Summary: Connor dreams of a family he'll never have... or so he thinks. We know better. AUish

A/N: Very very very losely based on the children's book "O monstro que me ama" (The Monster Who Loves Me), a story about the world's perspective through the eyes of a baby. A oneshot for now, but I might add to it once I finish the current story I'm working on.

Disclaimer: I don't own Angel, that belongs to Joss Whedon and whoever else has claims to it. I also don't own O monstro que me ama, but I know the writer doesn't mind... thanks mom. ;)

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I'll let you in on a secret.

Sometimes I dream I have another family.

I know how bad that sounds, but it's not like I can help it. I mean it literally. Like when I'm asleep. The dreams are never clear enough for me to describe. It's more like flashes of images, impressions of feelings. Of feeling safe and loved and warm and wanted. I never hear any words, but when their lips move I know the overall meaning behind the nonsense sounds.

They're not like a normal family. Not only are they an eclectic mishmash you'd never think would come together, but some of them… well… they aren't human. But hey, it's a dream. Anything goes, right?

There's a brown-haired girl,thin, light skin, big doe eyes. She likes to babble at me. I remember her holding me to her chest, her arms comforting me and protecting me all at once. Why she needs to protect me I don't know. But I guess all my family – my dream family – has this overprotective mama bear vibe thing going.

Then there's a man. He's quiet, reserved. He's somehow slightly diferent, but I don't know how exactly. It's something to do with his babbling I think. He's got light skin too, but black hair. And he wears glasses. I also know he feels uncomfortable sometimes, with being put in charge of taking care of me. Like he's terrified he'll make the wrong choice and somehow hurt instead of help. But I know he won't. He's my family. I trust him as implicitly as any of the others.

There's another man, sometimes he's there with the brown-haired girl. He's got somewhat dark skin, a shaved head, and a big smile. He's a lot chattier than the man with glasses, but quieter than the girl. Then again, no one's as chatty as she is. He loves to play with me and make me laugh. It brings up this special something in his face, something good and I can't help but be happy.

There's another girl too. She's beautiful, with tanned skin and short hair. Maybe she's my mom in this dream family of mine. She's warm and loving and soft. She likes to babble at me too, come to think of it. And hold me. She loves to snuggle with me, keeping me warm.

My whole family loves to do that. I think they fight with each other for the chance to be the next one to cuddle with me. It's all good natured fun, of course. And it makes me all warm inside, like they all love me so much none of them can bear to be away for too long, like they all need to reassure I'm still there and safe and happy.

There's also a man who's green with red horns and red eyes. Hey, I told you not everyone in this family was human. He's as loving as the rest, and what I remember most about him is singing. He loves to sing to me and I love to listen. He's actually very good.

The last two members of this family… well, to be honest, I'm not sure if its two people or one with two faces. It feels like one person, but the faces are so diferent it might not be. Dreams can sometimes be confusing like that, I'm sure you know.

One of the faces, the human one, is very handsome. He's very very pale, with short brown hair and just as brown eyes. I get the feeling like his smiles are always just for me. They're that genuine kind that goes straight past the eyes and into the very soul. All my family protects me with a fierceness that would make an entire army tremble, but he's the fiercest one of all. Sometimes he won't even let anyone else hold me, which I think is kind of funny. No one in our little family would ever let me get hurt. I know they'd throw themselves in front of a train without a moment of hesitation if it would keep me safe. It's like he's terrified beyond anything imaginable that he'll lose me. He's as gentle as he is fierce. He holds me with the lightest of touches, with such care and awe I can't even begin to describe.

The other face isn't human. But it's nothing like the green man. It looks like the last (though not least) member of my family… sort of. Except his eyes are a vivid golden yellow, his teeth are sharp points, and his eyebrow has these ridges on them. I don't know how to explain them exactly. I know you might think this weird, but while logically one should be scared by a face like that, I'm not. It makes me feel calm in a way none of the other faces can, I don't know why. I just know I love this face, and it loves me too. Unconditionally and without restraint. I could never be scared of it.

I'm my family's everything.

Their whole world.

And in this dream, they are mine.

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A/N: Tadaaa! How was it? My beta for this (codename: Mom) thinks this looks more like an introduction to a story. I sort of agree, but I'm not starting another story whilst writing In a Time of Magic so if does get added to it will be sometime in the unforseeable future.