"You're sister wants my help huh?" Connor echoed, his tone surprised and mildly suspicious. "She didn't seem to trust me too much last night."
"She knows you're on the home team now," Dawn assured him. "Angel explained..."
"Angel!" Connor exclaimed. "So she takes his word and now everything's OK? What is it about him....?"
"She trusts him." Dawn said simply. "And she needs your help."
"So does he then right?" Connor assumed. "I mean, if all it took was a heart to heart from him then obviously he's in this as well full stop. It was probably his idea to get you to come here."
"No, it was Buffy's." Dawn admitted, "but Angel is helping and that shouldn't prevent you from helping too. Lives are at stake here and whether you want to believe it or not, Angel is fighting with us, not against us. Will you help anyway?"
"I don't know." Connor said, unsure he wanted to ally himself with his father in any sort of battle whatsoever.
"Nobody is asking you to be his best friend Connor," Dawn said, sensing his thoughts. "All Buffy wants is for you to watch over the daycare centers on the East End...make sure this thing doesn't attack again and if it does..."
"I can handle it." Connor said firmly, his eyes narrowing in a moment of instant decision. "Are you....will you be coming with me?"
"Only for the day patrols. I promised Buffy I would stay in the hotel at night when the fun really starts."
"That's probably best." Connor agreed. "It's safer that way."
"I don't know about you, but I'm getting real sick of being tiptoed around. I don't know if Buffy told you this, but the first time this thing attacked was during the day. I don't need extreme protection and I don't need people thinking I'm helpless....especially not you."
"I'm sorry." Connor apologized, immediately knowing what he had done wrong. "It's just...I like you Dawn and I don't want to see you get hurt."
Dawn smiled, feeling slightly warmed and pleasantly confused by his words.
"Thanks...but I'll be OK. I'm a Summers girl....we don't let anything keep us down."