Walking down the stairs, he noted Angel sitting on the bottom steps of the opposite stairway, hands clasped in front of him and staring at the floor. It didn't take long for him to sense his presence, but longer than it should have. When he did sense him, Angel stood suddenly to face him.

"Connor…" Angel said his name like he was surprised to see him. Or maybe he was surprised he'd actually brought the guy like he said he would.

"Angel," He acknowledged him, wondering how this was going to go. They hadn't exactly parted on good terms last time he saw him. Or, well, ever.

"So… um… William?" Angel asked him. That must be the guy's name.

"I, uh, left him in the room Fred said was his," He answered him. "Probably be out a while. They didn't drain him, but between that and the booze…"

Angel just nodded, seeming to be at a loss what to say next.

"You, uh, said something about a girlfriend? I don't see her?" He asked, noticing Angel's face twitch a little when he said the word girlfriend. Interesting.

"I mean, you weren't lying about there being a girlfriend, just to get me here, were you?" He stressed the word girlfriend a little more that time, getting an even bigger twitch. This could be fun!

"Girlfriend…" He said louder and stronger, this time getting a small growl for his efforts.

"Is currently sleeping in her room," Wesley's voice almost startled him as he came to stand next to him on the stairs. Ok, it had startled him, but only because he was having fun watching Angel's reaction to the word girlfriend.

"Wes?" Angel sounded surprised again. Surprises all around tonight.

"Fred called," Wesley responded. "She thought perhaps my expertise as it pertains to slayers might be of some use."

"Slayers?" He asked. "I've heard of those."

"You have?" Both Wesley and Angel asked him at the same time.

"Holtz told me about them. Supernatural vampire hunters. He used to tell me that I had to train harder if I was going to become stronger than magically enhanced little girls."

"Enhanced with a little magic, is probably what they believed in his day, but I think you'll find slayers are far more than just 'enhanced little girls'," Wesley gave him a look that made him think perhaps there was way more than that, then turned to speak to Angel.

"I've given her a sedative..." Wesley said.

"I didn't think regular sedatives would work on slayers?" Angel interrupted.

"They don't, not well, anyway. This is one I had custom blended. After Faith, I thought it prudent to have something on hand, just in case…" Wesley trailed off, as he and Angel seemed to share a look. Wonder what that was all about. And who was Faith?

"As I was saying before you interrupted, it should keep even Buffy asleep for a few hours. However, with the state she was in, it could be longer."

Angel nodded and looked at the floor again. He had noticed Angel always did that when there was something he didn't want to think about. Or something he was thinking too much about.

"Wait," Something occurred to him just then. "You said the guy used to be a vampire?"

"It's… complicated, but yes," Angel answered.

"And his girlfriend is a slayer?" Angel's answering growl was back. "So, did this slayer become his girlfriend before or after he became human again?" He asked.

"Connor…" Wesley got his attention. The look on his face said that he knew what he was doing. He just smirked back at him.

"It's…" Angel began.

"Complicated?" He cut him off. "I'm beginning to get that. What I don't understand is why you flinch or growl every time I say the word girlfriend."

Angel just turned away from him, clearly struggling to get himself under control.

"Angel and Buffy were once in a very… close… relationship." Wesley offered.

Oh, this was even better than he thought.

"So, let me get this straight. A slayer, whose destiny is to kill vampires, was in a relationship with a vampire. And is now the girlfriend of another vampire? Or, a guy who used to be a vampire?"

"Yes," Wesley replied. "That is the simplified version."

"So, is she just really bad a being a slayer, or does she have some sort of death wish?" He asked.

"Neither, as far as I know," Wesley offered. "She is incredibly strong and extremely adept in her slaying."

"Then why would she date vampires instead of killing them?" This was getting confusing.

"I would suspect it had something to do with seeing beyond what they are, and caring deeply for who they are," Wesley answered him with a really pointed stare.

"Whatever. I get the message," He couldn't help but roll his eyes. "So, who is this guy? Somehow, I don't think just hearing me say 'girlfriend' would get that kind of reaction," He pointed as Angel flinched again, "If there wasn't more to it."

"Connor…" Angel seemed to be trying to warn him. About what? Talking? Good luck with that.

"No, I want to know who this guy is. And how did he get to be human again?"

"His name is William," Wesley began.

"Spike," Angel interrupted.

"Who went by the moniker of Spike for over a century." Wesley seemed annoyed at Angel's interruption, judging by the look he shot at him. "After he was turned he traveled with three other vampires, your mother and father being two of them, and collectively they slaughtered a not-insignificant portion of the population of Europe."

Whoa. That was… unexpected. The guy didn't seem like someone who'd killed a bunch of people.

"As to how he became human again, it is my understanding that Buffy inadvertently summoned a vengeance demon and voiced a wish in her presence, thereby summoning William forth from the year he was turned into the present day."

"And that's why she was upset when he went missing?"

Wesley turned to look at Angel, who was staring right back at Wesley. He knew this game. There was something they weren't telling him. Something important.

"Cool, I'll just go wake her up and let her know he's back," He turned to go back up the stairs.

"Connor…"

"No don't…"

He turned back around to face them, his anger starting to rise.

"I don't know what it is you're hiding. What I do know is that guy was in a demon bar, drunk, and looking for someone to turn him. I don't think people just decide one day they want to be turned. For all I know, it was being here around you that drove him to it, and that's why his girlfriend, this slayer chic, was upset. So, I think maybe I'll just take him somewhere else until I can be sure he's better off with you."

"Connor wait…" Angel called to him as he turned to go up the stairs once more. He even sounded just a little desperate.

He stopped but didn't turn back around. What was there left to say?

"He's in love with her."

"So?"

"So… I can't tell you what happened. Partly because I don't even want to repeat it, but mostly because it's not my story to tell."

"And that's supposed to mean something to me?"

"It means that I have enough respect for Buffy to let her decide who she wants to know," Angel answered him.

"And what about the guy? William?"

"Suffice it to say that maybe, I can't believe I'm saying this, maybe he deserves a second chance. To be human and everything that means. Something he didn't get a choice about 122 years ago. Not really."

He turned and looked at Angel. He seemed sincere.

"And maybe she deserves a chance to…" Angel blew out a breath, clearly begrudging whatever he was about to say. "To have a second chance at a somewhat normal life, and all the things I can't give her."

He stared hard at Angel. And to his surprise, Angel stared back at him. He obviously cared about this Buffy girl. Was he actually willing to sacrifice something for someone else?

"And maybe, they aren't the only ones that deserve a second chance," Angel said, still looking at him.

"Are you talking about me or you?" He asked him.

"Both... maybe?" Angel answered.

He thought about what Angel was implying. Did he deserve a second chance? Did Angel? Had he really given him a first chance? He'd had some time to try and clear his head of all the things Holtz had taught him and figure out for himself what was true and what wasn't. He'd even found Justine, who drunkenly confirmed Holtz's whole plan. Heck, she'd told it to him with pride. He'd nearly given in to the urge to kill her. He'd wanted to. But he decided letting her live was worse punishment.

"Maybe," He cautiously agreed.

They seemed to have an uneasy truce. The question was, what did they do now? He was still a little uneasy about leaving the William guy there. There was still something they were hiding.

And he really wanted to meet this Buffy girl. He also needed to know if Angel really was sacrificing something for her. If so, then maybe… maybe he could give him a second chance.

Maybe they all could have a second chance.