It didn't take Montoya long to tell her story. She lived a relatively normal life until only a couple of years ago. Then she started to have these...feelings. The feelings seemed to pull her in various directions. Drive her to do things that not only does she not remember, but she knows weren't always on the up-and-up.

Montoya had woken up in strange places and with bruises and scrapes she didn't remember how she got. She was ashamed to admit, also, that she even awoke a time or two next to someone she didn't know. It was as though something else took control of her body at times.

Everybody, including Damon, studied her as she told her tale. She felt like she was confessing to a crime she didn't commit. That she was being studied, scrutinized over something that happened to her rather than something she did. And then the older, British man named Giles spoke and she felt a bit at ease, but also horrified.

"That might be exactly what is happening, from what we all witnessed," he said.

"Yeah," from the cute, one-eyed guy called Xander. "You became an entirely different person. Like Buffy by way of faith with a little pissed-off Will thrown in for good measure."

Willow said, "Yeah. What was with the black eyes thing? Are you a witch, too?"

"Not that I know of," Montoya answered. "Well, probably once or twice a month I'm not the easiest to get along with." This was the first time she tried to joke around and it through everybody off. "Sorry," she apologized.

"N-no, that's okay," Giles replied. "I think we are all a little stressed at the moment."

"Right," Damon finally spoke for the first time since Montoya told her story. "I need to look for my brother. Can you guys keep an eye on her until I get back?"

Giles nodded. "Of course. But maybe it'll be safer if you took someone with you."

"You're right, Giles," Buffy spoke up. "I'll help Damon look for his brother. The rest of you find...anything that we can use to help."

"I don't have to tell you to be very careful, Buffy," Giles said. "This is unlike anything we ever faced before."

"I know, Giles. And I will be."

"So, then," Damon said as he walked to the front of the Magic Java Connection. "We ready?"

"Yeah," Buffy followed him out the door. "Let's go find your brother."
Damon opened the door to his grandmother's house with a key he never though he would use again. The house was old and empty, with nothing but dust filling the rooms. What little furniture there was had molded dust covers over them.

"Nice place," Buffy commented. "Real Fung Shui going on in here."

"It's been deserted for over ten years," Damon explained. His voice was far away, but Buffy figured it was just because he was looking for his brother.

"You don't say," she muttered under her breath.

Damon called out his brother's name a few times but wasted no time in actually looking room by room. Instead, he walked straight towards the basement door. He tried to open it but it was stuck fast. He turned to Buffy.

"Please, allow me," she said, being careful to not let the sarcasm drip to much.

"I just figured with you Slayer strength and all," Damon said with a smile as Buffy forced the door open.

"Yeah, I got that. Thanks."

The basement had a dusty and damp smell to it. The electricity had long been shut off so the two seekers had to make their way through the dark. Damon knew exactly where he was going, it seemed, and he headed straight towards the far wall. Buffy could barely make out a rotting bookcase. She wasn't entirely surprised to see Damon push it aside to reveal a large, wooden door. Damon opened it and Buffy could see the flicker of lamplight inside. The entered the secret room and saw a young man sitting at a desk with his back towards them. He could have been reading, or sleeping, for all Buffy knew, but she immediately noticed a resemblance between Damon and this stranger. She didn't need Damon to clarify it for her.

"Damien," Damon said, his voice quiet.

"Damon," the man at the desk said. He turned and Buffy saw Damon's exact likeness staring at them. "I told you not to follow me."

"Sorry, Damien. But I had to. He's here."

Buffy saw the look of horror on Damien's face. "The Shadowed Man?"

"Yes. He's here and he's looking for you."

"But-but," Damien stammered. "I'm not ready. I haven't figured this out yet."

Buffy stepped forward. "You need to come with us, Damien," she said. "I can't explain it all now, but bring everything you have that can help. Maybe my friends can help you figure it out."

Damien stared at Buffy for a moment. "And you are?"

"Buffy Summers. Vampire Slayer."

Again Damien's eyes widened, this time in shock. "You're the Slayer?"

"Well, a Slayer."

"We'll explain it later, Damien," Damon said. "For now we just have to go. Believe me, from what I have seen, we'll be safer once we get back with everyone else."

"How can we be safe from The Shadowed Man?" Damien was starting to sound frantic. "He is fear embodied. He has no weaknesses. And once he catches me he'll be unstoppable." Damien put his head in his hands. "Oh God! What have I done?"

Damon walked over to his brother and picked him up by the back of his jacket. "Oh, shut up! Trust me when I say we have a chance."

"How? How can we have a chance, Damon?"

"Because," Damon smiled. "I found someone that The Shadowed Man is scared of."