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I stumbled backwards, falling to the ground! This lead to the vampire jumping on top of me and sinking his teeth into my neck! I had been patrolling and came across a nest. A nice, normal, impossibly grotesque vampire nest. There was blood everywhere. I would never get that smell out of my new comic book t-shirt! I just bought this from Rue 21! Ugh. The vampire bit into my neck, but luckily I brought...

The vampire dusted, "You're off your game." Connor said, smiling down at me.

I tried to catch my breath as I took his extended hand, "Ya think?" I asked.

I groaned, wiping blood from my neck. Connor stared at me, I could feel it, but I didn't acknowledge it. Connor had been here for a while and there definitely questions I wanted answers to, but I wasn't in a big hurry to have another deep conversation with anyone. Like Gwen, I wanted to know about her. I needed to know about her. He loved her, I could tell by the look in his eyes. It killed me. I felt out of sorts. So lost.

"You've been off your game for a while." Connor said.

I nodded, "I've got things on my mind." I said quickly, "Did you know Oz was married...with a baby?"

"Not really going to help your slaying." Connor said, "Wait, he's what?"

"No, I guess not." I frowned.

"You know, you can tell me about it." Connor said, "I'm here to help."

"You helped." I said quickly, "Vamp was biting me, you helped."

"Not what I meant." Connor sighed.

"What do you want from me?" I asked, "My boyfriend just died...that's like...what, three? Four? I just need to, I don't know, find a way to move on."

Connor nodded, "Fine. But you don't have to do it alone." He said.

"It's not like your spilling about what went on in Hell-A." I said.

Connor shifted uncomfortably, "You never asked." He said.

"Didn't know I needed to." I said.

"I came here because I was worried. I thought about you when I was in Hell." Connor said, "In between the fights, the armies, and..."

"Gwen." I finished.

"Yeah." Connor said.

"Gwen and I helped a woman named Nina Ash save half of L.A. when it all started." Connor said, "We just fell for each other."

"You can skip the part where you go skipping down Hell Ave." I said quickly, "The question is, now that you're out of Hell, why aren't you there with her?"

Connor's head fell, "Gwen was a mutant, she couldn't touch people. So, she made a deal. She betrayed us to Gunn." He said.

"Gunn? Like, Gunn Gunn?" I asked.

"It's a long story." Connor said.

"Try and condense." I said.

"He was a vampire. He's not now." Connor frowned, "Gwen saved me in the end."

I nodded, "But you still love her?" I asked.

Connor looked at me, "It doesn't go away." He said.

"The best thing I could say to you would be to face it. If you love her, then it should be enough to forgive her." I said.

"I can't...It's hard." Connor said, "And weird. You tell me to date someone else."

"Things've changed. I changed." I said.

"I see." Connor said.

There was a strange noise from the crypts just ahead of us.

"What's that?" Connor asked.

"Shhh." I said, walking toward the noise.

-           

"Hey, guys look at this." Kelly said, walking into Magik with a huge box, "It was sent to Austin."

"And you took the time to open it?" Doug asked, walking over to her, "What is it?"

"I have no idea." Kelly said, "I was just waiting to open it."

"As well you should." Cale said, "It could be terribly personal or even quite dangerous."

Groo came up from the basement carrying a few boxes, "I've brought up the last of the boxes." He smiled.

"Thank you, Groo." Cale said.

"Aww, come on! He wouldn't have a problem with it!" Kelly said, "Besides, no one is around."

"It could be something from Titan." Doug said.

"It could be new stilettos, my birthday is coming up." Kelly smirked, ripping at the box.

The gang looked inside, not really knowing what to say.

"What in the hell is that thing?" Doug asked.

Kelly frowned, pulling the Vampy Cat out of the box, "I think it's cute." She smirked.

-           

I rolled over the top of tomb, narrowly avoiding the fist of the giant behemoth that had attacked me. The other two had fled and Connor had run after them. I, on the other hand, was flat on my back on the tomb. I saw the giant coming and raised my foot, kicking him in the face. He stumbled back and I sprung to my feet on top of the tomb, waiting for his next attack. When he finally made to sweep out my legs, I jumped over his hands and crouched, spinning to kick him in the face. He stumbled once again, but still didn't fall. I dove on him, but he caught me and slammed me into the hard ground! I groaned in agony, trying to find the strength to roll over, to move away from his next attack. When I saw that he was holding a tombstone, readying to pulverize me, I barely rolled out of the way in time. As the stone smashed into the ground, I felt the ground buckle. I kicked at his foot, but he just buckled, not falling. I kicked again, but he held my leg, twisting it. I yelped in pain and pulled my leg back to me as he ran off into the night.

"I heard a sc..." Connor said running back to me, "Are you okay?"

