Hours passed like the cars in the sky for Harmony. She shouldn't feel so down about any of this. Buffy wouldn't. In fact the slayer would have marched right up to the problem and throttle its neck. Be it a metaphor or a literal interpretation, that's exactly how Buffy would handle it. Shaking her head, Harm understood that that would never be her. She could never face her issues head on like that, only over a large span of time. It was that lack of confidence that separated her from the other girl by a great deal.

It was just reaching sunrise when the vehicle stopped. So lost in her thoughts Harmony had barely noticed her surroundings. It wasn't until she could no longer feel the comforting hum of the bus that she looked around her. There was not one person on the bus, excluding herself and the driver.

"End of the line!" He shouted out toward the nearly vacant bus. Harmony gazed out the window. Early strays of sunlight illuminated the unknown city, yet everything else was quite dark and dismal. The vampire opened her mouth, but shut it, not sure what to say. What did she expect going onto some random bus that led her god knows where? It wasn't as if she had a plan acting on a depressed whim. Oh my gosh, I have no where to stay! What the hell am I gonna do now?!

Harmony readily jumped up at the thought. All her important belongings were still at Buffy's apartment. Even if she stayed in this mysterious city how would she hold up? Turning, she sped to the beginning of the bus. Wait, don't freak out, she can still go back. Just wait for the next pickup, then go back to Buffy's claiming she got lost. And, well, she wasn't completely lying about that. She could leave out the fact that she basically tried to desert Buffy. But then again, the slayer might not give a-

"You there,"

Harmony jumped, startled by the driver speaking to her. His voice was rough and although she couldn't see his eyes, she could smell the scent. He radiated burning incense and...nothing. Besides the strange fragrance of incense, Harm could smell absolutely nothing on him.

No wonder she kept forgetting he was present, he might as well not be. How perplexing, and suspicious. How can a simple human bus driver have no scent that guarantees existence? If Harmony didn't know better she'd believe that she could pass her hand right through him. Instead she loosened her clenched teeth and spoke to him.

"Y-yeah?" God your pathetic. Shut up me!

His lips contorted upwards. Harm wouldn't have called it a smile as much as a sinister simper. Still grinning, he was on his feet inches form Harmony's form. He was an unnatural tall and lanky figure, hovering over the small stature of the vampiress.

"You must be lost..." He said, his voice low and passive; the words slithering off his tongue. Harmony backed up to the door, which was unyielding under her touch. She gulped, but glared at the man, not willing to look intimated in front of a human. "Uh. Kind of, I need to get back home."

"I can take you there."

Harmony look skeptical, "Do I...like, know you?" He chuckled, darkness lacing his tone, "You will." And with that he pushed her through the doors into the street. The female scrambled to get up and defend herself. "Not human not human." The sunlight was with painful slowness beginning the streak over the horizon. The tall thing eased out of the bus and moved in Harmony's direction. He swayed abnormally, his mouth unhinging to reveal a gaping hole. Harmony gasped.

What are you doing? An echo of a vice that sounded eerily like Buffy. How on Earth did you manage to survive for two hundred years if this is what scares you? Fight this tool! Her eyes narrowed at the creature. Buffy's voice was right, she's not backing down because of this thing. Harmony took a step forward and vamped out. She smirked saucily and waited for his first move.

"What's wrong baby?" She mocked, "You afraid of a little fire?"

For a moment he didn't respond to her, before bolting at her with lightning speed. Harm narrowly dodged his attack and kicked his head with force. He spiraled into a nearby dumpster and the vampiress leapt forward to where he lay.

His head cracked up and a bloodcurdling scream escaped his throat. It when then that she got a look at his eyes. Except there were none. Only two black holes that seeped a chunky black liquid. Harmony didn't hesitate and brought the dumpster top over his head. Over and over until she heard a slight crack, and his body slumped. Harm exhaled, her nerves still on full throttle.

Looking up, she gulped at the rising sun. She needed to find some source of shelter and it had to be now. Harmony thought about taking refuge in the now abandoned vehicle. When she turned to it she found that it had disappeared. "What the-" So much for that idea, as long as she didn't jinx herself about this. The sound of clapping resonated in the ally. Nevermind.

"Nice work hon."

Her eyes widened as she jolted her body towards the disembodied voice. Harm couldn't see him, but she noticed the scent of burning plastic coming from his direction. "Who are you?" He smirked.

"A friend."

"...Maybe I don't want a friend."

"I didn't say I was yours."

And with that odd entrance, he turned on his right, and left. Harmony stared at the empty space that once held the mystery man, feeling an unfamiliar sense of nostalgia. She waved away her confusion, and registered the coming daylight, dashing over to a window. She roughly broke it with her elbow and crawled inside, shielding herself from the harsh light of day.

Buffy cursed colorfully before plopping on her couch. That idiot managed to get lost. The sun peaked over the cloudy horizon as the slayer sighed. Knowing her luck, Harmony probably got roasted out there. Sure the sky was a lot darker than it was back in Buffy's day, but it was still dangerous for a thick headed vamp to be out.

