Anne had gotten dressed, but she hadn't left the room. She couldn't face Connor and be subjected to more of his back and forth behavior. Either he wanted to be with her, or he didn't. He couldn't have it both ways.

Sure, Anne had never looked for any sort of commitment in the past. If any other man she'd been with had told her all they wanted was a temporary fling, she'd been thrilled. It beat trying to pry off the clingy ones. But Connor was different. The demon was right. He was her mate. She knew it as much as she'd ever known anything. She could feel it in her blood. Connor was meant to be hers, and his rejection was tearing her apart.

She understood that he had a wife. In any other situation, that would've been something she'd stay far away from. She'd never fancied herself a home-wrecker. But this home was wrecked before she'd stepped into the picture. That much was obvious.

Anne knew she belonged with Connor. The fact that he was legally connected to another woman was inconsequential. It was a human tie, created by a human court, and those were easy to break. Not like a bond between mates. She knew there was a prophecy involved in all of this, and she and Connor were both a part of it. That meant that their union was destined. Simple as that. Why couldn't he understand it?

There was a knock at the door, and Anne took a moment to discern by scent who stood on the other side before she told them to come in. She wasn't in the mood to deal with anymore of Connor's denials of what should've been blindingly obvious.

Cordelia stepped into the room slowly, frowning at the sight of Anne sitting on the floor, her back resting against the side of the bed. "Are you okay?"

"Just peachy. You?"

"I was actually heading out for lunch and thought you might like to come to."

"I'm hiding from homicidal demons, Cordelia."

"I know, but they won't attack now. It's not time."

Anne quirked an eyebrow. "And when will it be time?"

"I don't know. I just know it's not now."

"Aren't you the all-knowing Seer…"

"No one can know everything, Anne. It would take all the fun out of the future."

"The last time I checked, being pursued by demons who want you dead wasn't exactly on the 'fun' list."

"Hungry or not?"

Anne was hungry. And she wanted out of this hotel. Connor was too close, and it was driving her crazy. She stood. "Just let me put my shoes on, and I'll be ready to go."


"So other than the fact that you're on the run from horrible monsters trying to kill you, how are you liking L.A.?"

Anne looked at Cordelia from over the top of her drink. "Hate it. It's too bloody sunny. And I don't like palm trees. They look…deformed."

"You haven't been seduced by the city and feel the need to stay here forever?" Cordelia asked, a teasing smile on her lips.

"Um, no. I will be quite happy when I can get back to London."

Cordelia's smile faded, her tone suddenly serious. "And what about Connor?"

Anne blushed, looking down to avoid Cordy's eyes. "I don't know. I asked him to come back with me, but he said he couldn't."

"You really want to be with him that much? After only a couple of days?"

"Yes, I do. And I know it's crazy. This isn't some teenage desire for star-crossed love or whatever. I'm not even sure if I do love him. Haven't known him long enough. But I know when I'm with him, I feel something strong. It tells me this is right, that with him is where I need to be. And I know he feels it, too, even if he keeps trying to pretend it doesn't matter."

Cordelia was quiet for a moment before she asked, "Anne, how much do you know about Connor's past?"

"A little. Not much. I know an old rival of Angel's raised him in Quartoth, and he came out all twitchy and vengeful. And I know Angel gave him to Wolfram and Hart and let them give him new memories, but that ended badly. He went to Ireland for a few years, and I assume it was after all of that."

"Yeah, it was. The family that Angel let Wolfram and Hart put him with wasn't a real family at all. They were employees of the firm. After Angel broke his contract with the Senior Partners by trying to stop the Circle of the Black Thorn, they turned on Connor, and the woman who had been posing as his mother tried to kill him. He left after that, did a little bit of soul searching, I suppose."

"And that led him to being a CPA in the suburbs?"

"Connor wants something normal," Cordelia replied. "He's always wanted family, but after what happened with Wolfram and Hart, he's really wanted to just forget everything about his life before then. For a while, he got to be normal, got to just have a life. He has two sets of memories, one happy and one full of pain and loss. And the ones he'd rather be real aren't. He chose to marry Laura and live the life he has now because he was trying to recapture what he had under the false memories. It was the only time in his life he was really, truly happy."

"He's not happy now."

"No, he isn't. But he's not bringing about the destruction of the world either."

"What do you mean by that?" Anne asked with a frown.

"I think that's something Connor should tell you about. When he's ready."

Anne pushed her food around on her plate with her fork. "So are you telling me to stay away from Connor?" she asked after a moment. "That I should just back off and let him be normal."

"No, I'm not." Cordelia gave Anne a small smile. "I probably should be, but I'm not. You're young, but I don't think you're naïve."

"I'm not. And really, I've never been one for actual relationships. I'm a bit thrown that I want to be in one."

Cordelia chuckled, then sobered again. "I'm going to tell you something, that I'm not sure I should, but I think you should know. You're going to need it for what's coming. I've been having visions. Well, flashes, really. Nothing solid enough that I can really tell you anything useful, but I've seen you, and Connor, and a baby. A little girl. I don't think it's soon, but someday. And when I see it, there's this overwhelming sense of love and happiness coming through. But I also know there's something between now and then. It's not going to be easy. To get there, you and Connor are both really going to struggle."

Anne swallowed. "And I suppose you don't know any of what this struggling contains?"

"No. Just that things are going to get worse before they get better."

"Great. Just what I bloody wanted to hear," Anne replied.

Cordelia reached across the table, placing her hand over Anne's. "But the important thing is that it will get better. I know that much. I wouldn't be encouraging a sixteen year old girl to pursue a relationship with a thirty-seven year old married man otherwise…" She pulled her hand back.

