Disclaimer: Nothing is mine.
A/N: Aleternate universe! Most likely, I am not going to make Connor date his FAMILY! eww. Everything works out in this universe as if it had actually happened. You'll see. I've already written the basic outline of what's going to happen since I've started this story, and I'm not changing it or anything. Everything is going as it should be. And come x-mas break, be ready for a sh-tload of updates. o, and thanks for the reviews. -Ash
Seven months have passed since my birthday. That is seven months of watching this amazing girl. This big blue-eyed, brunette girl with the bright smile of a thousand suns. Her beauty is equal to that of my mother's, though perhaps a bit undeveloped. Seven months of hardly talking to her, just watching her.
Since I have fewer lessons now, I take more time to 'observe the human race, and their system', as I tell my father. I suppose both my Mother and Father have grudgingly agreed that I needed to actually go out in the world, and see for myself what it was really like, to leave the comfort of my Mother's arms, and the protection of my Father's kingdom, and to see what it's like to be a normal human.
So, while I do talk to normal ones, and I do what I am supposed to do, observe, listen, and such other things, I also spend much of my time watching her graceful figure as she walks through classes, smiles at friends, and rolls her eyes at certain antics from guys who try to move on her.
It is a contrast of feelings that erupt in me when I watch this. An inner turmoil: pride that she turns them away, and a distinct rage that they touch and think of what they should not. But I understand now that this is sometimes a normal human custom, that males and females may hug even though they are not involved, and that the normal human male cannot smell my mark on her. Not that we have had sex yet, I know she is not ready. And I do not plan to do so until I am a man, as considered by my Father.
Don't get me wrong, I don't just watch her like a stalker. She calls me her boyfriend now, and I don't really have a problem with that. I've had to lie. I've said my parents are normal for one. And also that they moved and live in Ireland, and I'm just here, living by myself, going to a local college.
Part of that is true. UCLA is a local college, and I do go to it. Just not to learn. She once asked to come to my place. I showed her an apartment one of my Father's partner's sons owned. He and I are sort of friends, we socialize at the banquets and balls at least, and he let me use it for that purpose, asking also for wolfram and hart to cast a spell to make it looked like it was Connor who lived there, not him. A simple masking spell really.
We mostly go on dates to places. I loves to watch her laugh, eat, smile. I always take her somewhere different, unless one night we decide just to do nothing really, and maybe we'll go to the club.
I haven't met her family yet. And she hasn't met mine. I don't plan on it yet. Not for a very long time. But she tells me much about hers. I love to hear her talk about her life. To talk about herself. I want to know everything about her. She tells me of an older sister she has, whose about twenty-seven. They moved here from Boston. You can tell she loves her family, even though she's always complaining about how annoying they are.
Tonight though, we're doing something different. Two members of her 'family' are getting married, and she's invited me. It's at ten this morning. It's nine right now, and I'm already in a tux.
I rush down the stairs, and get into my car, a jaguar, black. She's a bridesmaid, along with her sister, and some other woman. It's in a garden near a graveyard, and I think, what a strange place.
When I get there, I park my car. The ceremony has yet to begin. I see Dawn. She's wearing a light blue dress which poofs from the waist down. She looks beautiful already, but I imagine how much more beautiful she would be in a dark red satin, or a long sapphire gown.
She grins as she sees me. "You came." She whispers, her hand delicately touching one of my buttons. I grab her hand, and snake my arm around her slim waist, tugging her toward me. I plant a firm kiss on her lips, and she enjoys it for a minute, but then I hear clapping behind us, and someone yelling "Break it up, break it up!" Dawn smiles into my lips, and she pulls back. I turn around, my arm still possessively around her, and look at a medium sized curly headed brunette who looks eerily familiar.
"Connor, this is my rude sister, Faith, Faith, Connor." She looks up at him proudly. "He's my bofriend." She says, blushing a bit, but looking her sister straight in the eye. Her sister wears a similar gown. They share a look for a long time, Dawn's is daring, and never wavers. Finally, she cracks into a smile.
