A/N: Okay, this took forever to write b/c I kind of got into Hawaii 5-0, but mostly it took forever because it's got that required oh-my-god-I-know-who-you-are-now scene. There's also a lot of Angel and Faith in this chapter. Enjoy! And thanks for all the reviews and alerts!
Angel unsnapped the harness around his shoulders and let it fall to the ground with the rest of his parachute. He then opened his pack and buckled his favorite broadsword across his torso. He quickly crouched down in the long grass when he heard the noise of footsteps in the nearby trees.
"Are you Angel?" an accented male voice whispered loudly.
"Who's asking?"
A young man carrying a fisherman's knife and a hunting rifle emerged from the trees and cautiously knelt down in front of Angel. "Are you here to fight the man on the hill?" he asked.
"I'm here to rescue Faith."
The young man smiled. "Then you are here to fight the man on the hill. I am Enzo Mallani. Father Cassini has a plan. Come with me."
"Father—what—who?" Angel asked before grabbing his coat and second sword.
Twenty minutes later, he was crouched at the foot of the steep, narrow, stone steps to En'Shon's mansion. Enzo—who was apparently head of the local fisherman's guild—and Father Cassini's plan reeked of rushed insanity. It was, however, better than Angel's plan which was to run really fast and try not to get dusted.
The lights went off in the mansion and around the village. A confused murmur from the guards at the door and Angel took off up the steps. The guards were made up of assorted, lesser demons. He didn't even have to unsheath either of his swords, he simply used the one in his hand like a club and knocked the demons out or shoved them off the side of the steps. He ducked when the door opened and reinforcements poured out. Shots rang out from beneath them and the demon's scattered. Angel hadn't asked where the fishermen got the guns and he frankly didn't want to know.
In the confusion, Angel ran through the doorway and kicked the heavy door shut as he grabbed a dwarf-like gray demon. The demon squealed as Angel picked him up by the throat and said, "Where's Faith?"
"What?"
"The Slayer your boss had kidnapped. Where is she?"
"Basement. Please don't kill me."
"Oh, I'm not going to kill you," Angel promised. "You're taking me to her. Now, go!"
Few enemies crossed their path as the tiny gray being led Angel through the corridors of the mansion. When one of the Gorvan'Chak appeared, Angel just grabbed the little squirt and hid in a corner. He was going to need all the stamina he had to get Faith out of the mansion.
The gray dwarf led him to a small room barely larger than a closet. Faith was in the center hooked up to various modern medical devices that were slowly draining the blood from her body. To Angel's horror, Faith was conscious.
"You know how to get this stuff out of her?"
The gray demon hastily nodded.
"Do it!" Angel ordered as he went to Faith's side. "Hey. Hey, Faith, you with me?"
Her eyes became focused as she clutched his arm. "Angel?" she asked, her voice quavering.
"Yeah," he said, smiling comfortingly. "Connor called me."
"Ah!" Faith screamed as the gray imp pulled a tube out of her lower abdomen. "God, I love that kid almost as much as I hate that gray bastard there."
Angel quickly taped gauze over the wounds on her arms and stomach and said, "Can you walk?"
"I don't know. I don't think so," she replied, her voice breaking.
"Well, you're gonna have to," Angel told her as he hit the gray demon in the head, knocking him out. "Let's go."
Angel held onto Faith with his free arm and led her cautiously into the hall. They'd only made it a few feet before five Gorvan'Chak rounded a corner. Angel remembered what Connor said about beheading and slashed at them as quickly as possible. They were reduced to puddles of goo in mere moments while Faith huddled near the wall, reduced to tears.
"Come on!" Angel yelled, grabbing Faith's hand and pulling her along behind him.
He pulled her into a small room and checked through a crack in the door. Faith shook violently as she rested against a small table. Angel went to the sobbing woman and grabbed her shoulders to make her face him. "Faith, listen to me. We're gonna make it out of here, but I need your help," he told her, holding up the weapon in his hand. "You need to take this sword and help me fight our way out of here."
"I can't. I can't do it," she cried.
