Mother Is The Name

By Echo

Part Five: On The

"Now!" Justine yelled.

Dawn was thinking 'now' what? When suddenly she was caught quite off guard. By an arrow going through her thigh. She screamed in pain and grabbed her leg. She heard 'Dawn' being screeched from several different points. Connor went several shades pale.

"You bloody bitch!" Wesley dove at Justine again.

"Dammit." Connor hissed as he tried to keep Dawn upright and fight at the same time.

They'd been rushed. This was not looking good. Dawn stumbled and took Connor partly with her. He was leaned over her when something metal came through his shoulder and stabbed her in hers. Dawn screamed in pain. Connor howled with his. Then Connor noticed long skirt brushing against him. Tara was right next to them both. She had somehow managed to get a hold of a crossbow. She was taking out the archers in the catwalks, which was where the shooting was coming from. Connor grinned a bit wickedly. Tara was second only to him with a crossbow. Spike had taught her well.

"Tara!" Dawn screamed.

Someone was creeping up behind her. Tara spun and fired. The sword slashed across her abdomen right as her arrow caught the guy in the throat. She stumbled and dropped her weapon. She fell back. Blood started to spread across her shirt.

"Tara." Connor said in horror.

She looked at him in shock. "I think I just killed someone."

"TARA!" Spike's eyes were on her. There was an arrow sticking out of his shoulder.

She started to close her eyes.

Spike just went absolutely crazy. He hadn't been really fighting before since these were humans, but he was officially beyond caring now. He was punching people right and left. You could tell the chip was going haywire in his head, but he was a bit beyond. They were taking great hunks out of him with their weapons, and Angel was doing his best not to let that happen. But they were trying to take pieces out of Angel as well.

Connor got to his feet with a growl, pulling Dawn up. She hobbled to the sword of the guy Tara had shot and lifted it into her hands. She and Connor made their way to where Angel and Spike were. Dawn started protecting Spike's back as best she could. Soon they were joined by Groo. And not long after that they realized they were the only ones still standing. Most of Justine's crew was either out or had fled the scene when they realized there was no chance of beating this little group.

That's when Dawn saw Wesley sitting on top of Justine strangling the life out of her.

"Wesley, no!" Dawn did her best to hobble over to him. Her thigh was on fire. She winced as she leaned down next to him. Dawn put a hand on his shoulder. "Please stop."

He seemed so beyond. Lost in his rage. Justine's eyes were wide in fear as she clawed at the hands cutting off her supply of air. Her face was starting to turn purple. She was choking and kicking her legs.

"God, Wesley. Please stop." Dawn tried to pry his hands off of her. "Please." She started crying. "Please! Wesley, you don't want to do this. You aren't a killer. Please don't do this. I don't want to see anyone else die! Please!"

Something finally got to him. Wesley loosened his grip. Justine rolled onto her side coughing and sucking in air. Wesley moved off of her in a daze.

"You're hurt." He said numbly looking at her thigh.

"I've had worse."

He broke down. Dawn pulled his face to her shoulder. He grabbed onto her shirt as he wept. It was all too much. A grown man was sobbing against her shoulder, clinging to her for dear life. Dawn looked up as Angel stood near them. Her eyes were filling with tears fast.

"Pet?" Came a hoarse whisper.

Dawn turned her head. Spike was leaning over Tara.

"Hey." Tara said groggily.

"You stay with me."

Angel sighed. "We need to get her to a hospital."

"No we don't." Tara said. "No hospital. Darla can fix me."

"You stay with me."

"Shhh, Spike. The corset took most of the impact."

Angel looked at her. "You're bleeding a lot."

"Get me to Darla then! She's patched me up with worse."

"Don't leave me, witch." Spike's hands twisted up into hers, and he leaned his forehead against her own. "Don't you leave me alone."

"I'm not going anywhere, Spike." She ran a bloodied hand through his hair leaving a red streak. "And you wouldn't be alone. You'd have Connor and Darla."

"Connor is Angel's, and I don't want soddin' Darla! I want you!" He growled.

"Shhh."

Spike was getting really frantic.

"Shhh."

"I can't be without you!" He sounded hysterical. "I'll stake myself! I will!"

She grabbed his face in both of her hands. "Look at me. I. Am. Not. Dying. No more talk of staking."

Spike broke down into tears. His face narrowed the distance separating them in record time. Angel's jaw dropped.

Spike was kissing Tara. Like he'd never kissed anyone ever.

*~*~*~*~*~*

Buffy had gone psycho when she saw Dawn being half-carried by Connor into the hotel. Darla had gone pale when she saw Spike carrying Tara. He was bleeding himself, but he had refused to let anyone else carry her.

"Darla, luv, we need you!"

"Get her upstairs!" Darla looked at Cordelia. "First aid kit?"

"I'm on it." The seer said. "You need help?"

"Likely."

They both started moving.

All eyes were on Angel as he drug and bound and gagged Justine in and threw her on one of the sofas. "If she moves, you can kill her." He said to no one in particular.

"Angel, what's she doing here?" Fred asked.

"She's here to answer some questions I have."

Gunn finally noticed Wesley sinking to his knees near the steps. "Forget her. What in the hell is HE doing here?"

"You shut up!" Dawn snapped.

"Dawn?"

She looked at her sister sheepishly. "Hey, Buffy."

Connor deposited her on one of the sofa's in the Hyperion and started cutting up her jean-covered leg.

"Hey! Those are new!"

"Not anymore."

"Well, you don't just-"

"There's an arrow sticking out of your leg, Dawn. I thought to remove it. Unless you wanted it to remain. Mom's always talking about needing an extra arm at times to hang stuff on, though I doubt this was what she had in mind."

"Shut up and pull the damn thing out!"

"It's a good thing Spike is upstairs." Fred whispered in a not so whisper-y voice. "That sounded kinda naughty, and he would have made a comment."

Gunn looked at Fred in horror. Both Dawn and Connor had turned scarlet.

"What?"

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"Spike, if you don't get out of my way, I'm going to have to hurt you." Darla snapped.

Cordelia tried to gently move the blonde out of the way, so they could get to Tara, and he growled at her. GROWLED. She saw red. Before anyone could stop her, Cordelia clipped Spike in the jaw and shoved him aside. He stumbled and landed on his butt.

"Cordy?" Angel was stunned.

"Look, Tara's all hurt and stuff, and I'm SO not in the mood for his posturing male bullshit. Get him out of here while Darla and I work."

"I'm not leaving her." Spike said stubbornly.

"Look, dye-job, I know you love Tara and all, but we need to sew up that hole in her. We need you out of the way to do so. Comprende? Go look after Dawn or Connor. I noticed they were a bit bloodied as well." She looked at Angel. "And I'll be with you as soon as we're done here."

"What do you mean?"

