Andrew jumped to his feet, letting out a piercing cry. "Oh my God, Oh my God., Oh my God... Gross !"

Jamie pulled Siobhan closer to him as she let out another cry. "I'm going to take her out of here," Jamie said to Connor.

Connor nodded. "That's probably a good idea. We'll see what we can find around here."

"Come on, Siobhan," Jamie said quietly, leading the distraught singer out in the hallway.

Connor knelt beside the body, not caring if he touched the melted brain. "I'm not a medical expert... But I don't think brains melt often."

Oz nodded. "Not as a rule."

Andrew looked down at his dirty jeans in horror. "I need to burn my clothes... And my skin..."

"All right," Connor sighed. "Micky did hang out at Caritas sometimes. Let's just double check that he's not a demon. Let's get Oni over here to examine the body. It's possible this could have been some sort of demonic illness and that we're worried over nothing."

He began to look around the room. "Andrew, get back to the house and start researching demons that can liquefy brains."

He knelt beside the body again and leaned in, closely examining it. He took a liberal sniff. "I'd say he's been dead for about..." He frowned. "Four hours." He looked up at Oz. "Would you agree?"

Oz shrugged. "I've got the senses, but they're not trained."

Connor nodded. "All right. So whatever killed him is going to be long gone."

"You sure it was a demon?" Andrew asked.

"Well, it had to have been something someone else did." Connor looked around. "If Micky really is human, I don't think he could have done it to himself... No ritual marks or spell books." He nodded. "Something was here. And it's something I'd really like to meet."

****

Siobhan squeezed her eyes shut and slid down to sit on the stairwell with Jamie. "I... I can't believe it. I just saw Micky yesterday. How can he be..." She shook her head. "I can't believe this."

Jamie looked down. "I'm sorry about your boyfriend, Siobhan."

Siobhan let out a tiny, bitter laugh. "Micky and I were White Striping it. We broke up years ago..." She covered her mouth. "Oh God, what am I going to tell his girlfriend? Some... Thing... Liquefied Micky's brain?"

She looked up at Jamie desperately. "Why would someone want to hurt Micky?"

Jamie shrugged. "It's possible... It wasn't because of him."

Siobhan frowned. "What?"

"Bad things happen here," Jamie said quietly. "It's just something about this town... It doesn't have to do with the people. It just had to do with... Death."

"You know about this stuff?" Siobhan's voice was just a whisper.

Jamie shook his head. "Not me... My friends. They understand this stuff. That's why I asked them to come."

"You sure they can help?" Siobhan whispered.

"Connor can." Jamie nodded firmly. "He's all heroic. Saves people and solves mysteries..."

"Connor," Siobhan repeated. "He's special."

Jamie nodded. "He is."

Siobhan got to her feet and began to walk down the stairs.

"Hey." Jamie got up. "Where are you going?"

Siobhan shook her head. "I don't want to be here. I want to go home."

"Oh." Jamie nodded. "Yeah... I understand..."

Siobhan continued down the stairs. Jamie hung his head, letting her go. Suddenly, Siobhan stopped. "You're really going to let me go home alone?"

"What?" Jamie looked up, cheeks going red. "I mean... What?"

"I think you should walk me home." Siobhan explained. "If things are really as dangerous as you say... I want some company."

"Oh." Jamie nodded. "Well... I think Connor's busy, but maybe Andrew..."

"No." Siobhan shook her head. "You walk me home."

"Oh." Jamie nodded. "Well..." He raced down the stairs, tripping on the bottom two steps and hitting the ground with a crash. He jumped back to his feet. "Yeah. I can do that."

Siobhan smile sweetly. "Thank you, Jamie."

Jamie smiled. "You can feel safe with me."

****

Salome pulled up to the iMac set up on the desk in the living room. The phone was at her ear. "Breathe, Andrew. It's fine. I can do the research thing until you get here."

"Really?" Andrew sounded confused. "But you and Connor..."

Salome rolled her eyes. "Whatever's going on with me and Connor has nothing to do with a brain liquefying demon. I'm all heroic. I can put my feelings aside long enough to research. Don't worry. Now I'm on the other line with the Council. We'll talk when you get here."

"Good luck," Andrew sighed. "I'll be there as soon as I can."

Salome hit a button on the phone, switching over to the other line. "Dawn? You still there?" She began to type on the computer. "Sorry about that. As usual, there's a major crisis brewing." She rubbed the bridge of her nose. "Do you think you can hit the books at the Council? We've got no clue what we're dealing with here. It's some demon that can liquefy brains..." She paused. "Yeah, I said liquefy brains. As in grey matter leaking out of the ears liquefy."