"Stop it, Faith!" he yelled, shaking her shoulders.
"No, no, it's over. It's all over," she sobbed.
Angel was stunned. He'd seen Faith break before. He'd seen her beg him to kill her. Yes, he'd seen her break; he'd never seen her broken.
"No, you listen to me, Faith Anne Lehane," he hissed, shaking her as hard as he could without breaking her. "You are better than this. You are stronger than this. You nearly lost your soul and you fought your way back from the brink to keep it. If you can fight your way out of that, you can fight your way out of here. Now, take this sword, and help me."
Faith flinched and her breath caught in her throat. She wrapped her fingers slowly around the hilt of the sword and took it from his hand.
"You good?" Angel asked, letting go of her and backing away slightly.
"Yeah, I got it," she said quietly. "Let's kick some ass."
Angel nodded as they both bolted for the door, swords raised. They cut a swath through the mansion. They rushed through the mahogany halls at break-neck speed, slashing as fast as they could. One of the Gorvan'Chak shoved Faith against the wall, but she still managed to slash it in half before she fell to the floor.
"Come on, Faith, we're almost out," Angel said, hoisting her to her feet.
They were nearly to the back door when an attractive older man wearing black robes shimmered into existence in front of them. Faith released a guttural scream and buried her face in Angel's chest as he wrapped an arm around her shoulders.
"Move, En'Shon, or I swear to God I'll kill you."
"A vampire swearing to God…what a novel concept," En'Shon said brightly. "And you can't kill me because I'm not actually here. I am one hundred feet beneath this house resurrecting my master with that whore's blood."
Faith's head shot up and she advanced on the visage until Angel pulled her back.
"You chose the wrong side, Angelus."
"My name is Angel," he said as he grabbed Faith's hand and pulled her through the illusion and out the door. Shots still rang out as they sprinted downhill toward the water. A throng of demons chased behind, the bullets only slowing them down. Faith lost her footing and fell face-first into the grass. Angel turned and scooped the woman into his arms. He ran through the ranks of armed fishermen and onto the wooden dock leading to a seaplane. He lifted Faith through the hatch as the ground shook. The demons shrieked and retreated back toward the house. The fishermen looked at one another in confusion.
"Do not follow them!" the elderly priest ordered as he approached Angel. "Your coat."
"Thank you, Father Cassini," Angel said as he pulled on his coat and Enzo approached carrying a sword.
"The Slayer dropped this," he said.
"You need to get off this island," Angel told them, strapping the extra sword on over his coat.
"You think the man on the hill will seek retribution?"
"No, I think this island is about to be Gorvan's first victim," Angel replied quickly. "Get everyone you can into your boats and get them out of here."
The two men nodded a grave understanding as Angel climbed into the plane and shut the hatch.
Rome's streets were full of throngs of young partygoers. It vaguely reminded Dawn of The Bronze during Sunnydale's final days, though on a much, much larger scale. She and Connor had had dinner and went to one club where he refused to dance on the grounds she would run the other way if she ever saw him dance. They decided a walk into the balmy evening was a good compromise.
"Looks like there are more people out than usual," she commented.
"Well, it's the end of the world as they know it and they feel fine."
Dawn smiled brightly as she chuckled. "It's always good to loosen up before an apocalypse."
"You know this because you've seen so many apocalypses?" he teased.
"Oh, yeah, dozens," she joked back. It was only a slight exaggeration. "Do you know where we are?"
Connor looked around and suddenly realized they'd ambled out of the center of typical Roman nightlife and into the center of demon-friendly nightlife. Several beings in the area were bound to recognize him.
He tightened his hold on her hand and said, "Maybe we should get out of here."
"And go where?" Dawn asked, turning to face him.
"My place," he suggested, shrugging and trying not to sound too hopeful.
She smiled and laced her fingers through his. "That sounds like an amazing idea," she said, standing on her toes to kiss him. Before her lips met his, however, she saw a pair of intense blue eyes staring at her above a set of sharp cheekbones. "Spike?"
"What?" Connor asked as she ran toward the steps leading right toward Caritas.
