For as long as Connor could remember, they had been there.

Some of his longer-lasting foster parents had just ignored them, and Connor had learned to keep his window closed, even if it was really really hot, because even though they tried to be nice to him, they scared him.

And they killed Mrs. Ellen.

They always found him, and no one could explain how.

Ms. Jen had called them crazy.

Mr. Dave had called them stalkers.

Ms. Kit called them wackos.

No one believed Connor when he said they were vampires.

(It's not like he had come up with it on his own. Their leader had told him, that first night he left his window open, that they were vampires and he was a miracle child and that he didn't belong with humans.)

(He pretended not to hear him.)

(He pretended he didn't remember all the times he had broken something, had been just a bit too strong.)

†

Connor liked Buffy. She was nice, and the way she looked at him kind of reminded him of the look on his mom's face, in the one picture he had of her, the one he was keeping in his backpack until he knew it would last for more than a few days.

The vampires arrived on the fourth day.

Connor closed his eyes, and pulled his blanket closer to his chin as he heard the knock on the door and Ms. Buffy answered.

They tried to be nice at first. Tried to get his foster parents to give him over nicely.

They always said no, and they always got mean.

(He tried to forget what Ms. Ellen's face looked like dead.)

There was talking and then–

A noise he hadn't heard before.

There were some yells, none of them Buffy's, and the noise happened some more.

And then they left. For the first time ever, they left before sunrise.

He heard Ms. Buffy's footsteps, and he closed his eyes harder as the door opened, and Buffy checked on him.

After a few moments, the door closed again, and Connor's eyes snapped open.

"What happened?" he whispered to the darkness of the room.

Nothing responded

†

After three days, the vampires stopped coming at all.

Connor was scared that if he mentioned it, it would turn out to be fake, so he stayed quiet, and got to know Buffy better.

He really liked her, liked her better than any of his other foster parents.

There was a feeling about her, though, and he didn't know if it was good or bad. But it was from the part of him that made him break a table and someone's finger (he didn't remember it, but Ms. Kit had mentioned it once when she thought he couldn't hear), so he ignored it.

†

The first time he wondered if Buffy could be his mom was when she wore the red shirt.

It was like the shirt his mom wore in the photo he had, and they both had blonde hair.

For a moment, Connor imagined if Buffy was his mom. Maybe he wouldn't have gone through so many foster homes. Maybe he would know his dad.

But that was dumb. Buffy wasn't his mom, she was a foster mom. And foster moms weren't actually moms.

He kept his mom's photo in his backpack, though.

(He could pretend a bit, if he wanted.)

†

June was exciting.

He graduated kindergarten, and he told Buffy he loved her, and she said she loved him back. That alone would have made it great, but a few days later, Buffy got a phone call.

"Hello."

Connor was eating a snack, and was only vaguely listening until Buffy's voice got soft.

"Angel?"

He frowned, and put down his cookie.

"What are you–"

There was a lengthy silence, before Buffy started laughing. It wasn't a funny laugh, or a mad laugh. It was like Phil's laugh when his mom surprised him with ice cream.

"That's– amazing, that's wonderful!"

Connor looked up questioningly, and Buffy smiled at him.

"I– I need you to come visit," she said to the phone. "And call tonight, so I can update you on everything."

There was another pause, and Buffy smiled. "Talk to you soon. And– I love you."

She hung up, and immediately moved to give Connor a hug.

"Who was that?"

"That," she said, still smiling, "Was an old friend." She sat down next to him, and stole a piece of his cookie before continuing. "His name is Angel, and I've known him for… eleven years, I think."

Connor's eyes widened. "Eleven?"

Buffy nodded. "Eleven. Maybe even twelve, I'm not that good at math. Though we haven't always stayed in contact well." Her smile faded and Connor hated it.

"But he's coming to visit?"

Just like he hoped, her smile returned.

"Yes. Yes he is."

†

Connor loved Angel.

He didn't know he could love someone so fast. Even Buffy had taken a while for him to love her.

But Angel was the best. He was nice, if awkward, but he always listened when Connor talked, and he gave him a gift the first time he showed up (a picture book that Connor had made Buffy read to him before bed for a week straight), and he made Buffy so happy that even if he didn't like him, he would like him, but Connor did like him.

"Have you ever been ice skating?"

Connor shook his head, eyes wide. "Can we go?"

Buffy laughed, and looked between Angel and him. "As long as it's better than our first ice skating date."

And Angel smiled back, and turned to Connor and the smile got brighter and…

Well, Connor just loved Angel, that was all.

†

A few days after Ms. Kit asked him about his mom's picture, Connor decided to ask Buffy about it.

"Buffy?"

She immediately put down her book. "Yes?"

He hesitated, and she waited for an answer. "Could– Could I call you mom?"

A giant smile grew on her face. "Of course you can, buddy."

"...Even though I have another mom?"

"Of course."

He frowned. "But… Can't I only have one mom?"

"Connor…" She motioned for him to sit next to her, and he quickly moved to cuddle into her side. "Of course you can have more than one mom. It's a role, and one that can be filled by more than one person."

He frowned, and she smiled at him. "My sister actually says she's had four moms."

His eyes widened. "Four?"

"Do you want to talk to her?"

He nodded.

†

"Are you going to be staying?"

Connor had gotten pretty used to everyone but Ms. Kit leaving, but then he met Mom and he had started to forget, until Phil had said his parents were divorcing and that his dad was leaving and suddenly Connor was scared again, because even though he was sure Mom wasn't going to leave, Angel made Mom really really happy, and if he left she'd be sad, and Connor didn't want that.

(Connor didn't want him to leave either, he wasn't going to be selfish about that.)

"I am," Angel responded, a concerned look on his face. "Why do you ask?"

Connor shrugged. "Just 'bout somethin' Phil said," he muttered.

Angel immediately nodded in understanding.

"I wouldn't worry about that," he said, looking over to where Mom was sitting in a chair, reading her book club book.

And the seed was planted.

†

"Don't worry if it takes a while for you to pick it up," Angel said as he tied the skates to Connor's feet. "Ice skating takes practice."

Connor nodded. "Practice, right."

"Your son is so cute," a lady sitting a couple feet away from them said.

Angel smiled, though it seemed a bit sad. "I wish he was mine. I'm just his mom's boyfriend."

Her eyes widened. "Really? You have such… dad energy."

The seed in Connor's head suddenly burst through the dirt. "You should be my dad."

The same look appeared in Angel's eyes that was in Buffy's the first time he said I love you. "Connor…"

"I know you love mom, so you should get married, and then you can be my dad."

Angel moved to sit next to him, smiling. "Can you keep a secret?"

His eyes widened, and he immediately nodded.

Angel moved to his pocket, and pulled out a small silver ring. Connor leaned forward, and ran his fingers over the design. There was a heart there, and everyone knew what a heart meant.

"I'm going to wait a bit longer, but I figure I should talk to you first." He hesitated. "Would you be okay if I ended up marrying your mom?"

"You're waiting?" he whined, and Angel laughed, before putting the ring away.

"Just for a bit. Now come on. Let's go skating."

"Okay… Dad."

Connor loved making people smile.

And Angel finally shows up! He's still oblivious about his (biological) relationship with Connor, though.