Chapter 8 Earth Bound. Trust is the hardest thing to do at times. Can Dawn trust her judgment and follow what her heart is saying?

Connor arrives at the training room and sees Angel fighting with an unknown person. He walks inside and sees Spike leaning against the wall watching next to Riley and Faith.

"Hey, kid," says Spike walking up to him.

"Hey," says Connor. "Whoa, that guy fighting with Angel is really good."

"Is this the newbie," says Riley extending his hand to Connor.

"Yeah," replies Spike.

"Names Connor," says Connor shaking his hand.

"You will be training with Faith and Cordelia," says Riley pointing at the girl next to him and the person fighting Angel.

"That's a girl?"

"Yeah."

"Do you have a problem with girls?" ask Faith pulling out her swords and facing Connor.

"Not at all," replies Connor. "Just never seen a girl fight that good."

"Right." Faith tosses the second sword to Connor and he catches it. "Lets see how good you are?"

"Recommendation," says Riley whispering into Connor's ear quickly. "Don't go easy on her. She'll get mad." The two move into the middle of the room and start to fence.

A couple minutes later, Dawn enters the training room. She walks over to Spike and Spike introduces Riley to her.

"Kind of young for a Queen," says Riley.

"I get that a lot," says Dawn with a smile. Spike looks at Dawn and smiles at her.

Connor still fighting, sees Spike lead Dawn to a bench near by and sits really close to her. Dawn starts to feel a little cold and Spike takes off his jacket and puts it on her. He then rubs her arm softly to try to keep her warm. Connor then puts his attention onto Dawn and Faith accidentally scratches Connor's shoulder.

"Oh, sorry," says Faith pulling back. Connor covers his wound and everyone looks at him. Dawn walks over to him.

"Are you okay?" ask Dawn.

"I'm fine," says Connor in a harsh tone. Dawn backs away as Connor moves to the other side of the room.

"Faith you gotta be careful," says Riley.

"I was," says Faith. "He wasn't."

Later that day, Faith and Cordelia take a walk with Dawn. The begin to tell her about them training her to be Jedi just like them.

"I never know that girls could join the force," says Dawn.

"Anyone can," says Faith. "Just as usual men hog all the authorities."

"So you guys are willing to train me?"

"Yeah," says Cordy. "It will be fun to finally train another girl. Not many girls really want to join the force."

"Well, that's cause it's only for special people like us," says Faith.

"Wow, I'm touched," says Cordy. "You actually said something nice about me."

"Must be a full moon tonight," says Faith with a laugh.

"This is great," says Dawn. "But Giles is not going to like it."

"I'm dying to meet this Giles guy you all keep talking about," says Faith. "I mean is he mean and big and scary?"

"No."
"Then why are you all so scared of him?"

"He's one of the remaining first Jedi's."

"Really, wow. He's gotta be like old."

"He's not that old. At least I don't think he is."

"Is he still good with the fighting?" ask Cordy.

"Yeah, but I can…" Dawn sees Giles walking over to the three. "Hi Giles." Dawn gives him a smile.

"Good afternoon," says Giles.

"Oh, these are Riley's apprentices," says Dawn. "Cordelia and Faith."

"Oh, well. Nice to meet you," says Giles as he shakes there hands. He then leans over to Dawn. "Don't get any ideas." Giles then smiles at the girls and heads down the hallway.

"You're right, he's not that old," says Cordelia.

"He's hot," says Faith as she watches Giles walk down the hallway. Cordy and Dawn start to laugh.

Later that day, Dawn knocks at Connor's bedroom door. He doesn't answer. She raises her hand to knock again, but stops. Dawn puts her hand on the door and rest her head on it.

On the other side Connor is staring at the door and walks over to it. He then puts his hand on the door and rest his head on it.

"Dawn," calls Tara from the hall way. Dawn turns around quickly to Tara. "Connor is not in?"

"No," replies Dawn with smile. "How are you feeling?"

"Much better," says Tara. "Gi…I got some good sleep."

"That's good."

"Yeah." The two stand in front of Connor's door both feeling very uncomfortable. "Hungry?"

"Famish." The girls headed to the dinning hall to grab some grub.

Meanwhile at the palace that got invaded by the dark forces, the leader is sitting on the Queen's throne. His servants bring in Warren that they found in the dudgeon.

"Master it's so good to see you," says Warren.

"Silence," says Adam. "I thought that we would surprise them. We did. A little, until I found out that not the seer but a boy who saw you in the market place talking to one of my servants."

"I'm sorry master but I did whatever possible to keep this attack a secret. I had no idea I was being watched."

"Make sure that doesn't happen again."

"Oh, yes master I promise that I…" Adam pulls his sword out and slices Warren's head off. His head rolls down the steps of the throne.

"I promise you that it won't." Adam gives a sinister smile. "Well, then. Lets go find this boy that gave us away." The servants clean up the mess of Warren's body and head.

"Heads roll, heads roll," says a girl from a distance with dark hair. Adam stands up. "I like when they roll like moth balls from a old table." She begins to laugh strangely.

"Sorry I didn't call you in," says Adam as he walks over to her. "I know how like beheadings. Next time you can do it. Especially to that boy."

"He's a bad boy. He'll get his just deserts."

"That's right dear sister. He will. They will. Once I find them." The two start to walk out of the throne room. "Tell me, what can we do about that?"

"They're hiding. We cannot see but my dolly says they can be uncovered." The girl faces Adam and claps her hands together. "Their time is up."

"That is very good news."

About a week later, Connor has been avoiding Dawn and really working on his training to be a Jedi. He would train with Riley, Angel and Faith who were the most advanced. Sometimes Giles would come around and take on Connor.

"You are getting pretty good," says Giles after their fencing.

"Thanks," says Connor wiping his forehead.

"I'm sorry I doubted you in the beginning."

"It's fine."

While Faith would be helping Riley and Angel train Connor, Cordelia would train Dawn. They were private lessons that only the girls and Riley knew about. Dawn was getting stronger and her fencing could possibly be better than Giles'.

"Are you sure you weren't trained before?" ask Cordy as they fence in Dawn's room.

"Okay, so I did study Giles when he fought," says Dawn. "Sometimes he would show me move or too. Tara too did some training."

"Who's that?" ask Cordy.

"She's my best friend."

"Oh." The two stop for while and take five. "So, what do you know about this Angel guy?"

"You like Angel?"

"He's a very attractive man."

"I agree."

"I know that Jedi's aren't suppose to have relationships. It's against all rules of…"

"Rules are meant to be broken. Aren't we breaking a rule now?"

"Yeah." Cordy smiles. "But I wouldn't know what to say to him. I've never really been with a guy unless I was kicking his ass or talking his ear off."

"Angel's a good listener and he likes people who know how to handle themselves."

"I wouldn't know where to begin?"

"Just start off saying hi, wants some coffee. Something like that."

"I can't believe I'm asking someone way younger than me, well not that younger than me, about how do ask a guy out. So who are you interested in?"

"Someone who seems to be avoiding for weeks and I don't understand why? I don't know what I did wrong or how I pissed him off?"

"It's Connor right."

"Yeah."

"Maybe you should wait and see if he comes to you. I think that's a good idea."

"I think so."