I tried to stand, "I'm fine." I said as he caught me, "It'll heal quick."

"Are you going to forgive me anytime soon?" Connor asked.

"Forgive you?" I asked.

"You're angry about Gwen." Connor said, "I understand, but you can't fault me for that."

"Connor, I..."

"I'm angry at myself, for trusting her." Connor said, turning from me.

I thought about it, "It's not you." I said quickly.

"It's me." Connor frowned, "Son of two vampires, pretty much screwed."

"Male slayer." I said, "Slayers are alone by destiny. Destined to die early and every day I wake up, I wish I was."

Connor turned to me, shocked, "Austin..."

"The only time I'll ever be at peace. The slayer's only solitude." I said slowly.

"You don't mean that." Connor said.

"I turned my back on them, with every intention to kill Titan." I frowned.

"And they're still behind you." Connor said.

"Maybe I don't want them to be." I frowned, "It's easier alone."

"You're not alone. There are thousands of Slayers." Connor argued, "I'm here."Connor reached his hand over to my shoulder.

I recoiled and walked forward, "It's not the same." I said quickly, "The fight's just not what it used to be."

-           

"Kelly, stop playing with that repulsive thing!" Cale ordered. Kelly quickly sat the doll in her lap and looked up at Cale, who was surprisingly outspoken lately. It was very sexy. Doug stood beside her. Cale began before anyone could say anything else, "As of lately, I'm sure you have been aware that Austin has been...well, quite..."

"...An ass?" Kelly asked.

Cale stared at her before starting again, "...Introverted." He said, "I believe something might have happened that we are unaware of."

"Like what?" Doug asked.

"That, I do not know." Cale said, "But it is imperative that we be as supportive as we can."

"Is it possible to be more supportive?" Kelly asked, "He's been pushing us all away."

"But you've got to admit that he's hiding something." Doug said angrily, "I wish he'd just tell me."

"You?" Kelly asked.

"Well, what are the chances he tells all of us? He's going to tell one of us first." Doug said nervously.

"And you think you'll be the first to know?" Kelly asked.

"Might be." Doug said.

"It'll be some time. I mean, he did kick our asses, then try to kill a human." Cale said, "As much as we all love him, there may be no reconciling how far he's sunken."

"But he's not that sunken anymore!" Kelly said angrily, "He's unsunken!"

"But is he really?" Cale asked, "As much as I want there to be a positive resolution to this story, I fear there may not be one."

"What are you suggesting?" Doug asked.

"I'm suggesting that we contact Buffy and let her know of this." Cale said, "Or at the very least, Angel or Faith."

"No." Kelly said, "This isn't...he's going through emotional things and we need to be there for him!"

"But are we really equipped to handle this problem?" Cale asked, "Think about this long and hard. What if he becomes rogue?"

Doug and Kelly were silent.

"We will have no control." Cale said.

"I...I just can't." Kelly said, walking away.

"Me neither." Doug said, following her.

Cale exhaled, he had not meant it to come to this, but he must do something.

-           

I stumbled across the cemetery, Connor at my heels. I was following the behemoth that had almost smashed me to pieces and he was going towards the College student center. I followed the behemoth as he crashed through the doors. I watched as he and two smaller demons of the same species headed down the halls and disappeared through the door to the basement. We followed, watching from a far as one of the demons jumped into a pretty big crack in the floor. The Earth rumbled and shook.

"What are they doing?" Connor asked.

"I don't know, but it's not good." I said, "We have to stop them."

"You take the small one." Connor said, "Your leg is..."

I ran out of our hiding place.

"...bummed." Connor said, running behind me.

I rolled under a punch and kicked the small demon's feet from under him! I jumped to my feet and kicked the bigger Vahrall in the stomach, causing him to double over for a split second and backhand me into the wall! Connor jumped into action, jumping into the air and kicking the demon backwards. Connor ducked a punch, punching the demon in the face, stomach, and back in the head. His fists were deadly. I watched as the other demon came into play, but Connor jumped up, kicking them both in the chest while he was in the air! I got to my feet in just enough time to see the smaller demon jump into the crack.

"Connor, keep him from jumping!" I shouted.

Connor kicked the demon, causing its leg to buckle and he grabbed the demon's head and snapped its neck.

"Cool." I said quickly.

-           

As Connor and I walked up to my house, I could see the lights on. I walked in, seeing my friends sitting on my couch and chairs in the living room. They were silent as I came in. Kelly had some toy sitting on her lap that looked a lot like a cat with fangs.

"What's going on?" I asked.

Kelly flipped on the television to show me a slayer being killed on live television. Harmony had done it.

"You have got to be shittin me." I frowned.

- - - - - - - - - -

Thank you for reading.