She looked at his side. Angel looked down. There was an arrow sticking out of his hip.

"Oh."

He hadn't even noticed.

*~*~*~*~*~*

Buffy had practically carried him to the sofa. Wesley had allowed her. He was just so numb. Dawn patted his hand. One leg of her jeans was gone, and she had been stripped to her tank top. There was a bandage around her thigh and one on her shoulder. Connor was now shirtless with a nice bit of gauze on his shoulder as well.

Spike had allowed Buffy to patch him up... reluctantly. He'd vanished up the stairs to Tara as soon as Darla and Cordelia had come down. Shirtless as well.

Dawn was sort of in cute guy heaven. Spike was still as toned as she remembered him being. She'd snuck many a peek before.

Buffy and Lorne were patching up Groo. He wasn't too bad. The look on Buffy's face she didn't think it was bad at all. Any of it. Lorne wanted to snicker. He wondered what the dear old Groosalugg would do with a woman who was never the damsel in distress. In distress, yes, but never the damsel. She could likely give the champion a serious run for his money on the rescuing of innocents.

Angel got a bit huffy when Cordelia made him take off his shirt. And slide his pants off his hip a bit. He'd growled when she yanked the arrow out. She'd mumbled something about people not leaving their perfect asses hanging out to be shot then the pain wouldn't happen. Dawn had to snicker. She looked at Connor and noticed he was scowling.

"What?"

"He's jealous." Wesley muttered.

"What?"

Connor was turning red. "I am not." He said in a very controlled voice.

"Jealous of what?"

"You watching Spike. Watching his father."

Dawn whipped around to look at Connor, glad the others were too involved in their own drama to notice what was going on upon the little sofa. "Is that true?"

"I...."

"Well?"

He clammed up. Very Angel. In more ways than one.

"Connor?" She did the ultimate then. She placed a hand on his unwounded shoulder, his bare shoulder. In all this she had somehow failed to notice that his shirt had vanished at some point. She stared at her hand on his skin oddly.

Neither noticed when Wesley smirked and left the sofa. They weren't alone, but alone enough.

Connor looked at her hand on his shoulder before looking at her face. She looked up at him suddenly. He closed the distance between their faces. No pretending this time.

Dawn's hand clutched his cheek as his lips met hers. In the back of her mind, she knew this was a bad idea. A very bad idea. The lobby was full of people. None of them were noticing Connor and Dawn, but still. PDA when your guardian/sister and the guy's mother and father were in the room really was bad. Not to mention friends of the family. Somehow she failed to let this sink in.

Somehow they both did. They were as good as alone in the bubble of their moment. They were suddenly very much two teenagers making out. The stress of the whole situation clouding their better judgment. Connor leaned her back against the arm of the sofa, his lips never leaving hers. He was careful of her shoulder and thigh, and he somehow managed to get himself between her legs.

Things were quickly getting a bit heated on the sofa. Her hands were all over his bare torso. One of his was snaking up over her ribs under her top. Dawn let a little sigh into his mouth. Connor was nearly grinning. Oh yeah. He liked the kissing thing. The touching thing was making the kissing thing even better though. And not just his touching her, her touching him.

Connor moaned loudly when her fingertips dipped into the waist of his jeans. The absolute passion laced into that sound caught some attention.

"DAWN SUMMERS!"

They shot apart. Well, not completely apart. Just their mouths. And hands left the interesting places they had been only moments before.

Everyone was just staring at them.

Fred was trying to stifle giggles. She was the only one who looked truly amused by it. Everyone else was just wearing shock or outrage.

"And just what did you think you were doing, young lady?" Buffy had her hands on her hips.

"I... well we... um..."

"They looked to be in the early stages of the comshuck." Groo decided to be helpful.

Fred started giggling, taking Gunn with her.

"What?" Buffy screeched.

"Don't you DARE tell her what the comshuck is, mister!" Cordelia piped up. "She'll kill somebody. She's violent, you know."

"I don't always use violence." Buffy snapped.

Most of the room that knew her looked at her with pretty much the same expression.

"You guys think I always use violence? Oh, well why is Spike still unliving then? Huh?"

"Luck." Angel muttered.

"I heard that."

She looked back at Dan and Connor, who were staring into each other's eyes. "Stop that! And get off of my sister!"

Dawn grinned as Connor removed himself. He was blushing a bit. It was finally catching up with him that he had just been caught seriously making out with a girl. In front of everyone. It was indecent. Spike would have done it, but his mother was always telling him not to follow Spike's example in matters of love. Connor's eyes widened. His mother. Oh crap.

His eyes scanned the room for her.

She was standing aside glaring at him with her arms folded across her chest. Oh this was way bad. He could feel one of her lectures coming on. Her face was set, one eyebrow slightly raised. Oh he hated that look. It made all his guts twist.

"Can I speak with you a moment, dearest? Alone."

Connor swallowed hard. "Yes, ma'am."

He got up and started to walk to where she was.

Dawn panicked. She didn't want him to get into trouble. It wasn't his fault. It just... happened.

"It's not his fault! It was all me!"

Connor spun around and looked at Dawn. What was she doing? She had this worried look on her face. Worry? For him? He smiled.

Angel looked from one to the other. It was fascinating. His son. Buffy's sister. Darla was also looking from one to the other. She wanted to smile, but she also wanted to have a talk with her son. Dawn looked at Darla. There was a pleading in her eyes.

"Relax, Dawn." Darla took a deep breath before she looked at Angel. "Care to join us?"

"Wh-what?"

"He's your son too."

Angel swallowed the lump in his throat.

His first scolding.

He wanted to take a picture, but that would probably be kinda of a dorky thing to do, so he decided against it.

Part Six: Lips

"I just can't..." Darla was pacing. "What ARE you thinking, Connor?"

"Well...."

"Angel, say something." Darla snapped.

"You really ought not make out with Dawn in front of everyone." He offered lamely.

Darla glared at him.

Connor sighed. "I'm sorry, but she's... she's.... different."

"Different?"

"Unnatural. Like me."

"You are not unnatural, Connor."

"Yeah, I am. And she doesn't even care. It's like we're on the same page. Like Spike and Tara or something. She doesn't look at me weird cos I don't know about stuff that she knows about. She just explains or shows me. Like it's not even a big deal. And she cares about people. Really. She's one of the kindest people I've ever laid eyes on. Not to mention the prettiest. When I look at her, it's right, and when she touched me, I got this awful knot in my stomach. Like I could shatter into a thousand pieces. And I liked it."

"Connor-"

"No. I like her. That's the end of it."

"Connor, she's the first girl you've ever met who's close to your age. Don't you think-"

"I ought to meet other people my age?"

"Yes."

"No."

