The black tressed young woman looked up, her eyes wide as the Slayer and *Angelus* Angel came striding in, their clothes disheveled, their backs dirty with street grime. *Oh come on. Do not tell me they were… at a time like this.*

Buffy caught Kathryne’s look of disgust, and frowned deeply. Shaking her blonde hair out of her face, she turned to Giles. "Giles, we were attacked by some of those … mutants."

As Buffy went on about her and Angel’s encounter, Kathryne tuned it out. *Jeez, all in a tizzy over a couple of mutants. She should be worried about -*

"There was a man, Giles." Kathryne’s head shot up, startled from her thoughts. Her mouth fell open, and the color fell from her cheeks. Even Xander noticed the change, lifting his tired eyes from the magazine he wasn’t reading to stare at the girl.

"He was watching from the shadows; I couldn’t get a look-" Buffy was cut off roughly as Kathryne grabbed her arm. Shoving her face into the Slayer’s, Kathryne let out a low whisper.

"A man?"

"Um, yeah…" The Slayer tried to keep her customary composure, but it was difficult. Kathryne’s dark eyes pored over Buffy’s face, trying to delve whatever she might have seen from her mind.

Throwing one more glance into the blonde’s eyes, Kathryne abruptly let go and turned away.

"It’s Robius," she declared flatly.

"But…?" Giles attempted to object, but couldn’t find the words.

Turning around, facing the group, Kathryne’s eyes shot fire. "It is. It’s his style. Watch a battle, check out the defense, learn who to next kill, without lifting a finger himself." She laughed, but there was no cheer in the sound. Glaring at Angel, she grinned coldly.

"Well Angelus, how does it feel to be on the hunted list? Pretty fun, eh?"

But it was Buffy who answered. "So wait, now that this Robocop guy has seen us… we’re on the menu, too?"

Nodding, Kathryne paced about aimlessly. "He’ll hunt you down, using mutants, using vampires, even using himself. When you get on his bad side-" Before she could continue, Angel grabbed her by the arm. She flinched, her shoulders beginning to tremble. Her eyes were filled with a naked terror, something even the fight with the mutants hadn’t brought out. Making her meet his eyes, Angel inwardly flinched. But that was inconsequential: shaking it off, he snarled under his breath.

"Now you listen to me, little girl. I know you have problems between us. But that doesn’t mean you can play with the lives of anyone else. You don’t have the right."

Her dark eyes widened, her mouth setting in a grim line. "*I* don’t have the right?" Giggling hysterically, she bent over. "Oh, I get it. Mr. Pity. Poor broody guy. Having to live with everything you’ve done. Bet it was easy."

"I don’t know what you mean," Angel growled. Giles looked around nervously, thanking whatever gods there might be that no one was in vicinity. Willow and Xander had faded into the woodwork quietly, trying to get in and see Cordelia.

"You don’t?" Laughing harder, tears came to Kathryne’s eyes. "You loved to destroy women. Drusilla was proof of that." At Angel’s look of shock, she grinned. "Yes, I know about her. I also know that you enjoyed every second of what you did to her."

"Like you did with me."

Angel refused to look down, his anger building. His dark eyes clashed with hers, challenging her to back down. But she did nothing of the sort. Instead, she lashed out, attempting to cut to the bone.

"You thought you had it so wonderfully, didn’t you? Swanky apartment, leather clothes, handsome face, and a god damn Slayer for a bed buddy. The soul within you must be happy as a clam." She glared at him, the tears streaming down her cheeks now caused by more than mirth.

"Well, face it, life isn’t a fairy tale. How the hell can you live knowing those you killed were taken too soon? How can you go on without seeing their faces? Without seeing HER face?" Angel shook her, silencing her words, but not the gasps coming from her lungs. Kathryne’s face was red, her eyes glassy with anger. Angel, however, did not care. His temper was flared, and for the first time in a while, the demon seemed welcome.

"To think I felt sorry for you…" Angel’s voice was quiet, deadly. Kathryne’s head snapped up at those words, her eyes burning with a bright rage.

"Felt sorry? For me? You kind, kind person…" She stopped, chuckling under her breath. "Wait. You aren’t a person…"

Angel’s lips parted, his eyes wide.

"You’re a vampire. A vicious, bloodthirsty killer with a demon to boot." She shook her head back, challenging him silently with her eyes.

Angel flinched, as if she had hit him. He recoiled back sharply, his composure shattered. Buffy rushed to his side, saying nothing, just holding his arm. Giles placed a level glance on Kathryne, who’s lips were trembling with fury.

"Perhaps we should part for the night, discuss this when every-" But Kathryne cut him off, turning on her heel and stalking towards the elevators.

"Forget it. I don’t need your help. It’s obvious you don’t want to help me. I’ll find him on my own." But just before the hallways swallowed her, Kathryne looked back. Her face was set, but sad.

"And when the world ends, Angelus, I hope your demon is happy."

With that, she was gone, lost into the sterility of the hospital.

*****

The steady beeping of the monitors filled the hospital room. The girl lay in bed, sunken into the pillows, plaster and bandages swathing her forehead. She slept, unaware of the two teens watching her silently from the doorway.

Xander’s dark eyes looked at the girl, not really seeing her, only hearing. Hearing her voice yell at him, insult him. He’d give anything to hear that right now. *Sure, she’s a bitch, but…* Sinking into his confusion, he resumed watching the sleeping form.

The red head’s eyes remained on her childhood friend. She didn’t know what was wrong… *Maybe he feels guilty about the accident…* Willow was perplexed; none of this was making sense. And there was that strange Kathryne, as well. But she knew that Buffy would take care of it. At the moment, Willow didn’t really care about the stranger. What she cared about was making Xander, her best friend, right again.

Even if she didn’t know why.

*****

The cool air of the night nipped at her cheeks as she strode onto the street. Turning, seeing the white of the hospital, Kathryne muttered under her breath:

"I don’t need them."

Walking quickly, she stared into the night. The sounds of her shoes on the pavement were hollow, tapping quickly as she walked into the night.

Looking through the darkness, her eyes searching the shadows, she stomped her foot. "Where are you?" she whispered, frustration showing in her voice.

As if in response to her plea, the bushes to the side of her rattled. Kathryne jumped back, on her guard. Slowly, a dark form emerged from them, grunting some, hunched over. She stared in shock at the mutant, walking slowly towards her, making no sign of attack. It stopped a few feet from her, it’s red eyes meeting her own. But before she could say a word, it disappeared, showing a grace that it’s hulky, rough exterior would never have hinted at.

In it’s wake, on the pavement, was a slip of paper.

She approached, her breath coming in light pants, her skin chillier than the night breeze. As se picked up the scrap of paper, her heart froze. Written, in a firm, elegant hand, were four words:

"The old museum. Alone."

Crumpling the sheet softly in her hands, she looked into the night. As her heart pounded with fear, she felt the blood in her veins pulse.

"Robius…"

The dark of the night devoured her, as she walked into the shadows.