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Crawford Street Mansion,
Sunnydale,
23rd August 2002, 00:45.



As Xander and Angel entered the mansion, Xander was doing his very best not to blow a fuse. He couldn't see why Stephen would use this place to keep Buffy captive, despite the fact that Angel himself had used it at one time. In fact, it was because Angel had used it that he was certain that Stephen wouldn't, given his seemingly all-consuming hatred for his father.



When they had arrived back hom... at Buffy and Dawn's place, Xander had insisted that they explain just whom Stephen was and why he'd decided to get at Angel through Buffy. Angel and the others were reticent to dredge up the recent past, especially as they hadn't really processed everything themselves, but Xander changed tactics and explained calmly that they needed to know more about him to help work out what he might do, and they had eventually acquiesced.



Whilst eating the pizza Dawn had ordered to ensure Xander's stomach wouldn't give away his position during the night, the two Scoobies listened as Angel and the others explained the events leading up to Connor/Stephen's arrival in Sunnydale. Xander's first impulse upon hearing the soap opera that happened to be the last year of their life was to slap them all upside the head; only his own remembrance that it's always easier to see problems when you're on the outside looking in, and Dawn's warning glance as she saw the hard set look settling on his features, had stayed his hand and kept him from commenting.



On more than one occasion he would ask Fred to clarify something when he felt that emotions were colouring perception, noting that she seemed to be able to give a more unbiased account of things than the others. He wasn't sure why she seemed to be less emotionally invested than the others, but was glad for it nonetheless, as it meant they had been given as true an explanation of what happened as was possible without Cordelia there.



While Xander would never describe his ex as tactful, Cordelia was always straight talking and would have given an honest and frank account of what happened. Those who didn't know her as well as he did might perceive her to be biased, but Xander had more than a decade to master the art of reading between the lines when Cordelia talked.



From what he'd been told, Xander could tell that Stephen, or Connor as they called him, didn't want to be associated with Angel in any way shape or form, which meant that he would steer clear of any place that he would have used while in Sunnydale, as he wouldn't want it to look like he was emulating him. Explaining that to Angel was a little more difficult, however, having already checked Angel's old apartment and the warehouse for Connor's presence.



It hadn't taken Xander long to realise that the former Scourge of Europe didn't have a clue where his son might be, and was grasping at straws. Now there they were, about to search yet another of Angel's former residences, and Xander was close to losing his patience.



It was only Xander's promise to Dawn not to stake Angel unless he was given a legitimate reason to that stopped him from plunging MC Hammer through the vampire's chest with all his might, and not even that would save him if they spend too much time chasing rainbows. Dawn had originally asked him to not stake Angel under any circumstances, but Xander had flat out refused to agree to, in his mind, an absolutely insane suggestion and had eventually hashed out an almost fair concession.



Their experience with Spike had made Xander swear to himself that he would never agree to such a thing with another vampire ever again, no matter the circumstances, and even though it was Buffy's life on the line, he would not betray his own beliefs. Xander, very grudgingly, acknowledged the fact that Angel was different to most vampires, and that he could on occasion be of help, but all that meant was Xander wouldn't stake him purely because he felt like it.



"So, do you smell anything or is this yet another wild goose chase?" Xander asked quietly, but with an edge to his voice that could not be missed.



Angel growled and muttered something quietly before he answered Xander's question. "Yes actually. I can smell blood; it's fresh and human."



"Can you tell if it's Stephen's or Buffy's?" the carpenter asked, knowing that calling Angel's son the name given to him by Holtz pissed him off no end.



"No, there are a lot of different scents in here and I'm having trouble separating them," Angel replied, ignoring Xander's use of Connor's other name. "There's also magic in the air."



"You're not coming on to me are you Deadboy?" Xander asked, semis-seriously. "because if you are, I gotta tell you I don't swing that way."



"Can you ever be serious?" Angel snapped, the emotional turmoil he was feeling over the whole situation making him lose his normally cool exterior.



"You know better than anyone how serious I can be,"Xander replied, his tone losing all inflections and reminding Angel once more that he did indeed know how serious Xander could be. "Let's get this over with then; lead on MacDuff."



Angel growled once more before heading off in the direction of the blood he could smell, Xander following a couple of steps behind, a small smile on his face.



~*~



Veritas Cemetery,
Sunnydale,
Same Time.



"You know, I've been doing this for a few years now and Ithink this is the first time I've actually patrolled a cemetery for vamps,"Gunn commented, his tone indicating how clich