A/N : Headed towards an end on this story, and this trilogy now. A couple more chapters left, I think, and that'll be all. Glad you are all still enjoying the story and thanx for the continuing support via review :-)

(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)

Chapter 8

At 1630 Revello Drive, two vampires and the warrior women they loved sat in the living room, talking about two miracle children whom they had lost as babies and got back from Hell a few months later as teenagers. It was the most odd of situations, and yet it seemed to help at least Spike and Angel, two vampires who had been at war for decades, finally see eye-to-eye on a few things.

However, on one topic they could not agree, and this was how the argument started. Angel, in his wisdom, thought it was perfectly acceptable to suggest that Connor go home to LA with himself and Cordelia, whilst Annaliese stay here in Sunnydale with Buffy and Spike. A wonderful plan on the surface, anyone would agree, but not practical given these particular circumstances. Spike, of course had his own way of telling Angel exactly what he thought of the plan.

"Angel, for once in your unlife, don't be a stupid git!" he yelled at his grand-sire, "You can't expect to tear apart two kids lives just cos you feel like it, you sod"

"I am talking about what is best for my son, and that is to be with me!" Angel shot back, "I'm his father, Spike"

"Yeah, but not before I was hers!" the bleached blond pointed out, "Let's not forget who managed to make a miracle sprog first, eh?" Spike reminded him, the argument growing in pettiness as such heated discussions between the two were wont to do, "Oh yeah, Angelus was so fine and dandy, poncin' around with his precious soul but who was the first of us to get the kid?"

"Spike…" Buffy sighed, not wanting all this right now, but he wouldn't stop.

"No, Slayer" he shook his head, "For once I'm bloody right, and I'm not having him tell me otherwise" he snapped, pointing a finger at Angel who looked like he was going beyond angry now.

"Your opinion counts for nothing when we're talking about Connor" he pointed out.

"Bloody does when you want to take away the one person my girl knows how to love and depend on" the younger vamp argued, "Angel, be bloody reasonable will you?! Those two were in Hell, had only each other to turn too. Now they've been spat out into a whole new place, and your master plan is to tear them apart! Congratulations, mate" he said sarcastically, "You win the prize for the biggest idiot in town"

"You're trying my patience, boy" Angel growled, his anger evident in his eyes, it was obvious he was just itching to tear Spike apart, and the demon within him fought to be set free.

"Angel" Cordelia said carefully, "Don't, y'know, rip off my head and spit down my throat or whatever, but I think maybe Spike is right" she ventured, as Angel turned angry eyes upon her.

She wasn't afraid, not really. She'd known Angel long enough to know that barring those few times he'd lost his soul, he wasn't about to let his demon take over. Okay, so he'd gotten pretty close to the dark side during the whole Darla debacle but since then he'd learnt his lesson. Besides which, she and Angel were practically an old married couple these days, minus the conjugal rights of course, but he would never harm her.

"How can you…?" he started to ask, but she cut in to explain.

"I just think that if I were stuck somewhere scary and I had someone I always turned to, it'd seem pretty harsh to have that person taken away from me when I most need them" she explained, giving him a look, and Angel understood then.

He and Cordelia had gone through quite a bit together these past three years or so. She had been his rock and he hers through so many things; horror, danger, loss of friends, both good times and bad had rolled on through and when the smoke cleared there they both were, side by side, ready to face the next battle together. She was an incredible woman, and as usual, she was right again.

It left a bitter taste in Angel's mouth to admit it of course, especially when he glanced back at Spike and saw the self-satisfied smirk on his face.

"Least the bird's got some sense" he said cockily, prepared for Angel's subsequent attack.

The two leapt up almost as one and stood toe to toe. Buffy was soon on her feet too, putting a hand to each of their chests and pushing them apart.

"Oh no, no way are we doing this now" she ordered them, "I swear, you start another fight and ruin anymore of my furniture, and on my word as a Slayer I will dust you both"

Both vamps looked down at the angry blonde with a questioning look but she stood firm.

"You know I could" she warned them and Angel finally stepped back, whilst Spike shot a wicked smirk at his woman.

"You want to play slay games, luv, you know I'm game" he winked as he sat himself back down.

Buffy only rolled her eyes as a yawn suddenly overtook her.

"Okay" she said, glancing at the clock, "It seems like we have more talking to do, so I'm going to make coffee. You think you kids can place nice whilst I'm gone?" she asked the two vamps who were still glaring at each other.