"Hey, Spike!"
"Dawn, wait!" he yelled, running after her down the steps.
She stopped short when she stepped into the club and realized it was filled with demons. She felt Connor next to her and glanced over to find him looking more worried and shocked.
"Well, this is weird," Dawn said, looking around uncomfortably.
"Yeah, totally," he replied flatly.
She looked up at him and said, "Why aren't you freaking out?"
"Why aren't you freaking out?"
"Uh, well…"
"Angel Face! Didn't expect to see you back here," Lorne said, approaching them with drink in hand. "You gave the Immortal enough trouble, I heard he's considering leaving town."
"Yeah, I really doubt that had anything to do with me," Connor mumbled, scratching the back of his neck and looking away.
"You know Dave?" Dawn asked, looking up at him with a cocked eyebrow.
"Um, yeah," Connor replied uncertainly. "How do you know him?"
"Oh, you must be Dawn."
"Who is this guy?"
"Lorne."
"That reminds me, where, exactly, did you hear my name?"
"It was in a story I heard once."
"What story?"
"What is this place?"
"Well, Shirley Temple, this is Caritas," Lorne quickly replied.
"That means mercy, right?"
"Depends on how you translate it," Connor muttered.
"How did you know about this place?" Dawn asked, turning to look directly at Connor.
"I'd like to know the answer to that myself, and how you know my name."
Connor jerked his head toward the green, horned demon and said, "Your name is Krevlorneswath of the Deathwalk Clan and I know this because you got in a car with my father, Wesley Wyndam-Pryce, and Charles Gunn and you went back to Pylea to rescue Cordelia Chase, and consequently found Winifred Burkle, or Fred, who you all grew to love more than almost anyone."
Lorne blinked and said, "You're surprisingly well-informed."
"Wesley? Cordelia?" Dawn asked. "Who's your father?"
"Who's Spike?"
"That's not an answer."
"Is he a vampire?"
Dawn hesitated to answer, but she took in her surroundings and decided it didn't really matter anymore. "Yes, he's a vampire. And he's kind of, sort of my sister's ex. Why? Do you know him?"
Connor remembered fighting Marcus Hamilton at Wolfram and Hart. He remembered being tossed into the elevator doors like a tennis ball. It had hurt, but it was nothing compared to the suffocating feeling settling into his lungs at that moment. He felt like an idiot for not putting the pieces together sooner. He wasn't sure whether to laugh, cry, or scream. He knew he wanted to do all three, but apparently he'd decided on maniacal laughter.
"That's just great. It all makes perfect sense now," he said as Dawn and Lorne looked on with confused and worried faces. "You know, it would be funny if it weren't so fucking sad!"
Dawn jumped as Connor screamed the last part of his sentence. Activity in the bar halted for only a moment before they all went back to their singing and listening. She tried putting a comforting hand on his shoulder, but he just jerked his arm away from her. "Connor, what's wrong? I'm just really confused right now."
"Your sister is Buffy," he stated, finally looking her in the eye.
"Yes," Dawn answered meekly.
"Okay, I'm confused," Lorne said, shaking his head. "I don't remember you….why don't I remember you?"
Connor wasn't really paying attention anymore. He was focused on the small being with rust colored hands and covered with odd markings. He could see the being's lips moving beneath the hood of his brown cowl.
"Lorne, what would it take to bring down the protective spells on Caritas?"
"Well, any number of things, but mostly powerful sorcerers…Why?"
"You mean like that guy?"
Lorne looked behind him and immediately his shoulders slumped. "Dammit. I just had this place redecorated."
"What's going—" Dawn didn't get to finish the question before a light flashed and the air split. A black, scaly being appeared. It had a blocky body on frog-like legs and an egg-shaped head with sets of eyes in front and back. It let out a ghastly roar before tossing patrons around the bar at random.
Connor pulled Dawn and Lorne behind the bar as wood and glass flew overhead.
"What the hell is that thing?"
Dawn craned her neck up to look just above the top of the bar. Connor pulled her down just as a chair flew over them and connected with the back wall. Lorne moaned and rubbed his head between his horns in frustration.
