A Final Listen
By, Tarawen
Darkened eyes, blind, slid slowly across the ground – considering the future – considering the past, wondering if there was anything left. The young man slipped to his knees, clutching a deep gash in his side – was this it? Was this when he was to die?
"Connor," a voice called through the mist of pain, loving – so familiar – he'd heard that voice before, heard it so many times before – but before he'd never really listened.
"Dad?" the sound croaked from his sore throat.
Suddenly he was there – wrapping his strong arm around him, Connor sighed relaxing against the vampire. He was okay – at least for now, his father was near and for the first time Connor could remember – he felt truly safe. Giving himself up to the feeling the young man let loose a sob of longing – how could he have missed this for so long?
The past flashed through the young mans mind, Quor-Toth and it's horrible monsters – Holtz… He recalled his time with Angel – his true father. Leaving him in the ocean. Cordelia, oh how he missed her even now. The brief time of bliss when he had been normal…and then…
Angel staggered down the street, behind him followed Spike and Illyria – Angel was missing an arm – a whole arm lost to the battle. Connor had tried to get home after the battle in Wolfram and Hart – but the streets were full of horrors even worse than those in Quor-Toth, his fake family had died that day. He had loved them like anyone loves their family; he had nearly collapsed at the sight of their mutilated bodies.
That was when Connor had realized that Angel and the rest of them were out there – fighting for the cause of good. Running out of his house into the battle Connor attacked with fury only before granted to those in hell itself – none touched him that night such was his anger. But then he'd seen Angel…
Gunn was dead, died in the fight, but he'd taken a few with him first – Wesley, he'd died killing one of the senior partners of Wolfram and Hart – Fred long dead her body now holding the God-King Illyria. Connor clearly remembered the three survivors standing before him, Illyria with tears running down her face, mixing with the blood of her enemies. Spike panting in the mist, his long worn coat was torn and bloody, Angel leaned on Spikes shoulder barely able to stand even with the help.
They kept fighting, always had – the Shanshu prophecy did come true – for Spike at any rate – he left to help Buffy; Illyria had stayed to help Connor and Angel fight the evil.
But this time Connor had taken on something he'd never liked, magic…a necromancer something Angel couldn't fight. The young man had fought valiantly, destroying the evil man in the end but not without loosing something first. His sight was gone, and the world was just one big blur of grey.
"Connor, Connor stay with me," his fathers voice penetrated the fog as Connor fell further into darkness.
Reaching up Connor touched his fathers face, tears? Why was he crying? Why cry for someone like him? "Father?" worries filled Connors voice.
Pushing the young mans hand back down frantically Angel continued to speak, "I'm here, it's going to be okay…Illyria – Illyria help me with him."
A cold hand gripped Connors shoulder and between Angel and Illyria they picked him up off the ground, they carried him until he felt a bed beneath his back. "I will get a doctor" Illyria said her voice near the usual cold, except for one thing – her voice was catching on her words, it was like something hand caused her pain, but Connor knew for a fact she wasn't hurt, he could not smell her blood. He could not understand how she could be in pain…
"Father," the whisper came from the young mans blood caked mouth "Father, I'm blind…I can't see…"
"I know," he said grimly.
"Everything is so dark," Connor whispered and reached his hand out, catching it Angel squeezed his sons hand, "I'm going to die," Connor murmured certain of his coming death.
"No," Angel spoke as firmly as he could "No you will not, you can't…"
"Father" Connors voice became urgent through the pain "Father I need you to listen, I love you – I wish I knew earlier – I wish I'd listened…but I didn't, and I'm sorry…I'm so sorry…"
"Connor" Angel grasped his hand tighter even as it went limp.
The last second expanded into eternity – white light filled the grey and everything melted away from him…
A/N: This is my…tribute to Connor, and my version of what happens after the end of the show – (Note – I incorporated a comment about what actually happens after the end from Joss Whedon.)