"Yeah" Cordelia said, getting up, "Maybe I'll go get that coffee, let you play umpire for the vampires" she suggested, slipping off to the kitchen before Buffy could argue at all.

Though Cordy was glad to have escaped the manly displays of anger in the living room, she almost jumped out of her skin when she came into the kitchen and spotted someone in there, half in and half out of the fridge.

"Connor?" she realised as he emerged, his face covered in what appeared to be chocolate sauce, and some kind of jar in his hand.

"I couldn't sleep" he admitted and Cordy smiled at the sight of the kid caught in the fridge, just like any other teen, despite all he'd been through in his young life so far.

"I guess the yelling down here, didn't help, huh?" she rolled her eyes, "Honestly, your Dad and Spike fight better than my parents used to, and they knew how to have an argument" she noted as she came around the counter and set to work making coffee, as her original plan had been.

"I heard some of it" he admitted, "I tried not to"

"You know none of their yelling is because of you" Cordelia assured him, putting her hand to his arm as he dragged himself out of the fringe and let the door close at last, "Or actually, it is about you, but it's only because Angel loves you, and Spike loves Annaliese. This is hard for them too"

"I know" Connor nodded, wiping the back of his hand across his face and not loving the sticky mess he found himself in.

"I guess they don't have chocolate in Quor'toth, huh?" Cordy smirked, grabbing a dishtowel from by the sink, "You need some serious cleaning up"

"I'm not a kid" Connor pulled away from her when she made to wipe his face for him, and she handed him the towel to let him do it himself, feeling a little silly.

He was right of course, he wasn't the baby she'd meant to raise with Angel, he was a young man now, and he had learnt to take care of himself quite well.

"I'm sorry" she said, turning away to continue with making the coffee.

"No, I am" Connor told her, "I didn't mean to... I guess this is all a little weird, being back here, with people who care about us" he tried to explain as he twisted the towel round and around in his hands.

"It's okay" Cordelia told him kindly, taking the chocolate stained item from his hands before he destroyed it with his nervous habit, "I think it's going to take time for everybody to adjust, I mean, you were this tiny cute little bundle when we lost you, and now..." she said looking him over, "Well, if anybody thought I was your Mom now, I might be a little offended, though obviously not because I wouldn't want to be your Mom, I just... I'm so wishing I never started talking" she said, closing her eyes a moment feeling stupid all over again, "Yeah, good one, Cor" she sarcastically congratulated herself.

"It's okay, I understand" Connor assured her, as the kitchen door opened.

"I woke up and you were gone" Annaliese said, as she entered the room, rubbing one eye sleepily, "Is something wrong?" she asked, looking oddly child-like in some of Buffy's old sweats and a decidedly sleepy state, far from the warrior she had been in Quor'toth, and even earlier today as she despatched the Enervo demon at Giles' apartment.

"I just got hungry" Connor shrugged, not wanting to bring up the yelling that had woken him earlier.

From what Cordelia said, he was sure everything would work out okay in the end. Both he and Annaliese were loved enormously, it was becoming increasingly obvious, things were just a little awkward for all concerned right now, not just the two young people returning from Quor'toth but also for the parents they had left behind what seemed just a few short months ago here in this world.

"Is the food good here?" Annaliese asked him, as she padded across the room, and smirked at the mark on her friends face, obviously some food stuff that hadn't made it into his mouth.

Bringing a finger to his cheek, she wiped the chocolate sauce away, looked at it on her finger tips and then put it to her lips.

"I think I like that" she decided with a smile, and Cordelia did the same.

"Oh, sweetheart, you'll learn to love that" she assured the raven-haired girl, "Everything else in life will let you down eventually, but chocolate? Never!" she promised, as Annaliese giggled at the passion with which she spoke.

"You won't need chocolate, Annie" Connor told her firmly, "You know I would never let you down. I'll always be here for you"

"I know" she nodded, smiling still, "I don't see why that would ever change, anymore than my being here for you. It's the way it's always been, and how it will always be" she shrugged her shoulders, as she stated what she believed to be obvious.

"Hey, Romeo and Juliet" Cordy snapped them out of their almost lovey-dovey hazy, "I think you two should try to get some more sleep" she told them, "Seriously, it's been a long day"

"Goodnight, Cordelia" they chorused as they dutifully went off to bed.

As they headed for the stairs, Cordy smirked, hearing Connor ask Annaliese a question;

"Who are Romeo and Juliet?"

To Be Continued...