"What do you think you're doing?"
"I'm trying to figure out what the hell that thing is!" she screamed back at him angrily. "It's a Rak'Nar beast, in case you're interested."
"How would you know?"
"My sister's the Slayer! I picked up a few things!"
"Then what's a Rak'Nar beast?" he shouted over the din.
"A beast summoned from the Rak'Nar dimension, what do you think it is?" Lorne asked, exasperated.
Connor glanced at Dawn who said, "They're vicious and they're not easy to kill. You have to smash those gem thingys in the back of their heads."
"That doesn't sound too hard," Connor said, crouching on the balls of his feet.
Dawn shook her head emphatically. "Those back eyes are hard as diamonds. A vampire isn't even strong enough to break them!"
Connor broke a section of the metal railing off from beneath the bar and said, "That's not really an issue. I'm gonna go around behind. Create a distraction."
"Were you not listening? It has eyes in the back of its head!"
"Then I'll just have to be fast!" he retorted vehemently.
Dawn watched with a mixture of shock and horror as he crawled around the end of the bar. She grabbed the green man and said, "We need to create a distraction!"
"Are you insane?"
"Apparently, he's insaner!" Dawn shouted back over the din.
She and Lorne grabbed every bottle they could find and crouched behind the bar. "You ready?" she asked him.
"No, sugar lips, but it doesn't look like we have much of a choice."
They stood simultaneously and started tossing bottles at the Rak'Nar beast. It turned and advanced on them, but almost more quickly than Dawn could see, Connor leapt over a table and smashed the eyes in the back of the Rak'Nar's head. It exploded into a cloud of thick, black dust before Connor's feet hit the concrete.
"You didn't mention the dust, sweet cheeks," Lorne said, waving away the black cloud.
"I forgot," Dawn replied, coughing.
Connor turned to find the robed figure attempting to scurry away. "No, no, no, you don't," he said, grabbing the smaller being's throat. "Who sent you?"
The rust figure started muttering words Connor didn't entirely recognize. He tightened his grip on the being's throat and lifted him a couple of feet off the ground.
"Oh my God," Dawn breathed before covering her mouth with her hands.
"Stop trying to hex me and tell me who sent you?" Connor said angrily to the figure he was holding above his head.
It laughed with the little air Connor was allowing him and said, "No refuge. Not even for you, Son of Angelus."
Connor flicked his wrist and the being's neck snapped. He dropped the lifeless body on the ground and tossed the pipe in his other hand on top of it. "No refuge for you either."
"Son of Angelus?"
Connor slowly turned to face her. "He doesn't use that name."
"I spent four years with Angel. Why don't I remember you?" Lorne asked.
Connor laughed mirthlessly as he rubbed his hands against his forehead. "You know what? Why don't you ask Spike; the vampire she followed down here. I can't do this right now. I just can't."
He ran up the stairs with Dawn's wide eyes following him. Heat flooded her veins before she muttered, "Oh, no, you don't," and ran up the stairs after him.
She emerged into a chilled and nearly empty street. Connor was only a few yards away, manically running his hands through his hair.
"Connor, wait!" she called after him.
"Dawn, don't," he said, attempting to ward her off with an outstretched arm.
"I am not my sister!" she yelled at him, batting away his arm and placing a hand on each side of his face. "Just tell me the truth."
"You wouldn't like it," he replied, barely above a whisper.
She smiled and said, "I'm not Tom Cruise. I can handle it."
Connor moved away from her and sat down on a stone ledge. "It's a long, complicated story."
"Most things are," Dawn replied, sitting down next to him. "Just…that guy, Lorne…he knew Angel, but he didn't remember you. I know Buffy and Angel aren't the greatest communicators, but somebody had to have known."
"They couldn't. He changed everything."
"Angel couldn't—"
"Wolfram and Hart could," he cut her off, running his hands through his hair.
Connor buried his face in his hands and Dawn stared through the silence. "Wolfram and Hart was the Big Bad in L.A. Angel was always fighting them. Why would he go to them for help?"
