CHAPTER ELEVEN
Connor ignored the pain in his legs and the fact his knees and shins looked like raw hamburger. All that mattered was that Eve was heading to the airport, and if she got away, he would never see his son again. He knew this deep down. Eve would either take the child far away or kill him. The one thing she wouldn't do would be to let herself get caught with the baby. Buffy helped him bandage himself up while Spike argued with Angel in the front seat on the best way to get to Madison's little airport. Illyria had been sent home to help Giles and Dawn, even though there was nothing for them to do. Illyria was just too eye catching and Madison's airport too small. Danforth and Zuelsdorff would have to be blind to miss her.
Connor wished he could drive or at least have a fire chief's siren to help clear out the traffic on the crowded road but he needed to get the bleeding stopped and Angel was driving like his ass was on fire. All Connor had to concentrate on was not flashing Buffy through his boxers as she worked. He watched the rhythm of her practiced hands wrapping gauze over his legs, trying not to think of what failure now meant. They were all armed with pictures of Eve so they could descend on the handful of car rentals once they got to the airport. His nerve endings screamed as he wriggled back into his pants so he could go inside.
That was exactly what they did once they got there, divide and conquer. Unfortunately, in spite of the words 'kidnapped baby' getting them past the usual stonewall about giving out information, Connor and Buffy weren't getting anywhere. Connor looked to where his father and Spike were trying, and they didn't look very happy. Out of the corner of his eye, Connor saw Danforth heading for the Avis counter where he was. He grabbed Buffy and yanked her around the corner.
"If we get arrested..." she trailed off abruptly as Connor clamped a hand over her mouth. Danforth's phone was ringing, and he wanted to hear the conversation. Buffy nodded to indicate she understood his intentions.
Connor let her go and they listened in. Danforth's sharp 'What?' made Connor's heart sink. Something bad had happened. "Get a detail on Ms. Reilly immediately." He watched over his shoulder as Danforth waved down Zuelsdorff. "We have to get to the hospital. Someone killed Becker. The hospital is sending security to Reilly's room just in case."
As Danforth and Zuelsdorff headed off, they passed right by Connor and Buffy. Danforth made eye contact with him but she said nothing. She and her partner just kept going and all things considered, Connor was glad she saw him. He couldn't be a suspect in killing Gene if he was standing in front of the cops in the airport, actively interfering with the investigation. Connor turned, hearing Angel's footsteps coming up behind him quickly.
"Silver Durango," Angel said. "Got the license number."
"Good." Connor started for the door. "Because someone just killed Gene at the hospital. If there's a god, it will have been Eve and not another Dawl member. It would mean that she's at least still in town." And my son might still be alive.
"You calling Darla?" Spike asked as they headed for the car. "Make sure the bint didn't try to off her, too."
"Calling now," Connor said, limping. How could skinned legs hurt that much? They were chafing under his jeans in spite of the bandages. He collapsed into the car. Angel peeled out as they were still shutting the doors. Connor wasn't sure where his father was even driving to, the hospital maybe. Certainly that's where the detectives went. Connor couldn't breathe and the longer the phone rang, the harder it was to get air. Finally someone picked up the phone and luckily it was a man's voice before he blurted out 'mom.' "Is Ms. Reilly there. This is her cousin, Connor...oh, no...god...yes, thank you for telling me. Tell her we'll be there soon."
"Someone hurt her?" Angel asked, looking in the rear view mirror at Connor.
"Eve tried to. Mom's okay, more or less. The doctor said Mom pulled out her own IV and tried to take Eve's eye out with it." A proud look crossed Connor's face.
Angel grinned viciously and Spike snorted.
"Figures. Your mom always was a tough bitch," Spike said, appreciatively.
"Angel, look!" Buffy pointed at a silver Durango that was heading toward a road that Connor knew would take it to Lake Monona where Darla's body had been dropped, opposite the direction they were traveling.
Even though silver Durangos weren't uncommon, Angel swung his car around to get a look at the plate number. The way he mashed the pedal down, Connor assumed the numbers matched. It didn't take long before the Durango started weaving like a drunk through the crowded streets. Obviously Eve knew she was being followed.