"Connor-"

"She's the one I like, Mom. I really do. How many other girls do you think are gonna make me feel like Dawn does? I can't imagine there'd be too many of them. She thinks I'm pretty, and I think she's gorgeous inside and out. She's perfect. And a bit freakish like me."

"You are not freakish, honey."

"Yes I am, Mom. How many girls do you think I could ever tell that I was the son of two vampires? How many of them would REALLY get it? I'll tell you how many. All of one. And her name's Dawn. And she has big blue eyes, and soft brown hair, and very kissable lips."

Darla sighed and threw her hands in the air. She looked at Angel. "Your turn."

"Well, I don't disagree with what you said about Dawn... son."

Darla glared at Angel.

"If you're certain she's the one. Then she's the one. And I agree that she's probably the only girl on the planet that would take your parentage in stride due to her own unique circumstances."

Darla glared harder.

"What I'm angry about is you taking off with her without so much as a note and making your mother worry, making all of us worry. Do you know how long we were looking for the two of you? And Buffy drove all the way here. And now it's a bit late for her and Dawn to drive back."

Connor grinned at the idea of Dawn getting to stay an extra night.

"Wipe that smirk off your face, young man. You're grounded."

"Wh-what?" Connor asked, looking at his mother.

"You heard your father. You are SO grounded. You don't leave this hotel for the next two weeks. Now go up to your room. Do not pass go. Do not collect two hundred dollars."

Angel looked at her oddly as Connor shuffled out of the office dragging his feet.

"What?" Darla asked.

"Do not pass go? Do not collect two hundred dollars?"

"Monopoly."

"I know, but YOU'VE played Monopoly?"

She raised an eyebrow ay him. "I'm a few centuries old, darling boy. I've done LOTS of things you don't know about."

"But Monopoly?"

"Dru and I were bored."

"You played it with Dru?!"

*~*~*~*~*~*

Buffy was sitting on the sofa next to Dawn. The lobby had pretty much cleared out. Dawn had tried to talk to Connor when he'd come stomping through earlier, but he'd mumbled something about being grounded and having to go to his room and just kept stomping right up the stairs. Wesley was sleeping on one of the other sofas, and Justine had been handcuffed to one of the office chairs.

"So..." Buffy began.

"So..."

"Why'd you run off?"

"Wesley."

"What?" Buffy said in confusion.

"Angel's mad at Wesley, and Wesley's all broken up. You see, Wesley was the one who initially took Connor, but he didn't do it to give Connor to Holtz. There was this fake prophecy, and Wesley thought Angel was gonna hurt Connor. So he was just gonna hide him away until he could figure something out. But that bitch..." Dawn nodded to Justine. "... tried to kill him. She slit his throat, Buffy. And took Connor. And gave him to Holtz. And Wesley nearly died. And Angel was all mad and tried to hurt him. He didn't say, but I know Angel tried to hurt him. They all abandoned him. You should have seen how we found him, Buffy. It was so sad. I felt just horrible for him. He made a mistake, and it has to cost him everything? I just wanted to help."

Buffy softened. How could she be mad at Dawn for wanting to help someone. "You should have left a note."

"I know. I'm sorry."

"It's ok. I guess. Just don't run off like that again. I was worried."

"Were you really?"

"Yes." Buffy snapped in exasperation.

"Well, you've just seemed so... I don't know, lately."

"I know. I'm sorry. I don't mean to be. It's just... hard."

"Being here?"

"Yeah."

"But it gets easier every day right?"

"A little."

"Buffy, I'm sorry."

"For?"

"Everything. If those monks hadn't-"

"Don't you even finish that sentence. You're my sister, and I love you. And I don't give a damn what you were before you were my sister."

Dawn's eyes watered. She hugged Buffy tightly.

"You're all that's left of my family, Dawn. I would never wish you away, so let's not even play that little round of 'what if', ok?"

"I'm still sorry if I'm a burden to you."

"You aren't a burden, Dawn. As much as my actions and words may tell you otherwise at times, you are not a burden. You're a blessing, and I know I don't say so enough.... but I do love you."

Dawn hugged her again. "I love you too, Buffy."

"You better."

Dawn pulled back and smiled at her. "I'm gonna go check on Connor."

"Um, no, you aren't."

"Buffy, he was mad. This was all my fault. I got him in trouble. I feel horrible about it. I need to apologize."

"Fine. Just make sure you don't apologize naked."

"Buffy!"

"I mean it. If you aren't back down here in ten minutes. I'm coming up."

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Tara opened her eyes. It took a moment for the room to come into focus. It took another minute for her to remember where she was. She moved a bit, and her hand hit something cold. She looked to the side. Spike was asleep bare-chested and curled up next to her. Tara smiled. She took a finger and began tracing it along his chest. Spike gave a little shiver. She giggled softly. He was still very much asleep. Tara got the naughtiest grin on her face.

Tara took her finger and licked the tip. She touched it to one of Spike's nipples, eliciting a gasp from the vampire. She began rubbing her finger in slow circles. Spike moaned loudly in his sleep. She rolled to her side a bit and winced at the pain in her abdomen. She began running her fingertips all over his bare chest. Spike started writhing a little. He was still snoozing though. His chest felt like cool velvet. It was marred with an occasional scar, but that did nothing to detract from it.

She had never had sex with a man before. Tara had decided long ago that if she did, it would be Spike. Simply because he was so pretty. And there was also the fact that he was her friend. She and Darla had a moment once, but it had ended as briefly as it had started. They were better off as just friends. But Spike, he was different. She had this feeling letting Spike consume her would be the best thing in the world. And it didn't matter if he was male or female. She hadn't fallen in love with Spike because of his sex. She had fallen for Spike because he was Spike.

Her hand had been subconsciously traveling lower and lower in her rubbing. When it grazed the waist of his jeans, it was grabbed in a vice-like grip.

"What are you doing?"

"Spike, I...." Her eyes darkened suddenly. "Kiss me like you mean it."

"Wh-what?"

"I want you." She leaned over and captured his mouth with hers.

Spike moaned. She was sprawled half on top on him. Cordelia and Darla had patched her up and put her in one of Angel's old t shirts. So she was wearing that and her panties. The very thought was making him hard. And that shirt was WAY too thin. His hand traveled across her back and settled on the swell of her rear. His fingers teasingly dipped under the elastic of one of the leg holes to settle on the bare behind under the cotton. Tara moaned.

Spike was glad he didn't have to breathe. Years of dreaming about this moment were fastly catching up with him. Her mouth left his, and he groaned in disappointment until she started sucking on his throat.

"Oh God, pet."

She shifted putting a leg between his. Spike moaned loudly as her bare thigh grazed his jean-covered crotch.

"Tara...."

She was biting his ear now. The hand that was not on her ass snuck under the t shirt and covered a thankfully bra-less breast. Tara hissed and arched back a bit, baring her throat. Spike leaned up and latched onto her pulse point. He began sucking. She gasped and rubbed her thigh against him. Spike moaned against her neck creating the most delicious vibration. His hand moved down across her ribs.

