AN: This story takes place way back when Cordy was getting those headache visions, bc thats when i loved the show the most, call it my author's perrogative. ; )

;0;0;0;0;00;

"Oh, not now, please"moaned Cordelia as she felt another blinding vision begin to build itself up in her cranium. She braced herself, gripping the table, trying to be strong. And then it hit her, like an enormous brick being crushed into her skull. White flashed over her sight, and then came her vision: A brunette woman fleeing through a back alley. Cordelia could feel her fear, utter terror. It gripped her, taking her breath away, "Angel!!"

Angel ran to her, gently clasping his hand over hers, "What is it Cordy, what do you see?"

"I can't,"she sobbed, "She's so afraid, Angel." She tried to compose herself through it, focusing on the girl, "There's something after her. A demon. White face, black body."

"Where?"

The vision then halted, just as quickly as it had come upon her. Cordelia took a seat at the table, collecting herself yet still shivering from her brush with the woman's fear, "I gotta say, Angel. I can get used to roaches, I can get used to the reality of vampires, and I can even get used to living with a freaking ghost. But as for visions, those I will never get used to. And this time I felt the girl's emotions so vividly. She was truly petrified. You gotta save her."

"Well where was she?" he asked, throwing on his duster, "I'm ready."

"Oh yeah, I guess I forgot to tell you the catch," she looked into the vampire's eager eyes, "It was daytime."

Angel's gaze wandered towards the window, it was pitch black outside, "Damn."

"But I know that it hasn't already happened. I know it, I can just sense it. Just be at the California Women's Crisis Center tomorrow afternoon, okay?" her face scrunched up at the thought of Angel battling the woman's demon and the sunlight at the same time, "We'll have to get you one of those super thick blankets I guess."

O;O;O;O;O;O;O;O;O

That night, Sidney had tucked herself into bed with a little Jack Daniel's on her belly to keep her warm since she was back to being alone. But she was optimistic about it. So maybe she'd broken two hearts in two days, at least she was finally about to move-on from her past whole-heartedly, with no man pulling her back. She tried to envision the next one, what he would be like. Images of broad shoulders, brooding eyes and affectionate arms caressed her mind as she drifted to sleep.

But her dream was not visited by such a creature.

When Sidney awoke later that night, she was in quite a sweat. She knew her dream had been unsettling, but she couldn't quite place what had happened, the memory of it had already faded. Whatever it was had left her glowing with perspiration. She peeled at the sheets that clung to her body, and swung her legs over the edge of the bed, headed for the air conditioner.

The floor creaked beneath her feet. It was things like that that made her regret living alone. Little night sounds always made her mind jump to the worst possible scenario. But on this particular night she refused to let herself go to that place mentally, and turned the air down to 50.

And then she heard a noise that couldn't be written off by creaky floors or grasshoppers or her loft settling. It was the distinct sound of footsteps. Booted footsteps, footsteps that were, therefore, not her own. She froze, not even breathing. Instead she strained her ears to find where the intruder was coming from.

"Sidney, Sidney, Sidney"it whispered, causing her heart to plunge to the ground. It was The Voice.

She recoiled in her spot against the wall, giving up before the fight had even begun, "Please go away"

It approached her, the sound of its boots growing faster and faster in pace until it was running. Before she knew it, it was upon her, and she remained in her corner, sobbing in defeat. It snatched her up by the arm, throwing her into the plastered wall, and in one swift movement it slid that ubiquitous knife across her throat.

Sidney woke up with a start. She struggled to catch her breath. It had been a long time since she had any nightmares about the killer. Silently, she thanked whatever entity it was that had looked over her for the past 7 years or so that it was only a night mare. After that, she didn't give much thought to her dream. Although her nightmares had increasingly become few and far between, she also understood that they were the one aspect of the murders that she would probably never put behind her. So instead of making a deal out of it, she rolled over and vowed never to drink before bed again.

What Sidney didn't know was that ignoring the dream would leave her unprepared for the surprises that the next day was to bring.