"I know I probably shouldn't ask but shouldn't we tell Danforth and Zuelsdorff that we know where Eve is?" Buffy said softly, a hesitant look in her eyes.
"No!" Connor and Angel said in one strong voice.
Spike shot her a knowing look over the back of the car seat.
"Just remember, if you kill her and she doesn't have the baby with her, you may never find him," Buffy reminded them.
Connor made a disgusted noise. He didn't want to hear that, even though he knew Buffy was right. He just wanted Eve dead but he couldn't kill her until he knew where his son was and then...could he murder again in cold blood? He had killed for one child and it nearly destroyed him. He refused to consider any weaknesses now, however.
Connor caught his breath as Angel nearly clipped the front end of a slow moving eighteen wheeler trying to keep up with Eve. She sped down a residential street that paralleled the lake. Eve's Durango hit some black ice, spun out of control, jumped the curb and slammed into a parked truck. As Angel screamed up to the curb, Eve bailed out of her trashed SUV and ran for the lake, dragging her roll-along luggage behind her.
"Like she can outrun us," Spike snorted, kicking open the car door.
"Why isn't she letting go of that luggage?" Buffy slithered out. "She could go faster."
"She is dumping it." Angel nodded, watching Eve heave the bag into the lake that seemed nestled into the fresh snow like grey glass.
"Oh god!" Connor forced himself to run faster, ignoring the pain in his legs. "The baby's in the suitcase! It's why she has to dump it." Connor heard his dad bellowing at him that they'd handle Eve but it barely registered before he plunged into the frigid water. The suitcase hadn't sunk far but a baby wouldn't know to hold his breath.
Connor tore straight through the fabric even as he tread water, his boots threatening to drag him down. At least the icy water kept him from feeling the agony in his legs. His son was wrapped up in a blanket, unmoving inside the luggage. The water had barely begun to seep in. Connor unzipped his jacket, shoved the infant inside, zipped up and back-stroked to land. He felt Buffy's hands on him, helping him out of the water.
"Did you get him? Is he okay?" Her eyes were big enough to get lost in.
Connor just shook his head, too dazed to answer. He heard the commotion going on around him as he unzipped his jacket and knew it had to be related to chasing down Eve. "Eve?"
"Ran to a cop, screaming we were trying to kill her. Lucky for her, he put her in his car," Buffy said. "We didn't get to her first. I'm sorry. I'll go tell the cop...do we need an ambulance, Connor?"
"Yeah," he rasped out, touching his son's cold cheek. The baby didn't move but he was breathing. "Oh...god."
Buffy pulled off her coat. "Wrap him in this, Connor. You're soaked. You don't want him to get colder." Buffy tore off toward the police car.
Connor tucked his son into the coat, tapping his cheeks lightly, trying to rouse the baby. His son's eyes didn't open. Connor's tears splashed down on the baby's tiny face and he tried to force himself to concentrate on the boy's strong heart beat and steady breathing. Eve had probably doped the boy to keep him quiet inside the luggage, but what if bouncing around inside it had brain damaged him? What if the Dawl had done horrible experiments? Connor shook so violently that he could barely hold onto his son, and he didn't know if it was from fear or the fact he was sitting in the snow drenched to the skin or both.
A scream dragged Connor's attention away from his baby. The police officer was still trying to control Angel and Spike, thinking they were the ones he should be arresting and putting in his car. Buffy was screaming that Eve had tried to drown a baby, and that they needed an ambulance but the cry that had gotten Connor's attention was Angel bellowing that Eve was escaping. Connor realized that the officer had left the back door to his car open, not realizing the woman was the criminal. Eve took full advantage of the policeman's distraction to escape.
The officer took off after her, yelling at Buffy, Spike and Angel to stay where they were. Connor could hear the man calling for both back up and an ambulance. Angel charged away so fast Connor barely saw him move. He wanted to get up and help but his clothing was beginning to ice over and his first concern had to be his son.
