Buffy watched Dawn sleep, afraid to leave her alone. After everything, she still didn't like the thought Dawn was still being used. Dawn was not a child anymore, she was a grown woman, almost forty, just like Connor. It was strange, both Dawn and Connor looked much younger than they were. Teenagers really but she knew Dawn like to dress her age that help with making her look older.

There was a light tap on the door. She was in one of the rooms Angel let them use. Turning, she saw it was Spike.

"How's Bit?"

Buffy smiled, it was nice for him to come check on Dawn. After he died and then came back, he stayed away from all of them. It was strange that he picked to stay around Angel.

"She's still asleep," Buffy replied, glancing back at Dawn's still form. "No change yet." A few times while Dawn slept she kicked some but nothing enough to wake her up.

Spike nodded, coming to stand beside her. They were both silent for a moment, watching Dawn's chest rise and fall steadily.

"What do you think happened down there?" Spike finally asked. "With the three of them?"

Buffy shook her head. "I don't know. Dawn said they were 'different' now. Whatever that means."

"Could be trouble," Spike mused.

"Or it could be nothing," Buffy countered, though she didn't sound convinced. "We'll just have to wait until she wakes up to get answers."

Spike was quiet for a moment before speaking again. "You know, seeing her like this...it reminds me of when she was just a kid."

Buffy smiled faintly. "Yeah. Sometimes I miss those days. Things were simpler then."

"Were they?" Spike raised one dark eyebrow. "Seems to me we were always fighting one big bad or another."

"True," Buffy conceded. "But at least then I felt like I understood what we were up against. Now..." She trailed off, gesturing helplessly at Dawn.

Spike put a comforting hand on her shoulder. "We'll figure it out, love. We always do."

Buffy nodded, grateful for his presence. As complicated as their relationship had been over the years, Spike was still one of the few people who truly understood what she'd been through.

A soft groan from the bed caught their attention. Dawn was stirring, her eyes fluttering open.

"Dawnie?" Buffy was instantly at her side. "How are you feeling?"

Dawn blinked groggily. "Like I got hit by a Mack truck. What happened?"

"You don't remember?" Buffy asked, worriedly.

Dawn sighed. "No, I remember. I guess I was just hoping it was all a nightmare. "How's Ron?"

"He's still unconscious," Buffy said. "But stable. Dawn, what happened down there? What did you mean when you said you and Ron were 'different' now?"

Dawn looked away, her expression troubled. "I'm not sure how to explain it. I didn't have any superpowers like Connor or born magic like Ron. They didn't like that. So, they decided to join us, I guess. They kept cutting Connor and chanting over his blood. Then they would mark me and Ron's faces with it. Over and over again, until we felt it."

"Felt what?" Spike asked. Buffy was glad he did because she couldn't make her voice work.

"Connor's magic, no not just his magic, his powers. It was like locked up in him. The ritual freed it."

Buffy and Spike exchanged worried glances as Dawn explained.

"You're saying they somehow transferred Connor's abilities to you and Ron?" Buffy asked, trying to understand.

Dawn nodded. "I think so. It's hard to describe, but I can feel it inside me now. This...energy. Power. It's like nothing I've ever experienced before."

"Bloody hell," Spike muttered. "So now we've got three super-powered people on our hands?"

"I'm not sure exactly what we can do," Dawn admitted. "It all happened so fast. But when Ron grabbed that Erebus guy...I could feel the power flowing through him. It was incredible."

Buffy frowned, troubled by this new development. "We need to talk to Angel and the others. Figure out exactly what's going on and what it means." Getting someone's powers was bad enough but she shouldn't be feeling when someone else uses powers they also just received.

As if on cue, there was another knock at the door. Angel poked his head in. "Connor's awake," he said. "And asking for Dawn and Ron."

Buffy nodded. "Dawn's awake too. We were just about to come find you."

"Can you walk?" Spike asked Dawn.

She nodded, slowly sitting up. "I think so. Just...give me a minute."

As Dawn got to her feet, leaning on Buffy for support, Angel's brow furrowed with concern. "What's wrong? What happened?"

"It's a long story," Buffy sighed. "One I think we all need to hear together."

They made their way to the lobby, where Connor was propped up on the couch, looking pale but alert. His three oldest children were surrounding him. Siobhan had been right when she told Angel that he looked like he was just their older brother. Ron was awake as well, surrounded by his own anxious family. The rest of the group gathered around.

As soon as Connor saw Dawn, his eyes widened. "You okay?" he asked.

Dawn nodded. "Yeah. It's...intense. Do you feel like this all the time?"

"Usually not as strong but yeah. The magic is new though," Connor said.

"No, it was just hidden in you. Your body was protecting you. I don't know why though," Dawn said.

"I-I might have an idea," Percy Weasley said, looking around anxiously.