Summers just couldn't understand that girls logic. She could've followed Buffy right away out of that bar, but no! That place was sketchy, despite it belonging to Zor. Though, he was a bit shady too.

Wait...

"That dumbass!"

Buffy bolted off the couch in realization. Harmony had left on a bus! At the time, Buff didn't pay too much attention, but she had seen the vampiress. Buffy scrambled out the door, heading for the bus station. If she can track the stops it made last night, than she can find out where Harm is.

When she reached outside, the morning air pelted against her skin. The darkened clouds hung over her head, and Buffy scowled at the offending weather. It looks like Harmony might not run into too much trouble, what with sun disappearing like that. Somehow she couldn't bring herself to believe her own words. Buffy had a great sinking feeling Harm wasn't in the best of shape.

It's not that she should care or give a rats ass. Why would Harmony's well being concern her too much? She only needs her for evidence. Annoying evidence, but evidence nonetheless. Scanning the tops of the endless skyscrapers, Buffy found the bus station. She leapt down to the smaller building and checked the schedule.

"12:00, 1:00..Ah ha! 4:30 am!" Buffy blinked, "West Street? God! It's always the place I don't look!" She rushed down the street, heading for Harmony's presumed destination. She curved the corner to find a desolate ally. One may have dismissed it as another dead end went on their merry way, but not her. Catching the usual rosemary aura of Harmony, Buffy scanned the grungy ally.

Her scent still hung in the air, giving way to a small window in the side of the left building. Peering in, Buffy noticed great wreckage in the room. Shelves tipped over, broken glass, and the ever so keen trace of blood. All the evidence of a struggle and eventual capture. Sighing irritability, the slayer crawled in and skimmed over the debris. Upon looking, she found Harmony's necklace.

Of course.

She stuffed the necklace in her pocket and continued to follow the trail of blood. The path led her to a small hole in the floor. It was sharp and jagged, only big enough to fit her head through. Taking a chance, Buffy leaned over and stuffed her head in the opening.

A bit too narrow and sharp, making her neck uncomfortable after only a few moments. She opened her eyes and observed the lower level. Jet black, and even Buffy's eyes couldn't pierce through the darkness. But, it was a spacious room, she could tell that much. Instead of calling out to the possibly dead vampire, she cringed before roughly pulling her head out.

Given that the hole was too small to fit through, it seemed logical to search the rest of the building. At least to find that room and Harmony. Yes, logical. Buffy fit her hand around the edge of the hole before lifting up. She kicked at the edges and widened the hole. Traveling aimlessly for who knows how many hours did not look appetizing. Why not use your hulk like strength to get rid of that kill time?

She spared no time to hop through the hole and into the desolate room. Looking around, she noticed a faint breathing; strained and coarse with occasional growls. Buffy took a step before wincing at the squish beneath her foot. It didn't take rocket science to know what the floor was practically made of. She shook it off and continued walking further into the darkness. It was going to take a lot more than some poor saps splattered remains to put her off.

She squinted in the blackness and sensed the breathing sound coming closer. In fact, so close that it put Buffy off guard when she almost tripped over the owner of said breath. "Jesus!" Damn darkness, it was throwing off her senses. A simple pitch black area would normally not have any affect of Buffy, but this was downright unnatural.

She righted herself once again, and took a moment to take in her new company. Despite the ruckus she seemed to cause, the chained prisoner did not stir. It's hair matted with blood, and the chains cut into their wrists. Buffy knelt down to get a good look at the tortured. They didn't look up; just breathing rather hoarsely. She took it upon herself to brush the hair out of their face. Buffy's eyes widened as she recognized her old friend.

"Drusilla?"

The vampiress did not respond, only taking in unneeded breaths. The slayer looked into her darkened gaze, "Dru, it's me, Buffy?" Still, no response for the slayer. She took that as a plea and broke the chains, grasping her hand. She shivered at the coldness it held. Buffy hefted up Dru into her arms and attempted to locate the way she came. But to no avail, and it seemed they were in a maze of blackness. She couldn't even find the walls.

After searching without for twenty minutes, Drusilla finally spoke. Her cryptic voice rang out amongst the quiet. That voice Buffy had grown used to.

"The yellow shampoo is believing in your cuckoldry,". Her voice was scratchy; a pale imitation of her sultry persuasion. "Sweet child, I can see your fate. The bloody scythe and hair product will combine...into a greater chaos than daddy." Her eyes fluttered shut, fading out of consciousness. Buffy followed the walls which she noted had a circular motion. Soon she found the hole, and climbed out carrying Drusilla. It was a bargain, but she left the sick vampire up top so she could search more ground below. There was something odd about the format of that room.

While following the walls, she tried to decipher Drusilla's words. The yellow shampoo...hair product... That must be Harmony. Her blonde hair is so straight from the bottle. So Harmony is believing in my unfaithfulness? Pfft, I'm looking for her aren't I? Harmony is going to combine with the bloody scythe. That can mean three things. Harm found Buffy's long lost slayer scythe, or she's going to team up with a slayer. That would either mean me, or Fray baby.

She ruled out the others being too unlikely, and was halfway there. When she said daddy, did she mean Angelus? Or...