"So you do think I should stay with him?" Anne asked softly.

"Nothing in heaven or hell could stop you, Anne. You and I both know that."

Anne just gave Cordelia a small nod. She did know that. Now if only she could convince Connor…


"You're going back to London."

Anne stopped short in the Hyperion's lobby, Angel's statement shocking her. "What? No I'm not!"

Angel came around from behind the front desk, approaching Anne. "Yes, you are. I just got off the phone with your parents a few minutes ago. They think that since the demons have followed you here, that there's no reason for you to stay. I think that's for the best as well."

"But I can't! The demons aren't just after me." Anne turned slightly, noticing that Connor was leaning against the desk. "Connor…"

"I agree with your parents and Angel. You'll be safer there. The Slayers can protect you."

"I don't need anyone to protect me! I can fight the bloody demons. And they're after Connor and me."

"All the more reason to separate the two of you," Angel said. He added, almost under his breath, "As if there needed to be more reasons."

Anne felt herself panicking. Cordelia had told her that she and Connor had a future together. They couldn't make her leave him now, not when she wasn't sure she'd gotten into his heart. "I won't be any safer there," Anne tried to argue. "I've only been attacked by three demons since I got here. There were a lot more in England."

"And I'm sure there will be a lot more here, too," Angel said. "That was just the first attack. They know where you are now."

"And I can handle other attacks!" Anne looked back at Connor, desperation in her eyes. "Connor, please. Tell me you want me to stay with you."

Connor's heart and his head were telling him to give two different answers. But he knew which one was the safest. "You should go back home, Anne. It's where you belong."

Anne couldn't stand there and listen to Connor tell her he wanted her gone. She felt the pain from his words as strongly as if they'd been a physical blow, and she needed to get away before she started to cry. She'd been too weak these past few days. Too many people had seen her tears. She wouldn't add Angel to the list. She ran out the front door of the Hyperion.

"Well, you two can be quite insensitive," Cordelia said, her arms crossed in front of her as she regarded the father and son.

"Cordy, she needs to go back to London. She came here to try to hide from those demons, and it didn't work. She'd be safer there," Angel said with a sigh.

"I know that. And I think Anne probably knows that, too. But she's a sixteen year old girl who's falling in love. You both could've been a little more sensitive to that. Especially you, Connor. She crumbled when you told her to leave."

"I'm telling her to leave because I care, Cordelia! Look, I know she has feelings for me. I have…feelings for her, too. But I'm also married. And a lot older than her. Nothing can come of this. It's better for both of us if she goes home where she can be safe. From the demons and me," Connor said.

Cordelia knew it would take more than a continent and an ocean to keep Connor and Anne apart. But she also knew Connor wouldn't listen to that now, especially not from her. "I know, but have a little sympathy for Anne. You're breaking her heart. You slept with her, Connor, and now you're telling her to get out of your life. At the very least, you could let her down gently."

Connor frowned. Cordelia was right. It was just easier for him if he kept the most distance from Anne as possible, both physically and emotionally. The second he let himself soften at all with her, he was gone. She made him forget all that was wrong and just feel what was right. But that didn't mean he should hurt her the way he had. "I'll go talk to her," he said, heading towards the front door.

Once he was outside, Connor closed his eyes, searching for Anne's scent. He found it easily enough, her scent already one he knew he'd never forget. He walked in the direction it led him, hoping she hadn't gone far.

Suddenly, Connor heard a scream, the sound making his blood grow cold. He knew without a doubt that it was Anne, and his only thought now was to get to her, to stop whatever it was that had made her cry out in pain. He ran towards her as fast as he could, the scent of her blood now mingling with that of her body.

Connor found Anne on the ground in a parking lot, trying weakly to fight off a demon that had her pinned, its claws ready to strike. Connor lunged with a growl, tackling the demon down on the asphalt and away from Anne. He grabbed hold of its head, twisting hard and snapping its neck. Three more demons leapt at him then, but Connor moved with inhuman speed, quickly adding their bodies to that of the other.

As soon as the threat was gone, Connor ran to Anne, kneeling beside her. She looked up at him, her eyes clouded over with pain. "It hurts," she hissed, clutching her stomach.

Connor moved her arm, gasping when he saw her wound. The demon had torn her stomach with its claws, and blood was everywhere. He picked her up as gently as he could. "You're going to be okay," Connor said, as much for himself as for Anne.

"I feel cold," Anne said, her teeth chattering.

"Shh. Don't try to talk," Connor said, heading back towards the Hyperion as fast as he could without jostling Anne too much. "I'm going to get you patched right up. You're going to be okay."

Anne nodded, her eyes drifting shut. Connor shook her lightly. "No. Stay with me, Annie. I need you to stay with me. Can you do that?"

Anne's eyes opened again as she looked up at Connor. "Just keep those pretty blue eyes open for me, baby," Connor said as he walked up to the front of the Hyperion. "I'll have you fixed up as good as new before you know it."

Anne gave him a weak smile that quickly turned into a grimace of pain. Connor kicked open the front door, bursting into the lobby. "Angel! I need medical supplies now!"

Cordelia gasped at the sight of Connor carrying the blood-covered girl. "What happened?"

"The demons attacked her when she was on her own," Connor replied.

"Move her to a bed upstairs," Angel said. "I'll meet you up there with the supplies."

"Hurry," Connor said, already on his way up the stairs. "She's lost a lot of blood." He brought Anne into the room where they'd slept the night before, depositing her on the bed. He knelt beside her, holding her hand tightly as he waited for Angel. "You're going to be okay. You're going to be okay," he said with determination. She had to be.

He couldn't live with anything else.


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