"We'll open for any explanation," Angel told him.

"If I'm right and Connor's mother Darla was really Nyx Snape, then he had a chance of being a wizard. Our magic has a mind of its own. If it feels threatened, it will stay hidden. That usually creates something called an Obscurus. The witch or wizard usually dies very young because magic is not meant to be suppressed." Percy looked at Connor. "As a child, did you feel safe?"

Connor shook his head but didn't say a word.

"The man who raised him was a fanatical religious vampire hunter," Angel said.

For a moment Buffy saw someone in Connor's eyes before it quickly went away. She blinked a couple of times. There was no way she really saw what she thought she did. His eyes didn't just glow purple.

Percy nodded grimly. "That explains it then. Your magic was trying to protect you by staying hidden. But it seems this ritual forced it out."

"So, what does this mean for Dawn and Ron?" Buffy asked, concern etched on her face.

"I'm not entirely sure," Percy admitted. "This is unprecedented."

Ron spoke up, his voice hoarse. "My magic feels strange now."

"What does that mean?" Bill asked.

"It feels…angry."

Dawn nodded her head. "I agree. I don't feel angry, but I know it does. But that just started just now, before it felt content. That sounds weird, doesn't it?"

Bill shook his head. "No, we usually can fell what's going on with our magic, but it usually matches how we feel."

Buffy had an idea, one she didn't like at all.

"Can I ask a question?" Buffy interjected, standing up.

"Of course," Bill said, letting her have the floor.

"You said the magic feels angry now. Did it start when Angel talked about the man that raised Connor?"

Both Ron and Dawn thought for a second and both nodded.

"Yeah, it did," Dawn said with Ron echoing her response.

"What does that mean?" Angel asked.

"It means that Connor's magic is still connected to him. And I have another worry," Hermione said.

"It just keeps getting better," Connor muttered.

"Well, more than one worry. My first is that Ron has his own magic. Two magics in the same person can't last. It'll either kill the host or…

"Or?" Ron asked his wife, looking worried.

"Or drive you mad."

"I have my own worry," Gunn spoke up for the first time since the meeting started.

"Which is?" Angel asked.

"Peter Pan wasn't known for his restraint before he had magic. Now you're saying he has uncontrollable magic?"

"Peter Pan?" Buffy asked.

"Me. Didn't get the reference before when he used to call me that," Connor said. "Look, I'm not a teenager anymore. I can keep my temper in check."

"I'll believe that when I see it," Gunn said, sitting back in his chair.

Suddenly the chair flew back with him in it, smashing against the wall.

"Gunn, are you okay?" Angel asked as several people went to help him.

"See what I mean," Gunn said, sounding angry and vindicated.

"Sorry, he didn't do that, I did," Dawn said.

Several people asked.

"The magic, it got so angry, it when it wanted to do that, I thought it was a good idea. I don't know how else to explain it. I'm really sorry."

"Shit," Charlie said.

"What?" Buffy asked, ready to give up.

"Oh, I just remembered I forgot my Dreamless Sleep potion in Romania. Sorry, now is not the time."

The group sat in stunned silence for a moment, processing everything they had just learned. Connor's newly awakened magic, now shared with Dawn and Ron, was clearly volatile and dangerous.

"We need to figure out how to control this," Buffy said firmly. "Before someone gets seriously hurt."

"Agreed," Angel nodded. "But how? This isn't like anything we've dealt with before."

"Perhaps I can be of assistance," a new voice chimed in. Everyone turned to see Illyria standing in the doorway, her blue-tinged form a stark contrast to the warm tones of the hotel lobby.

"You know something about this?" Wesley asked, eyeing her warily.

Illyria tilted her head, studying Connor, Dawn and Ron intently. "I sense the power within them. It is...familiar. Reminiscent of the Old Ones."

"That doesn't sound good," Xander muttered.

"It is neither good nor bad," Illyria replied. "It simply is. But I may be able to help them learn to control it."

Connor eyed her skeptically. "How?"

"In my time, such power was commonplace," Illyria explained. "I can teach you techniques to harness and direct it."

Angel looked uncertain. "I don't know if that's a good idea..."

"Do we have a choice?" Dawn asked. "I don't want to accidentally hurt anyone else."

Ron nodded in agreement. "If she can help, I think we should let her try."

Angel sighed, knowing they were right. "Alright. But we'll be monitoring the situation closely."

As Illyria began explaining her proposed training regimen to Connor, Dawn, and Ron, Buffy pulled Angel aside.

"What do you think about all this?" she asked quietly.

Angel ran a hand through his hair, looking troubled. "Honestly? I'm worried. Connor's always been powerful, but this...this is on a whole other level. And now Dawn and Ron are caught up in it too."

"I know. It's all so messed up."