And accidentally brushed across her abdomen. Tara howled in pain and jumped back.

"Oh God! Baby, I'm sorry!" He said clutching his head in pain.

Spike lifted her swiftly and laid her on her back. He lifted the shirt to check her wound. Blood had seeped through the gauze over the stitches Darla had put in her flesh.

"Lie still, baby. I need to change the bandages."

Tara smiled as he rolled out of the bed and grabbed the first aid kit. He kept calling her baby. He pulled the gauze off of her as gently as he could. He winced when she winced, and Tara knew if she hadn't been quite in love with him before, she would be now. He cleaned her angry gash with the antiseptic. It stung. She'd smiled when he'd leaned over to blow on it though. He placed fresh gauze on the wound, then kissed the skin on her tummy just above it.

"Perhaps I should go." He said.

"No."

"Baby, I don't think I can keep my hands off of you."

"So don't."

"Tara, you could tear those stitches."

"Just be gentle. Like I know you are. We can do rough later."

Spike blinked at her.

"I meant it when I said I wanted you earlier."

"But-"

"Spike, I've wanted you for years. Don't make me wait any longer."

He crawled over her slowly, careful to keep all his weight off of her, and placed a soft kiss on her full lips.

"No more waiting."

He leaned in a took her lips again... but a little more passionately.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Connor was stretched out on his bed with his arms tucked behind his head when the door opened.

"Connor?"

He didn't say anything.

"Look, I'm really sorry. I didn't mean to get you in trouble."

He looked at her. She closed the door and walked further into the room. Well, actually she limped. She sat on the edge of his bed. Her hip accidentally brushed his. Connor sucked in air through his nostrils.

"What? Do you want me to go?"

Did he want her to go? No. No, not ever.

"I can see you want to be alone. I'm sorry."

She started to rise, but his hand shot out and grabbed her wrist. "Don't... go."

Dawn sat back down slowly. "I'm sorry."

"I'm not."

"What?"

"It was worth it."

"Huh?"

Connor sat up. "I do regret that we made everyone worry, but I'm sorry, and maybe this is the selfish side of me talking, but I wouldn't trade any of it for getting to know you a little."

Dawn blushed.

"I don't know that many people, but I get the feeling there's no one like you. And it has absolutely nothing to do with your being the key and energy and all that, and everything to do with just you. Who you are. Dawn Summers."

Dawn's blush darkened.

Connor reached up and cupped her cheek. "And I do like kissing you."

A second later he was doing just that.

And a second after that, she quite shocked him by knocking them both back onto the bed. Dawn was laying half on top of him, and they were still kissing. The kissing, however, was becoming a bit less than rated G though - because the touching had started up again. He was still very careful of her shoulder and her thigh, but his hands seemed to be roaming everywhere else. And so were hers. She quickly relieved him of the shirt he'd put on when he'd stormed upstairs. One careful yank over her head got rid of her bloody tank top, leaving her in a white cotton bra with lace along to top and a little bow between the cups that Connor was just itching to touch.

So he did.

Part Seven: And Hearts

The bra had magically disappeared. So had his pants. Hers were undone and well on their way out. He was grinding himself against her, and Dawn had no clue what was going on really, but oh it felt nice. His hand was moving over her bare chest with the lightest of touches. She had a feeling that maybe, just maybe, she ought not let him do this, but it just felt so good. Every time his hips moved in between her parted thighs, it sent a jolt of electricity through her body. She settled one hand over one of his boxer covered butt cheeks and forced him forward, eliciting a pleasured groan from him. She was getting a bit moan-y and wriggle-y herself.

"Dawn... we need to stop."

"I... know. I can't though."

"I know. I don't want to either, but..."

"Buffy will...."

"What in the FUCK?!"

Oh shit.

Buffy will be right in the doorway watching her baby sister almost have the sex with Angel's son.

Oh hell.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*

A ferocious scream shattered the stillness of the Hyperion.

Wesley jerked awake. It had come from upstairs. He forced himself to his feet and tore up the staircase. He heard noises behind him and knew it must be the others. He skidded into the room where the sounds of a fight were coming.

Buffy and Connor.

Wesley blinked. Buffy was on Connor's back tearing at his hair. Dawn had her back turned and was.... putting her bra on? Oh dear Lord. The girl turned around.

"Buffy! No! Stop it!"

Wesley tried to grab the slayer and pull her off of the boy. He got an eyeful of elbow that sent him crashing into the wall, then ultimately to the floor.

"Wesley!" Dawn screeched.

Angel lifted the slayer off of his son's back. Buffy was growling.

Dawn pulled Wesley to his feet and began checking his face for swelling. "Omigod! Are you-"

"I'm fine, Dawn." He shrugged her hands away because he noticed the intent way Angel was watching him. Like he was going to suddenly freak out and hurt Dawn or something. "See if Connor's all right."

"Connor..." Dawn rushed over to him. His lips were bleeding. "Are you ok?"

"Your sister packs one hell of a punch."

"She punched you?" Darla asked.

Tara and Spike were standing in the doorway now, looking a little flushed. Darla moved over to Connor and was checking his injuries.

"What happened?" Spike snapped.

Buffy was still wriggling about in Angel's arms. "That little son of a bitch-"

"Hey!" Darla said.

"He was.... there was.... nakedness!" Buffy turned on Dawn, pointing. "I thought I told you not to apologize naked!"

"It just happened!"

"Oh?!"

"Well, there was kissing and one thing led to another and-"

"I don't want to hear about it! You're fifteen! No sex for you!"

"We were NOT going to have sex."

"We weren't?" Connor asked because he had sure been about to have sex.

Dawn glared at him. "So not helping."

"Can I speak to you in the hall?" Spike snapped at Connor.

Everyone just looked at him.

"NOW."

Connor moved towards the door. Spike grabbed his arm and yanked him outside before kicking said door closed behind him.

"Don't you EVER hit my son again." Darla hissed at Buffy.

"Well, you tell him to keep his dick in his pants around my sister and maybe I won't feel like hitting!"

"Buffy!" Angel shouted. "That's enough."

Darla opened her mouth to say something else.

"And that's enough from you as well." He growled.

Tara had walked over to Dawn and handed the girl her discarded tank top. Dawn didn't even realize she'd been standing about in her bra until then. She started crying. Tara placed an arm around her and sat her on the bed. The blonde witch was whispering in the teen's ear.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"What in the bloody hell are you about?" Spike snapped when they were very far and around the corner from Connor's room.

Connor snapped back. "What?"

"Don't take that tone with me, boy."

"Why? You aren't my father."

Spike flinched slightly. If Connor hadn't known him so well, he would have missed it.

