her. We're on our way. Call Willow."

"What happened?" Connor said, digging in his pocket for his wallet, figuring they were about to race into action and he'd need to pay the check a.s.a.p.

"Concetta and Alcina were attacked." Buffy's voice was tight. "Alcina's dead."

"Son of a bitch." Connor threw enough money on the table for meal and tip and raced after Buffy to his motorcycle.

None of the others were there yet when they found Concetta in an alley in the eastern side of town. The young woman was crying quietly over Alcina's body. Buffy knelt down, examining the fallen slayer. The girl appeared to have no wounds. Connor sniffed the air. There was a strange, somehow familiar scent in the air. He started tracking it. He heard Buffy ask. "What happened?"

"I don't know. Alcina and I were a few blocks apart. I heard her telling someone or something to stop then she screamed. I found her like this. There's no blood. I don't think her neck is broken...she's just dead, like the others," Concetta said.

Connor lost their voices as he headed down another alley. He thought he saw something, a blur of motion. It put him in mind of a wild-goose chase he and Gunn had been sent on in a cemetery, thanks to Cordelia and the so-called spell to save Angel's soul but he couldn't be sure. He'd talk to Giles about it as soon as he could. He headed back to Buffy before either Slayer wondered where he went. He had a very bad feeling about all of it.