Finally everyone got situated. Cordelia took Willow upstairs to show her the room which she would be staying in. Conner and Xander went to the basement where the two could watch t.v. Wesley and Giles went to the office to discuss the actions that they would take to protect Conner. But they didn’t talk for very long because they had no idea what they were in store for.
Angel, Buffy, and Christian remained in the lobby of the hotel. So many thoughts and questions raced through Buffy’s mind. She wanted to ask him about Conner most of all, but she didn’t know how. Angel knew exactly what Buffy was thinking. They loved each other and still do, even though they won’t admit it. Angel was just about to tell Buffy about Conner, but Christian spoke instead, “I can here you both think. I know what you want to talk about. But, this is not the time to do it. We need to discuss what every single person here is in store for.”
“Yes,” Angel responds. “But how do you know what we are in store for?”
Instead of Christian responding to Angel’s inquiry, Buffy decides to, “I had Giles call on him. And asked him to tell Christian to gather as much information that he could, in order to help us save your son. Christian told me that he was in debt to me, and to call on him at my most desperate time. I felt that this was that time.”
Completely taken back by this astonishing revelation, Angel says, “When did you two meet. Haven’t you been dead Christian?”
Angel looks up at Buffy. Buffy looks at Christian, and Christian smiles and says, “Correct. Nicely put Angel.”
It took a minute to sink in, but Angel realized what their connection was. Angel comments, “Unbelievable! You met in the afterlife. You’ll have to tell me about it someday.”
Christian looks deeply at Angel and says, “When the time comes, I’ll do a lot more than just tell you, I’ll show you.”
There wasn’t much that Angel could say in response to what Christian had just mentioned. He had no idea what that meant for him. So he gave Christian a puzzled look. In recognition of Angel’s look, Christian once again said, “The time will come Angel, when we will discuss the issues that relate to my previous statement. But for now, it might be best to put that aside. So I can tell you about the storm that is headed our way.”
Angel and Buffy both glanced at each other because they knew that it was time to get serious. Christian was about to tell them everything that they needed to know, when Conner and Xander came back in the room.
“I couldn’t help to realize,” Xander begins, “But, isn’t this all supposed to make you happy. I mean gees Angel. A family, hotel, a kid, by the looks of things, there’s no more Mr.Broody Vampire with a soul , it’s the knew Familyman Vampire with a soul. Um guys, Did Angelus sign out, or is he just gone for the day.”
“You haven’t changed a bit Xander. A frustrated Angel remarks. “Your still a child that wouldn’t know a serious moment if it bit you on the neck and sucked the blood out of you. If you want I could prove my point.”
Xander, the man who just lost his fiance, wasn’t entirely flattered by Angel’s comments said, “Oh, this coming from a man, who left the only women who ever loved him, because he couldn’t deal with the fact that someone truly didn’t care that you are a blood sucking Vampire. Yeah, sure I’m the one who can’t tell when a serious moment is at hand. Why don’t you look at yourself in the mirror, oh wait, I’m sorry you can’t!”
Angel became extremely enraged with Xander, and he started to go after Xander, when Christian interrupted yet again, “For Christ’s sakes! Shut the hell up you two. Angel your supposed to be a Champion. Act like it. And you, Xander, you are a brave man, but please keep the sarcastic remarks to yourself, until we deal with what it is that we have come here for.”
Wesley and Giles stroll back into the room where everyone has gathered again. Except for Cordelia and Willow, who are still upstairs getting Willow situated. Wesley then asks, “Christian, please tell us what are we here to deal with?”
Christian looks at Wesley and responds, “yes, excellent question. This is going to be hard for some of you to hear but, it is the truth and you must trust me.”
“Why should we trust you,” Conner purposely interrupts?
“I’m the only one who wants to see you continue living as you are now. This other realm of existence, can’t comprehend how the prophecy, which is you, has lived when you were supposed to die. They will do anything to get you back to the place that they call home. They don’t care if they get you alive or dead. These things have the power to kill you and bring you back if they want to. With the knowledge that I have been able to gather, that is exactly what they want to do.”
The entire room was silent. Nobody knew how to respond. How did Christian know all of this. And, maybe he knows more. These were the questions that were running through Buffy’s head.
She finally gathered herself and asked, “Who is coming to kill Conner, and take him away? You’ve got to tell us more. How do we prepare for this. We have no idea how to fight these things. What are we going to do?”
Christian finally responded, “Nothing! We can train and prepare, and gather all the information that we want, but, it still won’t help us save Conner! And, it won’t help us in the effort to save ourselves!”