"Look, I'm sorry."

"You're right. I'm not your father. But I have to tell you, you're going about this thing with Dawn in the completely wrong way."

"There's a right way to get into her pants?"

Spike growled and grabbed him roughly by the throat. "I love you, boy, but if all you want is to get into the niblet's knickers, I may have to hurt you."

Connor grabbed the wrist connected to the hand on his neck in an equally harsh grasp. "Are Tara's knickers all you care about?"

"Don't go comparing yourself and Dawn to Tara and I. Tara and I have known each other a very long while, boy." Spike loosened his grip because he was starting to get a headache.

"And I don't have to know Dawn to KNOW her."

"She's not old enough for you to KNOW HER know her. She's fifteen, Connor. You can just go messing about with her."

"Who said I was messing about?"

"You don't... love her."

"Don't I?"

"You've bloody well not know her long enough. It hasn't been but a little more than a week. You spent all of a day in her company alone."

"How long did it take for you to realize that you were falling for Drusilla?"

"That's not fair, Connor."

"How long? I forget. How long was it?"

"We aren't talking about Dru and I."

"How long?"

Spike mumbled something.

"What was that?"

"Bloody hell. Five minutes." Spike admitting grudgingly. "But you forget I led a very sheltered life until then."

"I didn't forget."

"Connor-"

"Why?"

"What?"

"Tell me again. Why did you go with Drusilla? You suspected she was unhinged, so why? Tell me again."

Spike sighed. He was beginning to wish he had never told Connor anything about his past. "It was because she seemed to understand me." He said quietly.

"Exactly."

"Connor-"

"No. I have decided. It's going to be Dawn for me. She's the girl I like. No one's going to tell me I can't like her. Dawn understands me. I like that. That's final."

"Is it?"

"Did you let anyone, including yourself, tell you that you weren't going to be in love with Buffy?"

Spike groaned. He really wished he hadn't told Connor his life and unlife story. The kid had a memory like a ruddy steel trap. There wasn't a damn thing that got out of it.

"She's the one, Spike."

"How do you know?"

"I just know."

"Yes, but how?"

"How do you know with Tara?"

"Fair enough." Spike actually grinned. "All right."

"I should apologize though. Yes?"

"No. That's not what a girl wants to hear. That you're sorry for making out with her."

"Not to Dawn." Connor said with a bit of a snort. "I'm so not sorry about that. Ever."

Spike chuckled. "Sorry to who then? Buffy?"

"Yeah."

Spike grinned. "Oh yes. That will definitely confuse her a bit. Act embarrassed too. It's bloody brilliant."

Connor smirked. He started back to the room.

Spike grabbed his arm. "I meant it about Dawn. I love her in the biggest brother sense of the word. I may have known you longer, but I knew her first. She has always meant a great deal to me. You hurt her, I hurt you."

"I hurt her, and you have my permission, no my insistence, that you hurt me. She's beginning to mean a bit to me as well. Truth be told, I had all these ideas of her from the way you spoke of her that probably had me about half in love with her before we even met."

Spike smiled. He was proud. He liked to think he had a hand in this. But he knew his hand was the one that was saying to apologize to Buffy to put her off her game.

Connor looked at him. "What should I say to Buffy?"

"Just be honest. Brutally honest."

*~*~*~*~*~*

Wesley sat on Dawn's other side carefully. "There, there." He said quietly patting her arm.

Tara noticed the calm that seemed to come over Dawn as Wesley offered his words of comfort. She also noticed the harsh tension that came over Angel's face as he stared at the other man. So had Darla.

"Angel, why don't you and Buffy go down to the kitchen and get some ice for Wesley's eye?"

"I'm not going anywhere." Buffy snapped as she folded her arms across her chest and leaned back against the wall.

"Fine. Angel?"

"Darla..."

"Please." She said through her teeth.

Angel sighed. "Fine." He stomped out of the room.

Darla rolled her eyes. "Still such a baby." She leaned over to Wesley and started examining his face.

She had been touching him lightly for several minutes before he said anything.

"What are you doing?"

"Having a look at your swelling."

Dawn snickered. Darla rolled her eyes realizing the teen was taking the naughty in her statement. She was quite shocked when she looked back down at the former watcher and noticed he was bright red. She was pleased. She hadn't been around anyone who could really be considered a gentleman in quite some time. Her own fault, of course, but still. And she never counted Spike or Connor. Her son and her great grandchilde never counted in that respect.

Wesley was a pleasant surprise. Darla had never gotten this close to him before. His eyes were very blue. But they looked weary. The brief touches she managed with his hair told her it was very soft, a bit wild, but soft nonetheless. He was a bit thin, but by no means small. There had been a rumpled haughtiness to him the last time Darla had laid eyes on Wesley. Not now. No, there was something decidedly real about the man before her. Something painful.

Then she noticed it.

"Oh my God." Darla whispered, angling his face up a bit.

There was a horrible jagged scar that his beard almost covered, but not quite. Someone had tried to slit his throat. She touched the mark gingerly with one finger. She was quite shocked to feel the sting of tears in her eyes.

"It's... just a scar."

Angel had picked that moment to walk back in with a ziplock bag of ice. He froze upon hearing Wesley's whispered reply.

"Just a scar?" Darla whispered. "I know an attempt at a slit throat when I see one. Hell, I did it myself enough."

"Well, she didn't succeed, did she? I'm still here." He laughed bitterly. "Barely."

The tears in Darla's eyes were really threatening to spill. God, she hated this. Stupid being human. It really was. She got so weepy about things sometimes. She stood up suddenly and snatched the bag of ice from Angel. She placed it gently on Wesley's swelling eye. Dawn reached up and held it there, sensing Darla would like to pace.

Which she did. Angel watched his sire in concern. He was taken aback by her face. Why was Darla so upset? And why was it tearing him up inside to see it?

Something hit her quite suddenly. "She?" Darla's face contorted from sorrow to anger in a heartbeat. "That redheaded bitch downstairs is the one who cut you?"

Wesley didn't say anything. He avoided her piercing blue eyes. Connor's eyes.

"Is she?" Darla was shaking. She couldn't even identify the reasons why she was so angry about this. "Tell me." Her voice shook. Darla was filled with a kind of rage she hadn't felt since she had come back from dust the first time at Wolfram and Hart.

"She's the one that did it." Dawn answered quietly.

"Dawn..." Wesley said painfully.

Darla sucked in air and turned to the door.

Angel grabbed her. "What are you doing?"

"I'm going downstairs to beat that woman within an inch of her life."

Connor and Spike picked than to enter the room.

"Mom?"

She looked up at Connor. All the anger drained from her. She rubbed a hand over her face.

"You're going to beat someone? Why?"

Darla sighed. Poor boy. He seemed so concerned.

"Mom?"