"Buffy! Spike!" Connor called, seeing red and blue lights flashing up the street. "Come get him. I can't get him warm. Put him in the car, out of the wind."
Buffy raced over and scooped the baby out of his arms. Her eyes widened when she saw how limp the infant was.
"I think Eve drugged him," Connor said as Spike helped him to his feet. "Eve..."
"Your dad is handling it," Spike whispered, walking him to the car.
Connor nodded. He knew this would be done tonight. Unless Eve somehow eluded Angel, she would never see another dawn. That didn't bother him in the least. So he wouldn't soak the back seat, Connor sat on one of the blankets Angel usually used for day travel. They wrapped Stephen in another blanket, and Buffy cradled him while Spike explained to the newly arrived police what was happening. Connor saw Angel walking toward the car while Spike talked.
"I'm not sure Spike should be the one talking to the cops. The things that come out of his mouth sometimes..." Buffy trailed off, glancing toward her former lover.
"It'll be okay. Dad's back...good. If the cops see him here then they won't think he had anything to do with whatever happened to Eve," Connor said, his teeth chattering. "How is he?"
Buffy looked at the baby in her arms. "I think he's warming up. He's so beautiful, Connor." She stroked the infant's dark hair then tucked the blanket tighter around him.
Connor's quivering lips pulled into a smile. He hadn't even thought of that, too concerned with the boy's safety to even take that kind of look at him. "He is." He looked over Buffy's shoulder as Angel leaned into the door. To his surprise, he could smell blood. Connor hadn't thought that Angel would drink Eve down. Connor met Angel's eyes.
"She won't bother our family again," Angel said simply, glancing back at the cops who Spike had finally convinced to go assist their comrade in finding Eve. "The baby?"
"We're hoping he's just drugged," Buffy said, shifting him in her arms. As little as he was, he had gotten surprisingly heavy.
Angel reached out and stroked his grandson's soft cheek as if making sure he was real then straightened up, turning as the ambulance arrived. Connor watched numbly as the paramedics worked on his son and let them take both him and Stephen into the back of the ambulance. He got out that he thought the baby was drugged. He heard the words 'he's in shock' and his heart froze, fearing for his son. It wasn't until they tried to force him down on the gurney that he realized the paramedics meant him. They let Angel climb into the ambulance with him and hold the baby while they worked to warm up Connor. The only thing that registered as the ambulance rocketed on was the tender way his father was gazing at the baby, an expression he had never seen before on Angel's face. It was the only thing in the world that mattered now. His family was together again. Connor let go of his pain, stopped fighting and just fell into darkness.
X X X
"The doctors said he'll be fine," Connor said, cradling his son in his arms as he sat beside his mother's bedside. The baby was greedily sucking down a bottle of milk. "The medication they drugged him with wore off, and he checks out otherwise. It looks like they were sticking him for blood but whatever else the Dawl and Eve were going to do to him, they didn't get the chance."
Darla, looking a little worse for wear after her tussle with Eve, reached over and stroked the top of Stephan's head as he guzzled the formula. Dark finger marks stood out on Darla's slender wrists from where Eve had apparently tried to hold her down while she was doing whatever it was she had tried. "Still has his appetite, the poor little thing. They put him in the luggage?" she asked in horror.
"Yes," Angel said gruffly and Buffy slipped an arm around him.
"And Eve?" Darla looked over at Angel as the vampire leaned into Buffy's embrace.
He shook his head then glanced around as if expecting Darla's new room to be bugged. "I'll tell you later."
"I have..." Connor stopped abruptly, holding his son tighter. "Danforth convinced the hospital to let me hold him for a little while." Tears shimmered in his eyes. "They have to do the blood tests before they'll believe he's really mine. They want me to bring him right back to neonatal immediately."
"You'll get to take the little platelet home, kid," Spike said, leaning against the door, guarding it against any nurse who might want to cut the visit short.
"Danforth said they're going to rush the DNA testing through," Buffy put in encouragingly.
"Babies need to be held," Darla said, an angry flash in her dark eyes. "I know the nurses will do it but it's not the same. He needs to finally go home."