When they rejoined the group, Illyria had gone.

"Where's Illyria?" Angel asked.

"Something about test subjects, we thought it best not to ask too much. She'll be back in a few days," Wesley said.

"I can't wait a few days. I need to get home to my husband. What day is it?" Dawn asked, wringing her hands together.

"The 26th," Wesley told her.

"Fuck," Connor said turning to his kids. "I missed Christmas. I'm so fucking sorry."

"Language," Angel said and then flew across the room into the wall.

"Sorry," Ron said, looking horrified at what apparently he did. He then looked at Connor. "How do you keep it in control, all I felt then was unadulterated hate."

"Took a long time. But Angel and Gunn are probably the only two that will get me that angry."

"Why?" Willow asked.

"They know why."

The tension in the room was palpable after Connor's outburst and Ron's accidental attack on Angel. Everyone seemed on edge, unsure how to proceed with this volatile new situation.

Buffy cleared her throat. "Okay, let's try to stay calm. Getting angry clearly isn't going to help anyone right now."

"Easier said than done," Dawn muttered, rubbing her temples. "It's like there's this...pressure building up inside."

"Perhaps we should take a break," Giles suggested. "Give everyone a chance to rest and process what we've learned."

Angel nodded in agreement as he picked himself up off the floor. "Good idea. Why don't we reconvene in a few hours? That'll give us time to make some calls, see if we can find any information on this type of magical transfer."

As the group began to disperse, Connor turned to his children. "I really am sorry about Christmas," he said softly. "I'll make it up to you guys, I promise."

Siobhan gave him a small smile. "It's okay, Dad. We're just glad you're alive."

Liam nodded in agreement. "Yeah, and now you've got cool new powers. That's way better than any present."

Connor chuckled weakly. "We'll see about that. Where's Aoife?"

"Upstairs napping," Ronan replied. "She's been asking for you."

"I should go see her," Connor said, starting to stand.

Angel moved to help him, but Connor waved him off. "I've got it," he said, his tone clipped.

As Connor made his way upstairs, followed closely by his older children, Angel sighed heavily.

"This isn't going to be easy, is it?" Buffy asked, coming to stand beside him.

Angel shook his head. "When is it ever?" He paused, looking troubled. "I just hope we can figure this out before someone gets seriously hurt." Angel paused. "Hey, I was thinking now since we have everyone back. We through a Christmas party for the kids."

"That's a great idea. But run it by Connor first. I don't want him to think you're stepping on his toes with his kids. I have a feeling he wouldn't like that. Mom hated when people tried to give her parenting advice, I hated it too when people tried to tell me how to take care of Dawn."

Angel nodded thoughtfully at Buffy's advice. "You're right, I'll talk to Connor first before planning anything. I don't want to overstep."

As they discussed potential party ideas, Dawn approached them hesitantly. "Hey, um, I hate to interrupt but...is there any way I could call my husband? Let him know I'm okay?"

"Of course," Angel said. "Use the phone in my office. Take as long as you need."

Dawn gave a grateful smile and headed off to make her call.

Meanwhile, Ron was huddled with his family, explaining what had happened as best he could. Hermione listened with a worried frown.

"We need to figure out how to stabilize this new magic," she said. "Having two conflicting magical cores could be extremely dangerous."

"I know," Ron sighed. "But how? It's not like there's a guidebook for this sort of thing."

"How didn't I die though? Suppressed magic always kills the person. Dawn and Connor, they are both different, I know that. But I'm just a normal person," Ron asked.

"A normal wizard. Your body was already used to magic. This will cause problems no doubt but you're alive because you are a wizard," Percy said with a certainty that Hermione was almost in awe of.

Connor reappeared, carrying a sleepy-looking Aoife. The little girl's face lit up when she saw the others.

"Grandpa!" she called out, waving excitedly.

Angel couldn't help but smile, despite the tension of the situation. "Hey there, kiddo. Did you have a good nap?"

Aoife nodded enthusiastically. "Uh-huh. Daddy says I was a brave girl while he was away."

"You were. Can I talk to your daddy alone for a moment?" She bit her bottom lip and looked anxious. "Don't worry, I won't take him out of your sight."

"Okay," she said before wiggling until Connor put her down.

Once they were away from everyone, Angel got a good look at his son.

"How are you really?"

"My kids are safe. That's all that matters."

"I'm asking if my kid is okay."

"I'm fine. Feel guilty as hell for Dawn and Ron though. It's taken me about forty years to control my anger."

"Is your anger that bad?"

"Always has been. Except for the few months that I had no idea who I really was. Thanks for that by the way."

"You were broken Connor, and I didn't know how to fix you."

"I didn't get it for a long time. But those four," Connor said, pointing to his children. "I would walk through fire for without blinking. But giving them up, I think would destroy me worse than anything physical. To do what you did for me, thank you."

