Connor led Aurora up to the second floor that he had renovated into a large apartment while Angel had kept him in the hotel for the past few months.
"Wow, this is so neat and tidy." Smiled Aurora as Connor let go of her.
"Thanks. My room's through there if you need to get some sleep. I'll take the couch." Said Connor.
"No I'll take the couch…this is your home." Said Aurora sitting on the long black leather couch that stretched out in front of the TV.
"I insist…. I need to talk to my dad." Said Connor watching Aurora curl up on the couch.
"Um Connor…" said Aurora as Connor turned to leave.
"Yes Aura?" asked Connor.
"Could you bring up my stuff from the bathroom on the first floor when you come back up? I stupidly forgot to bring them," said Aurora.
"Sure. Now you get some rest. I'll be back before you know it." Assured Connor kissing her on the forehead before leaving the apartment leaving Aurora to curl up on the couch and go to sleep.
Connor arrived in the lobby to see his dad sat in a seat sipping a mug of blood occasionally muttering to himself as he waited for him to come back.
"Dad why do you want me to drive Aura to Cleveland? Why can't she stay here with us?" asked Connor as he sat down beside his father.
"She can't Connor she doesn't belong here with us. And besides my friend Buffy had some Idea of why you were attracted to her." Said Angel putting his cup to one side.
"You think Aura is a slayer? You should have seen her when I first met her dad she was a wreck…she'd been living on the street for the past few weeks, she looked like she was scared of her own shadow. How can she be a slayer?" asked Connor.
"There is no one special type of person that can make a slayer Connor. Its the training that they under take that makes them who they are. That is why you need to take Aurora to Cleveland to be trained by Buffy, Faith and Buffy's ex watcher Giles." Said Angel.
"What about Wesley…? Can't he train Aura?" asked Connor.
"No…. Wes doesn't do that anymore…. not after what happened when he tried to train Buffy and Faith. He gave that up long ago Connor and don't bother to ask him. Just take Aura to Cleveland. If you want you can stay with her until she is settled in but that's it. After that you have nothing more to do with her." Said Angel.
Connor shook his head but saw that what Angel was saying was more of an order than a suggestion.
Angel's expression softened when he saw the expression on his son's face about possibly never seeing Aurora again.
"It's hard to let someone you have feelings for go Connor but it's for the best. I'm sure when the time is right Aurora will understand." Assured Angel.
Connor smiled a weak smile at his father before getting up and going toward the stairs just as the other members of AI arrived back from their patrol.
Connor arrived back from talking to Angel to see Aurora curled up on the couch, her legs tucked up to her chest, her arms crossed and her golden hair fanned around her face though she shivered since she was only wearing a shirt and underwear.
Connor put down her bag that he'd got from the bathroom on his way up not far from the couch she was sleeping on, covered her with a soft tartan blanket and kissed her forehead before leaving her to sleep. He just didn't know how he was supposed to explain to Aurora why he was taking her to Cleveland and why he couldn't stay there with her despite how much he wanted to.
He'd become surprisingly attached to the needy girl in the few hours that he'd known her but in a way he was glad his father had told Buffy Connor could take Aurora to Cleveland because he didn't want to say good-bye so soon after meeting her. Maybe spending a month with her as they made their way there…he could learn more about her and persuade himself to do the right thing by staying with her there in Cleveland.
He walked into his room and sat on the end of his bed, rubbing his eyes when he heard someone standing in the doorway to his bedroom.
"Aurora what's wrong?" asked Connor noticing the blonde girl had wrapped the blanket he'd covered her with around herself so her body was completely covered…only her head stuck out of a gap where the blanket's sides crossed at her neck.
"Sorry Connor… I didn't mean to disturb you." Said Aurora biting her lip and turning away to go back into the lounge.
"You weren't… are you ok?" asked Connor as she stopped in the doorway and turned around to look at him again.
"I don't like being in a separate room when I know there is someone else here…would it be ok if I sleep in here with you?" asked Aurora timidly.
"Of course." Smiled Connor.
Aurora smiled and lay on the bed, still wrapped in the blanket, her head rested on the pillow.
Connor lay on the other side of the bed after getting changed, he could hear her breathing steadily behind him the blanket covering her stroking the back of his neck.
"Connor?" whispered Aurora.
"Um?" asked Connor as his eyes began to droop.
"Can you please hold me?" whispered Aurora, her voice shaking with uncertainty.
Connor didn't say anything but rolled over on his other side so his chest leaned against her back and put his arm over her blanket covered form's waist.
He felt Aurora back herself up so her head rested under his chin, her hand slipped into his and he could hear her heart rate increase the contact of his skin against hers.
Connor closed his eyes as he took in the smell of her hair, which smelt of the night and faintly of Jasmine and lavender shampoo.
He felt her squeeze his hand and lightly kissed the top of her head before he fell asleep.