"He will," Connor said, his voice struggling not to break. "I just can't...I can't leave him here unguarded. It's not fair. He needs to be with me."
"He'll go home," Darla said softly. "Do you know what today is, Connor? You couldn't have gotten a better present."
Connor just stared at his mother, confused.
Angel went over and patted Connor on the shoulder then ran a finger over his grandson's hand which tightened on the bottle as if the baby expected him to steal it. "Happy birthday, son."
Connor blinked his eyes then smiled. "It is my birthday, isn't it?"
"Yes, it is, Happy birthday, Connor," Darla said, and Buffy and Spike echoed it.
Connor shook his head as if trying to clear the storm clouds in his eyes. The tears didn't quite come. He pulled the empty bottle away from Stephan and the baby shrieked unhappily. "I'm sorry little guy but it's all gone." He put the baby against his shoulder, patting his back but it didn't mollify the infant.
"Connor, we're twenty minutes past when they wanted the baby back," Buffy said apologetically. Her lips quivered a bit not wanting to see the baby to go back to the neonatal unit either.
Connor nodded. "I know, and he needs another bottle. Who knows the last time he was fed?" Stephan kept up his eardrum busting squalls.
"I'll get the nurse to take me to look in on him later," Darla said, smiling at him. "Are you okay, son?"
"I'll be fine. They aren't keeping me here since I recovered from being in shock," Connor said wryly. "I'll be back later. I need...I don't even know what I need."
"Sleep," Angel said, guiding Connor toward the door as Spike moved away from it.
"Buffy," Darla said, holding out a hand. "Stay for a moment, please. I want to talk to you." Her eyes flicked to the men. "Alone."
Angel glanced over at Buffy who nodded stiffly. He ushered Connor and the baby out. Spike was smart enough to make himself scarce, immediately. Buffy crossed her arms, lounging in the doorway. She gave Darla a hard look, daring her to speak.
"You're upset," Darla said.
"What makes you think so," Buffy said dismissively.
"I've been around for three hundred years, give or take a few breaks. I know you're worried about there being something between me and Angel," Darla said, cutting to the chase.
Buffy's mouth tightened. "There is something between you."
Darla shook her head, her blond hair spilling over his face. "Not like you think. The only thing left between us is decades of ugly history and one damaged young man who needs our support. At best, Angel and I might be friends but there's..." Darla's eyes dimmed. "There's so much history it's smothering."
"And yet he's here every day," Buffy said, unwilling to let that pass.
"Because he thinks I need him, because no matter what else he is, Angel is caring," Darla said, "And he has things to make right with our son. This is just one step in that healing. I'm not asking you to like me, Buffy. I have no right to expect that. I did, after all, try to kill your mother and blame Angel for it." Darla's face darkened. "And Angel made his choice that night. He killed me. No matter what happened once I was brought back, I know he's made a choice, and I think he's happy with the one he made...if you let him be."
Buffy mulled that over trying to determine if it was the truth or not. "Connor said you didn't want Angel back."
"My son's right." Darla pressed into the bedding, looking exhausted. "It would be nice to start again as unentangled as I can get. That won't happen if I wanted Angel back and soon we would probably hate each other very much. No, I'm happy with just being his friend. I've a son and grandson to keep me very busy. I'm looking forward to time without having to worry about pleasing a man. I spent three hundred years being used by and using men. I'd like time to just be me."
Buffy managed a faint smile. "I can understand that. I shouldn't keep them waiting any longer."
Darla nodded and Buffy left without another word. The Slayer wasn't surprised all three men were right outside the door, snooping with that super hearing of theirs. She eyed them sourly.
"I think we need to get going," she said.
"Don't want to," Connor said petulantly but started on his way to return his son.
"We'll all be back later," Angel promised him
.
"I'll stay," Spike said. "You need to be with your kid, Peaches. I'll look after the little platelet, make sure nothing comes for him."
Connor looked at him in surprise. "Are you sure?"
Spike smirked. "Sure. Uncle Spike's got a lot of spoiling to get started on." He played with one of the baby's curls.
Connor canted his eyes over at Angel. "He means that, doesn't he?"