"Sorry, darling boy. I'm... not going to hurt anyone. I do have a quite strong urge to take some stuff out on her, but I won't."

"Her?"

"That redheaded woman downstairs."

"Why?"

"She hurt him." Darla said quietly, gesturing to Wesley. "She tried to kill him. Take his life."

"Because he had Connor." Dawn said quietly. "She's the one who took him to Holtz."

Darla flinched and closed her eyes. She hated this, hated it more than anything. She hated that something that had so wounded another had given her such joy. Without what happened with Wesley, she would likely never have known her son.

Angel had gone very quiet. Everyone had.

"You got angry." Spike said very evenly.

"Yes."

"Over a human."

"Yes."

"Wicked."

She looked up at him and laughed. It was a bit hollow, but she did laugh. Spike could always put a different spin on things.

Connor inched to Buffy slowly. He muttered something that sounded suspiciously like 'brutally honest' before launching into his little apology. "I'm sorry you had to see that earlier... with the nudity. And I'm sorry you felt the need to hit me... repeatedly for it."

Buffy gaped.

"I'm not sorry I did it though. It felt very nice. I like Dawn... a lot... and I would like to come and see her in Sunnydale if that's all right with you... and with my parents. I will stop trying to have sex with her until much later in our relationship. I can wait to have her in my bed, but I will not stop kissing her. If that's... that's ok."

Buffy just blinked. What in the hell was she supposed to say to that?

"Um... ok?"

Dawn was blushing like crazy. She could not believe this was happening to her. And relationship? Exactly when had he asked? Dawn's eyes narrowed. Was he just assuming she'd agree? Well, maybe she just wouldn't then.

Darla turned away to hide her laugh. She should not be finding this humorous at all, but she just couldn't help it.

Angel was furious. His son had just as good as told Buffy he planned on screwing her little sister in the future. This was obviously Spike's influence. He glared at the blonde. Spike was grinning from ear to ear. Until he looked at Tara. Spike's smile faded.

Because Tara did not look pleased.

At all.

Part Eight: Of All

"Tara, luv, please..."

Spike tore after her as she stormed off.

"Should we..." Buffy started.

Darla shook her head 'no'. "Happens all the time. They'll sort it out. Best to stay out of the line of fire."

Wesley rose to his feet slowly. He stumbled, and Buffy caught him.

"I feel a bit worn. Might I borrow a bed?"

"Of course." Angel said.

"Can I get a hand here?" Buffy said.

Angel grabbed Wesley's other arm, and the three of them started to leave. Angel stopped. He looked from Dawn to Connor.

Darla sighed. "I'll stay to chaperone. Geez."

Dawn was glaring at Connor with her arms across her chest.

"What?"

"I don't recall you asking ME to be in a relationship with you."

"If you didn't want relations with me, why did you let me touch your breasts and rub myself on you?"

"Connor!" Darla said flinching.

"What? She did, mom."

"I know, but I don't want to HEAR about it."

"But-"

"Would you like to hear the intimate details of the night you were conceived? It was in this hotel. I was wearing a red dress. Angel, your father was-"

"No!" Connor had gone a bit pale. "You have made your point."

Darla just smirked at him.

Connor sighed and looked at Dawn. "I'm sorry. I don't know how to do this properly. You're the first girl I've ever..."

"Really?"

"Yes. I'll do wrong things. But would you have me anyway?"

Dawn smiled. He wasn't trying to be arrogant or assuming. He just didn't know what in the hell he was doing.

"We'll figure it out."

Darla couldn't help her smile. Perhaps Connor had been right. Perhaps Dawn was the best choice for him.

*~*~*~*~*~*

"Tara!"

She spun around to face Spike. "I can't believe you sometimes."

"What?"

"You told him to apologize to Buffy! And that apology! Oh my goddess!"

"What was wrong with it?"

She glared at him.

"What?"

"Oh I'm sorry we got in a fight. I'll be shagging your sister the first chance I get."

"At least he was honest."

"And what would you know about being honest, Spike?"

"Now you're just being hurtful." He turned away. "You're right. Because if I were honest, I would have told you how I felt about you years ago, pet."

"Wh-what?"

He turned to face her. "Oh fuckall. I'm in love you."

"You love Buffy."

He shook his head 'no'. "It's you."

Tara just stared at him, stunned. She knew he was attracted to her. Hell, she was attracted to him, but love? He was her best friend.

And she loved him.

And he was totally trying to change the subject.

"Oh!"

"What?"

"You're so trying to distract me!"

"Is it working?"

Tara fought hard but lost out and grinned. "A little."

*~*~*~*~*~*

Buffy had fallen asleep on one of the little sofas in the lobby.

"Good morning, Sunshine."

She blinked and sat up. Her hair was a little cowlick-y on one side. Lorne smiled at her.

"I have funny bed hair, don't I?"

"Just a little, sweet cheeks. I can fix it."

Buffy smiled as Lorne sat down next to her. He started patting her hair down just as Groo entered the lobby with a couple of donut-sized boxes in his arms. There was also a plastic bag hooked on one of his arms.

"Good day. I come bearing gifts of what my princess calls sugary goodness and juice of the orange fruit and brown milk."

Buffy gave him this look... like he was Prince Charming on his white stead. She jumped up and started helping him unload his burden.

"Donuts and juice. Milk of the chocolate-y goodness. You are a good man." She opened one of the boxes. "Ohhhh. Jelly-filled. Strike the man thing. You are no mere mortal. You are a god."

Lorne snickered to himself as Buffy hopped up on the counter and started eating a jelly donut. She gabbed herself a tiny carton of chocolate milk to wash it down with. Then the green-skinned demon's eyes widened at Groo.

"Oh."

Buffy looked up. "Whaa moh?" She said with a mouth full of donut. She swallowed and took a drink. "What oh?"

"I'm... just.... I have to... er..." Lorne grasped for anything. "Go pee. Real bad." He rushed out of the room.

"Strange." Groo said.

"Bizarro. Agreed. I mean, I may have to go real bad, but I don't announce it to everybody."

"No. The urinating facilities are in the opposite direction of the one he ran."

"Oh."

"Strange."

"Yeah. Why do you suppose he did that?"

"He must have sensed that there was a question I wished to ask you, oh slaying one."

"The name's Buffy, sweetie. No oh slaying one. Just Buffy. And what's your question?" She took a giant bite of donut.

"Will you take me to your home with you?"

Buffy choked. Groo clapped her on the back until a bit of donut shot out of her mouth and skidded across the floor.

"Are you unwell, oh slay... er Buffy."

"Surprised." She said in a gravel-y voice before taking a big swig of chocolate milk. "Why?"

"I do not understand."

"Me neither. Why do you want me to take you home? I hope it's not for sex. I'm so off that right now. You're cute and all, but I don't think I could deal just now."