"Hey, I'm Faith. Nice to meet you." She offers a hand, which I shake. We both have firm grips, and I am as surprised by her strength as she is in mine.
"Connor." I say shortly. She nods, and smiles. Then she walks away. Dawn rolls her eyes.
"Sorry about that, she can be a bit over protective at times." I grins down at her.
"No matter, I still have you right where I like you." I reach down, she's grinning, and give her a chaste kiss on the forehead. When I pull back, I see her disappointed face, and smirk. "You have to go be bridesmaid now, I just heard them calling."
She narrows her eyes, and with a promise for revenge, she leaves.
As I sit down, and watch the ceremony proceed between Anya and Xander, and keep my eyes on Dawn. And her sister, who is right next to her. I don't know why. She, or her presence, bothers me. Something feels wrong, and I feel as if I should know.
And then, in the middle of saying their vows, I realize what it is. Faith is the slayer! After a brief moment of joy of finally figuring it out, I begin to fall deeper and deeper into a self made hell.
Dawn is Faith's sister. Dawn is the slayer's sister. I should have known. That night at the club. The pulse thing. Ugh! Why her. Why not anyone else. How could she accept me, ever, when she's been raised to hate the ones I love.
And suddenly, things I had fought to keep in the dark, things I didn't want to come to terms with, started bombarding me.
One day soon, I would be turned. I could feel it. And then what? Would I turn her? Make her my eternal mate?
But I don't want that for her. I find myself within this conflict. I love her. I know she is the only one I will ever love, and I want to make her mine. I will not stand for anyone else ever having her. I remember Spike's words: Vampires only bring cold. But I don't want to chill her eternal light. I don't want to quench her fire, to make her pale, I don't want to end her life. I love her as she is. But I haven't even told her yet.
Could she ever accept me? Does she love me, yearn for me, as I yearned for her? Could she learn to live as I do. As I will. I refuse to ever turn my back on my family, and I will always do what my Father asks of me. But could she turn away from her life, to come into mine?
My mother did it for my Father, but would she do it for me?
At the reception, we have a table. We both have plates of food. "What's wrong?" She asks me, worried. I haven't been able to look at her. I've been staring into nothing. I look down to see my food untouched, and my wine finished.
"Nothing." I say in a low voice. "Don't worry about it." Somehow, her eyes capture mine. And at that moment, I know I will never be able to leave her, or have her leave me. Could I live with myself if I turned her, though? Would I be able to? I reach over the table, and I take her hand in mine. "Dawn, I love you." I say, stroking her hand. She searches my eyes for a moment, and I wonder what will happen next. I search her eyes for a reaction. What I get is her leaning over, and planting a deep kiss on my lips, devouring me, as she comes on my lap, and puts her hands behind my head, as I encase mine around her waist, embracing her towards me. I want to claim her right now on this table, but I restrain myself. I understand it is frowned upon to humans.
When she pulls pack, her eyes are half closed, and her lips are just an inch or two apart from mine. She whispers "I've been waiting for you to say that... since I first met you." I look back, and into her dark blue depths. I see the affection, the desire, the passion that I feel returned. I know then, even if I were to turn her, I would love her still. And I would love her even when I am turned.
She is my eve in the garden, my sweet temptation, and I will devour her whole.
I take her to dance, and as we do so, I observe her slow movements, the shifts of her graceful body, which is firm yet delicate. And now I can envision her, as my mate. As my childe. I can imagine her ruling by MY side, as my father rules with mother. And I can see the beauty she will become. She will be legendary as well. Her beauty is more softer, though. It lies in her innocence, yet she already has a regal air about her. She can be as beautiful as the rose, yet as cold as the winter rain. I realize then how much her name suits her. Dawn. She can be so warm, the signal for hope, shining brightly. Dawn. And she will be soon, of the blood of Aurelius. Perhaps not for some time, but she will. And I will be her Master, her sire, and her mate.