Angel sighed. "Yes. You might as well not even argue he's not an uncle."
Spike looked offended that anyone would think he wasn't family.
"I appreciate you looking out for him, Spike," Connor said then gave the vampire a stern look. "And no smoking in the house once he gets home."
Spike looked pained. "Of course."
Connor very reluctantly turned his son back over to the nurses, and this time he did weep. Angel and Buffy led him out of the hospital. Connor collapsed on the back seat of the car on the damp blankets. He was wearing nothing but hospital scrubs and paper slippers over his feet, his soaked clothing in a bag.
"You need to get a hot shower and get into bed when we get home," Buffy said. "And after you get a few hours sleep, Connor, we'll come back. Maybe the tests will be ready then."
"Hope so..." Connor murmured. "I know the cops didn't bug the car, Dad. What did you do to Eve?"
"Tossed her carcass into a dumpster. I'll feel bad if some trash collector finds her but hopefully I have enough trash tossed over her, she'll never be found," Angel said almost casually as he merged with traffic.
"But you...I didn't think you'd want to taste her," Connor said distastefully and Buffy's head snapped around, her eyes fastening on Angel.
"I didn't intend to. I was going to snap her neck then I remembered Hamilton's blood. I wanted to taste something like that again," he admitted uncomfortably. "Angelus...loved it. She might be human now but she started out as a child of the Senior Partners. Sadly she didn't have Hamilton's power but it was different than human, stronger. Lucky for me there was a bottle of Clorox in the trash that had a little left in it, enough to screw up any DNA I might have left on her neck since they tried to take mine as part of the investigation."
"I'm still worried about those tests," Buffy said. "What if your DNA isn't quite...human, Angel?"
"I'm more worried for me than him," Connor said. "I mean the demon's inside him, me, it's a part of me."
"They haven't said anything yet. I'm hoping this will be the end of it," Angel said. "And I'm not sorry I killed her." He directed that to Buffy. Connor knew that his father was well aware he wouldn't care if Eve died.
Buffy glanced over the seat at Connor. "She put a baby in a suitcase and tried to drown him. I'm not going to be upset that you did what you had to."
No one else said anything else until they got home. Dawn and Giles were waiting for them with caffeine-widened, tired eyes. Dawn came over and hugged Connor.
"How is he?" she asked.
"He's fine but he has to stay at the hospital," Connor replied, trying not to think about it.
"And Eve?" Giles said, his voice hard.
"Dead," Angel said.
Giles nodded then handed Angel an envelope. "That was slipped into the mail. It wasn't stamped so she or one of the Dawl put it in your mail box. It's a threat. They were planning on..." Giles looked over at Connor and broke off.
"Tell me," he insisted. "They can't do it anymore."
"The Dawl wanted to see how well the baby healed. Eve planned on sending him back to you...in pieces," Giles replied bluntly.
Connor thought he was prepared for anything. Angel caught him before his legs went out from under him. Buffy took his hand.
"I'll call Spike and let him know," she said. "Just in case the Dawl decide they want to try and get the baby themselves."
Connor just bobbed his head, unable to speak.
"Give that letter to Danforth so she knows," Angel said to Giles, guiding Connor for the stairs.
"I will. I'm glad your son is safe, Connor," the older man said.
"Thank you," Connor whispered.
He let Angel help him upstairs. The vampire started the shower for him. His dad clamped his hands on his shoulders. "You going to be all right, Connor?"
Connor nodded, taking in a ragged breath. Angel hugged him tightly.
"It'll be all right now, son, I promise. You get warmed up better and get into bed. And you let us worry about the Dawl. I think we can convince them that it's in their best interest to never bother us again."
Connor hugged Angel back, pressing his face against his father's shoulder. "Thank you, Dad."
"Nothing is going to hurt my grandson again if I have anything to say about it."
The grim look on Angel's face left no doubts of that in Connor's mind. After his father left, Connor let the steaming water stream over him, heating him up. He tumbled into bed thinking he'd be awake all night imagining the horrible things the Dawl had planned for his baby but sleep was waiting for him with open arms.