"Because I was crazy," Connor answered, looking up and finally meeting her eyes. "Because I was born four and a half years ago in an alley in the rain. Angel tried to give me a normal life, but he was a vampire with a soul that spent nearly two hundred years pissing people off. I was taken to a demon dimension and raised by a man that hated Angel."
He laughed mirthlessly before he continued. "I hated him, my own father. I tried to kill him time and time again. You know what he did? He forgave me each and every time. And then I slept with Cordelia."
Dawn's eyes widened and she unconsciously backed away.
"Told you you wouldn't like it," he told her, his voice heavy with emotion. "I don't even think I really loved her. I don't think I was capable then. We had a baby, except it wasn't a baby; it was a beast trying to destroy the world. We'd just been used and-and I saw what I'd done and that I couldn't do anything good and nothing that came from me could be good and I was going to kill Cordy and myself," he said, tears streaming down his face. "So Angel made a deal with Wolfram and Hart: he'd be their CEO if they altered reality and gave me a normal life."
Silence fell between them as Dawn considered everything he'd just told her and everything else he'd ever said. A slight smile crept across her lips as she said, "You never lied to me. Not really."
Connor wiped the tears from his face and shook his head. "I never wanted to lie to you," he told her. "Angel and Spike said she had a sister. They never said your name. If I had known—"
"What?" Dawn asked, suddenly angry. "You would have stayed away from me?"
"Of course I would have!" he replied hotly, standing from his seat and looking down on her. "It's too much."
"You don't get it!" she yelled back, standing up as well. "I felt connected to you from the moment I laid eyes on you and it's not because our parental figures were in love once. You see, reality was altered for me too."
Some of the tension flowed out of Connor's body as he asked, "What?"
"I was a key to bring down the barriers between dimensions. I was just a ball of light. And then a hell-god named Glory came looking for me six years ago and the monks that had looked after me made me human and sent me to the Slayer in the form of a little sister, so she would protect me with her life," Dawn explained, taking his hands into hers. "And she did give her life to protect me."
At Connor's look of confusion, Dawn smiled and said, "It didn't last."
He laced his fingers through hers and quietly said, "We're the same."
"Yes, we are," she whispered. "We're real and we're good because that's what we choose right now. By the way, I don't give a rat's ass what my sister is gonna think."
Connor laughed lightly before he pressed his lips to hers. A balmy breeze drove away the chill in the air and then a warm rain began pouring down upon them.
"Come with me?" Connor asked hopefully as he took her hand.
"Always."
Weather patterns were changing abruptly. Twice they'd flown through heavy turbulence, and the plane wasn't even flying that high. Angel couldn't sense the sunrise either. It might not ever come up again. Faith had been in and out the whole time. She'd lost an enormous amount of blood. Had she not been a Slayer, she would have just another cold corpse on Lispoli.
She stirred as they came out of a short bout of turbulence. She smiled dreamily and said, "Hey, Angel, come here. I gotta secret."
Angel smiled indulgently and crossed the plane to sit next to her on the compartment floor. She crooked her finger and motioned for him to come closer. He leaned his head down and she whispered, "Your kid has a thing for Buffy's little sis."
She giggled at her secret and Angel shook his head dubiously. "You haven't got enough blood going to your brain."
"That's never slowed me down before," she replied. "And I'm serious. They made out in the park. She gave him cookies."
Angel tried to figure out why Faith would make up such a random story as they hit another rough patch of air. Faith suddenly cried out in pain and clutched at her lower abdomen. Her eyes widened as she saw blood trickling down her leg. Angel's face scrunched up in confusion. There was something different in the scent of this blood.
"Oh my God! Did they kill my baby?" Faith asked, panic seeping into her voice.
Angel's eyes widened this time. He yelled for the pilot to have an ambulance waiting when they landed. He wrapped his arms around Faith to keep her from dissolving into utter shock and quietly murmured into her ear, "You're strong, Faith. Your baby is at least as strong as you. You're gonna make it. You're both gonna make it."