Angel was stunned into silence for a moment by Connor's words of gratitude. It was more than he ever expected to hear from his son about that painful decision.

"I...Thank you, Connor. That means a lot," Angel said softly. "I've always wondered if I did the right thing."

Connor gave a small shrug. "It wasn't perfect. But I understand why you did it now." He glanced over at his children. "Being a parent changes everything."

Angel nodded in agreement. "It really does." He hesitated, then continued, "Speaking of which, I had an idea. I know you missed Christmas with the kids. What if we threw a belated Christmas party here at the hotel? Give them a chance to celebrate now that you're back safe?"

Connor considered it for a moment. "That's...actually not a bad idea. The kids would love it." He gave Angel a wry smile. "Just don't go overboard, okay? We're not exactly the Waltons."

Angel chuckled. "Noted. I'll keep it low-key."

As they rejoined the others, Dawn emerged from Angel's office looking relieved. "I got through to my husband. He was worried sick, but I told him I'm okay and will be home soon."

"That's good," Buffy said, giving her sister a hug. "How did you explain...?" She gestured vaguely, indicating Dawn's new magical situation.

Dawn sighed. "I didn't, not really. Just said there were some complications, and I'd explain everything when I got home." She looked at Connor and Ron. "Which brings up a good point - how exactly are we going to deal with this long-term? We can't stay here indefinitely while we figure out how to control these new powers."

Ron nodded in agreement. "I've got a job to get back to. And a family."

Connor ran a hand through his hair, looking troubled. "I'm probably fired from my job."

"Talking about that. Liam says you're an assassin?" Faith asked.

"I'm a prison doctor. Twice I've had to administer the lethal injection twice." He glared at Liam.

"You're a doctor?" Angel asked.

"Yes. I worked my ass off to get my degree. Trust me it wasn't easy with three kids."

"Thanks Dad, we love you too," Liam said but he was smiling.

Angel felt a swell of pride hearing that Connor had become a doctor, especially while raising three kids. But he could also sense the underlying tension - Connor clearly hadn't had an easy path.

"That's incredible, Connor," Angel said sincerely. "I had no idea you'd gone into medicine."

Connor shrugged, looking a bit uncomfortable with the praise. "It seemed like a good way to help people. To try and make up for some of the damage I've done."

There was an awkward silence for a moment before Buffy spoke up. "So, about this Christmas party idea - when were you thinking of having it?"

"How about tomorrow night?" Angel suggested. "Give us time to get some decorations and food together."

Connor nodded. "Sounds good. The kids could use something fun after everything that's happened."

As they began to discuss party plans, Ron pulled Hermione aside. "We should probably head home soon. Mum and Dad will be worried."

Hermione bit her lip, looking torn. "Are you sure that's a good idea? With your magic being so unstable..."

"I can't hide away forever," Ron said firmly. "Besides, maybe being around normal magic will help stabilize things."

"Perhaps," Hermione conceded. "But promise me you'll be careful. And if anything feels off, you'll tell me right away."

"You'll stay for the Christmas party though, right?" Dawn asked. She must have overheard them.

"I'm not sure," Hermione said.

"I know you want to get back home. So do I but I'm moving slow, Connor's moving slow and I'm sure Ron is too. Maybe a few more days to recover won't be a bad idea."

"And we promised Illyria we would see what lesson she had for us," Connor said from across the room.

"You heard us?" Hermione asked.

"Vampire senses."

"Wait, if you two have his magic do you have his vampire senses too?" Percy asked.

"I can hear better and smell better, but I can't really tell what it is. It's so much," Dawn said.

"You'll get used to it. At first, you'll hear everything and smell everything. Soon you'll be able to narrow that down to what you want," Connor said.

Connor looked thoughtful for a moment. "I can try to help you both learn to manage the enhanced senses. It takes some practice, but you'll get used to it."

Dawn nodded gratefully. "That would be really helpful, thanks."

"So, we're staying for the party then?" Ron asked Hermione.

She sighed but nodded. "I suppose a few more days won't hurt. And it would be good for you to get some guidance on controlling these new abilities."

George got away without anyone noticing him. He found the demon Lorne at a club he had heard him talk about during the search.

"If it isn't tall and spicy, what can I do for you?" Lorne asked.

"Tell me how to get my brother back?"

"Since Ron has been rescued I'm guessing you're not talking about him."

"No, Fred. You said I could find him and bring him back to being alive. I have to try."

"I can only tell you where the starting point is, but you cannot go alone. It's a two person trial."

"I can't ask anyone else to risk their lives. I'll do it alone."

"No, you won't. I haven't had a good trial in a while," a voice said from behind him. It was the vampire Spike. Spike looked between him and Lorne. "So, we getting this show on the road?"