"What is this sex you speak of?"

"Ok, not after sex with me." Her brow furrowed. "Why not?"

"I do not understand sex."

About that time Gunn strolled in. he threw up his hands as if that would ward the words off. "Whoa. Whoa. Whoa. I don't think I should be hearing this conversation."

"Gunn, what is this sex Buffy speaks of?"

"Oh man, I am so glad I'm black so ya'll can't see me blushing right now."

"Do you not know of the sex, Gunn?"

"I know of the sex. I know plenty about the sex."

Buffy snickered. "Do tell."

Gunn shifted from foot to foot. "Again. Glad to have dark flesh tones so the red doesn't show up."

"So the sex?"

"It's the comshuck, man."

Groo sat for a moment as realization dawned on him. He looked at Buffy. "Oh. You misunderstand. I would very much like to comshuck with you, but I sense that the turbulence of your last joining has not settled. I will wait an appropriate time then we will do this sex if that is agreeable. I find you most pleasing."

Buffy's mouth was hanging open.

Gunn leaned in between her and Groo and grabbed a donut. "I'm just gonna take this donut and go because I was obviously pulled into a very private conversation."

"Perhaps you could help Lorne pee." Groo offered.

"Excuse me?"

"He said that he had to pee then went off in the opposite direction of the urinating facilities."

"That way?" Gunn pointed.

"Yes."

"Later." He practically ran off.

Buffy looked at Groo. "So you want me to take you home, but you don't want to have sex with me... not right away."

"Correct."

"Why?"

"I have told you, Buffy. I do not think the turbulence of your last joining-"

"Enough about my last joining. I meant, why do you want to come to Sunnydale?"

"That is where evil is. I wish to fight evil. I wish to assist you in the fight against evil."

"Oh. Cool. All right. You can come home with me."

Groo flashed his large mouth full of teeth at her. Buffy couldn't help but grin. He was sort of cute. Like a puppy. A big dangerous muscle-y puppy, but puppy nonetheless. Yeah, she might have to engage in this comshuck he spoke of at some point.

*~*~*~*~*~*

Dawn tapped on Connor's door. It was morning, and she and Buffy would be leaving any minute now. Darla answered.

"Morning, sweetheart."

"D-Darla. Hi. What are you doing here?"

Connor moved around his mother. "She's making sure I don't sneak off to have sex with you and give Buffy a reason to kill me."

Dawn giggled.

"And where do the two of you think you are going?"

"Downstairs. In the daylight. Where others are. We will not be alone.... damn it."

Darla grinned. "Hey. Watch your mouth."

"They say damn on the VT thing."

Dawn made a face.

"That's TV, sweetie."

"Whatever. You knew what I meant."

"I did." Darla said giggling a little.

"Mom, are you making fun of me?"

"No, honey, I just think it's cute when you get pop culture-y things mixed up."

"I am NOT cute." He said in a very offended voice.

Dawn smiled. "I'm gonna have to go with your mom on this one. You're very cute."

"The destroyer is NOT cute."

"Awwwww, he's talking about himself in the third person. How cute." Dawn reached up and pinched one of Connor's cheeks.

He growled.

"Awwwww, he's growling. It's so cu-"

He cut her off by kissing her.

Darla cleared her throat loudly. Connor pulled back, licking his lips.

"How cute am I now?"

"Very cute."

Connor growled again. Darla grinned a little wider. Yeah, she liked Dawn.

*~*~*~*~*

Dawn was a little shocked by Groo coming back to Sunnydale with them. But, hey, a man in the house might be nice. Buffy had said he'd be set up in the basement. Angel had tried to argue it until Cordelia and Darla had both jumped all over him about it saying Groo and Buffy were both adults and they could do what they wanted.

Dawn had been sad when Spike and Tara said they would be staying in LA. She'd pouted furiously until Connor had pulled her into a hug and whispered that when he visited her in Sunnydale he would bring Spike and Tara. She made him promise to bring Wesley too. Dawn further made him promise to keep an eye on the former watcher.

That wasn't going to be a problem. His mother already had half of it. She was keeping one eye on Connor, and the other one on Wes.

As they made their way to Buffy's car, also known as Xander's car that Buffy borrowed, Dawn was starting to feel even more disheartened. Connor followed the car out to the sidewalk. He watched them drive away as Darla came to stand next to him.

Dawn stuck her head out the window and watched him until he was a tiny dot before sitting back in her seat and starting a mental count of the days until she could possibly see him again.

Part Nine: Children (Epilogue)

The door to the house on Revello Drive flew open before the cars even stopped.

"CONNOR!"

Brown hair flying, Dawn was already halfway down the walk. Connor had barely gotten out of Wesley's car when she hit him at full force. He knocked into the door, slamming it.

"Hey." Wesley said.

But they were already kissing.

Spike rolled his eyes. "You wouldn't think they'd spoken every day since parting."

"Or emailed." Tara added.

"No lie. Fred trying to teach Connor how to use the computer had to be the most hilarious thing I've ever seen."

"I'm certainly glad SOMEONE thought it was funny." Fred muttered as she made her way from Angel's car. "I especially found the hilarity when he got angry and shot the monitor with his crossbow. That was a darn laugh riot. A hoot and a half."

Spike started chuckling.

"People in love will act strangely, William." Darla said before changing her voice to mock him. "Oh Taraluv, do you want a foot massage? Or I could rub your belly, pet. I know how that turns you on."

"Darla!" Tara hissed.

Gunn was chuckling as he walked by her. He gave her blonde head a friendly pat. "We all know you and Billy Idol are all 'White Wedding' for one another, Glenda. No point hiding it. Especially when ya'll decide you're gonna get your 'Rebel Yell' on in the bedroom."

Tara blushed.

"Yes." Wesley said smiling. "Spike must rock the cradle of love."

Fred groaned. "And you guys say my jokes are lame."

"They are, honey." Lorne said as he hefted his bag on his shoulder and made for the house.

Cordelia brushed past with Angel in tow. "I agree with Fred. You guys are lame, but I know in my heart Xander Harris will be able to outdo both of you."

"Cordy, be nice."

She looked at Angel. "I will if he is."

Spike snorted. "Fat chance of that."

They all made their way to the open door.

Except for Dawn and Connor. They were still kissing like it was going out of style.

*~*~*~*~*~*

The table was actually completely surrounded by chairs.

Buffy had cooked dinner for everyone. It was like that wild Thanksgiving when the angry spirits had attacked.... you know, without the arrows and bloodshed. And there was no giant bear.

Everyone was laughing and joking. Dawn and Connor kept touching one another under the table. Cordelia and Xander kept insulting one another while Willow attempted to referee. Angel was watching Groo wait on Buffy with bizarre fascination. Spike kept trying to feed Tara, and she kept smacking his hands away. Giles and Wesley were having some very dull conversation about some rare text that was only available in Latin. Fred was listening with interest, and Anya was scaring the bejesus out of Gunn and Lorne with stories of men dealt horrible vengeance. Lorne's hand was going to his heart so often Anya asked him if he had hemorrhoids.

Darla leaned over to her son's ear and whispered. "Connor, darling, get your hand off of Dawn's thigh. That's not appropriate, honey."

He sighed and moved his hand. Dawn leaned around to look at Darla. She winked at the girl.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Buffy was keeping an annoyingly close watch on the two teenagers, despite Groo's best efforts to distract her sister. It was on their third night there that Dawn and Connor finally got a reprieve... in the form of Connor's mother.

Darla corralled the two of them into the kitchen and shoved them out the back door. "Go."

"Mom?"

"Be back by midnight." She said shoving a stake each into their hands.

"What?"

Darla grabbed Connor by the ear and bent him down. She kissed his cheek. "Baby, I expect you to be a perfect gentleman tonight. Kissing and hand-holding only. No groping and no clothing removal."

Connor looked at his mother in shock. She shoved two twenties in his other hand.

"Have fun." She stopped to glare. "Just not too much fun. And be careful. Stay to the streets with good lighting. This is Sunnydale, after all."

Dawn grabbed Connor's arm and pulled him out the door. "Thanks, Darla."

"Don't mention it, Dawn." She was smiling. She liked seeing her boy happy.

He stopped out in the yard and looked back at her. "I love you, Mom."

"I love you too, baby."

He smiled at her before turning with Dawn and disappearing into the night.

Darla moved to the sink and started washing the dishes in it. Buffy and Angel came in arguing about some sword move.

"Darla, you don't have to do that." Buffy said.

"I don't mind."

"Where are Dawn and Connor?"

Darla shrugged innocently.... a little too innocently. Buffy stormed off muttering about people keeping their son of two vampire hands off of her little sister. Angel was looking at Darla very hard.

"Darla..."

"Yes, darling boy?"

"Where are Connor and Dawn?"

"Somewhere kissing each other senseless, I imagine."

"You wouldn't have had anything to do with that, would you?"

"Naturally."

"Darla."

She spun about. "Angel, dear, I may be human again, but I still have my wicked streak. No matter how warm and fuzzy, how motherly, I become - that will always be there. It's part of my personality. Just as there will always be a part of you that needs to suffer every so often."

"I don't need to suffer."

"And pout about it."

"I don't pout." His bottom lip was jutting out a bit.

"You're doing it right now."

Angel folded his arms across his chest and sucked his lip in. "So you sent them out to make out?"

"No. I told Connor that he was to behave. Dawn deserves a real date. I told him hand-holding and kissing ONLY."

"And you think he'll just obey you?"

"Yes."

"Oh?"

Darla moved back to the sink and started washing again. "You know what they say, Angel."

"About?"

"Mothers."

"And what's that?" Angel moved to the sink and rolled up his sleeves. He started drying what she was washing.

"Mother is the name for God on the lips and hearts of all children."

"Who says that?"

"Whoever wrote that movie Connor likes so much."

"Beauty and the Beast?"

"No, silly. The Crow."

"The Crow?"

"Yes."

"What do they say about fathers?"

"They know best." Darla grinned. "And I wouldn't go letting our son know that you know about his closet Disney movie obsession."

"I can't believe my son likes Disney films."

"He cried when Bambi's mother died."

"He did NOT!"

"He did."

"This is so embarrassing."

"This from the man whose favorite song is 'Mandy'?"

"Dammit."

Darla grinned and started singing... loudly. "Oh Mandy... Well you came and you gave without taking... But I sent you away... oh Mandy!"

Spike burst into the kitchen. "Well, you kissed me and stopped me from shaking... and I need you today... oh Mandy!"

Angel glared at them. "You both suck."

Darla started laughing. Angel stalked out of the kitchen as Tara was coming in.

"What did the two of you do to him?" Tara snapped.

Spike hooked his arm around Darla's shoulders. She leaned into him with a hand on his chest as the both started singing again.

"Oh Mandy!"

Tara glared. "You two are so childish."

"Yeah."

"We really are."

Tara's scowl started turning into a grin. "You should apologize for making fun of him."

Spike snorted. "We have to let him sulk a bit, luv. You know how he gets off on that tortured soul thing he has going on."

Tara rolled her eyes.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Dawn and Connor were holding hands and sitting on top of a tombstone. He'd bought her dinner at the Doublemeat Palace. Then they'd watched a movie. She'd pretended to be scared so she could grab onto him. After that, they'd gotten chocolate milkshakes... nectar of the gods. Dawn was sucking thick shake-y goodness up through her straw and swinging one foot.

Connor leaned over and whispered to her. His lips touched her ear and she shivered.

"There are two vampires that think they're sneaking up on us."

Connor hopped off the gravestone and dispatched their would-be dispatchers before the two vampires could even salivate about the nummy teenage blood they would not be having.

"We should get back."

"Ok." Dawn said as she hopped off the headstone.

Connor reached out and took her hand. Dawn started swinging their hands between them as she sipped her chocolate goodness.

"So... your mom's pretty cool. Getting us out and all."

"Yeah. She's the best."

A newbie tried to rise from the dirt. Connor leaned down and staked him before his waist even cleared the ground. They didn't even break stride.

"I wish you could have known my mom, Connor. She would have liked you."

Another vampire rushed them from a nearby crypt. Connor dusted him without even taking his eyes off Dawn.

"You think so?"

"Connor, she liked Spike... and you are WAY cuter and so much more charming than he is."

"You thought a lot of your mom, huh?"

A demon jumped out in front of them. Connor dropped Dawn's hand, snapped the demon's neck, then grabbed her hand again. The two of them stepped over the fallen body.

"Don't you think a lot of yours?"

"She's a goddess."

Dawn smiled. Connor smiled back.

Seven vampire dustings later, they reached the Summers back porch.

"Goodnight kiss?" Connor asked hopefully.

"Yes, please."

They stepped towards each other, and their lips touched. Connor tasted her chocolate shake. It was nice. Perhaps his Dawn was a bit of the goddess too.

The porch light flared to life, and Connor tried to pull away. Dawn held tight and deepened their kiss.

"Dawn Summers!"

There was a bit of a struggle. Dawn opened one eye. All she saw were hands pulling Buffy back inside. The porch light went back out. Voices came quite clearly from the other side of the door.

"Groo!"

"Buffy, if you do not allow Dawn her smoochies, she may sneak off for the much forbidden by you comshuckage just to be spiteful. Willow has told me that is the way of the teenage girl. You must allow Dawn her smoochies. Come let us comshuck to take your thoughts from it."

Dawn and Connor stopped kissing and started giggling.

~Fin~

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