Salome jerked her away from the phone at the sound of the loud, disgusted cry. "I know. At least you didn't touch it like Andrew." She sighed. "I've got Demons, Demons, Demons covered, but I could use your help getting the older texts."

She leaned back. "So anyway, Connor was just gaping at this chick... And he told me I didn't have time to make myself pretty! I mean, sweet Moses! I just about decked him!"

Salome went very quiet, frowning deeply. "No.... We're not breaking up." She scowled. "You know I can entirely kick your ass, right Summers?"

Shaking her head, Salome focused again on the computer screen as the search results came up. "It's just frustrating. I love Connor. Man... You know, he's the only person I've ever been positive I do love." She sniffled. "You know, he was so worried about the memory spell breaking. He thought I wouldn't love him anymore, because he wasn't the same person...." She bit her lip. "I don't think it ever occurred to him that he wouldn't love me anymore. All of this... Our fighting, the pulling away.... Maybe he's just realized he doesn't want to be with a demon.... Or maybe there's just one specific demon he doesn't want to be with."

Salome sensed a presence behind her. She swivelled around in the desk chair. Andrew was standing in the doorway, his keys still clutched in his hand. "I thought you were going to research." Andrew's voice was surprisingly gentle.

"You got over here faster than I thought you would," Salome managed out. "The results only just came up. Took a while to search the database."

Andrew gestured to the phone. "That Dawn?"

Salome nodded. "Yeah. I have some things I wanted to talk to a friend about. I happen to be good at multitasking."

Andrew looked down. "As long as you two are both getting to work." He shifted uncomfortably.

Salome turned her attention back to the phone. "You hitting the books, Summers?" She nodded. "Yeah.... Thanks, Chicklet."

Andrew stepped up to Salome. He put a hand on her shoulder. "I can take over from here... You suck at research anyway."

"I'm going to get you for that later," Salome's threat was only half-hearted as she headed towards the door.

"Sal?"

Salome turned back to Andrew, frowning in confusion. "What?"

"He's still adjusting," Andrew offered helpfully. "And yeah... Connor doesn't want to date demons. But you're not just a demon... You're Salome."

Salome strode back to Andrew, giving him a kiss on the cheek.

"Say hi to Dawn," Andrew gave Salome a small smile.

Salome nodded and left the room.

"And hit the books in Wes' room while you talk!" Andrew called after her.

Andrew sighed deeply as he watched Salome go. He shook his head and sat in front of the computer. He opened up a new browser window and opened Google. He hesitated for a moment before typing Siobhan Sullivan into the search box.

****

Jamie led Siobhan into her apartment. He stood in the doorway, shifting uncomfortably. "Well... Here we are. Your apartment. And we didn't run into anything nasty along the way." He took a deep breath. "I think we should feel very good about that." He looked around, his cheeks a deep red. "Do you want to... I dunno, talk or something?"

Siobhan nodded. "Yeah. I would. If you don't mind."

Jamie nodded. "No, not at all! In fact... This is the opposite of minding. I really... Well, I don't mind."

Siobhan strode to her couch and sunk down. "I still don't understand how there can be demons . And how I couldn't know anything about it."

"I know how you feel." Jamie hesitantly entered the apartment and sat down beside Siobhan. "I only found out about all of this a year ago. I'm still... Well, I still wake up at night going... Is this really my life?"

Siobhan shook her head. "You don't believe in it."

"I believe ..." Jamie frowned deeply. "I just really don't want to. I've seen way too much to be able to deny it... But I don't want it to be true."

"Neither do I," Siobhan replied. "Do you think you ever get used to it?"

Jamie shrugged. "My roommates are pretty used to it. But all of them... They all grew up with it. They're a part of it."

"You're not a part of it?" Siobhan arched a brow.

Jamie shrugged again. "I'm just an engineering student-slash-comic store proprietor. I don't have any special powers or skills. I'm a standard issue geek. It's like I'm in this world... But I'm not, you know? Like I'm a tourist or something."

Siobhan picked up the acoustic guitar that leaned against the couch and she hugged it close. "Do you deal with death a lot? I mean.... All of you."

Jamie nodded. "Yeah. We do." He took a long pause. "Sometimes we're able to save people. We even stopped the Apocalypse. But something always seems to get by... We can't save everyone." He looked down. "After I first found out about... All of this... My sister died."

Siobhan let out a small whimper. "Your sister?"

Jamie nodded, his eyes darkening. "She was murdered right in front of me. By my father. For a dark ritual."

Siobhan reached out, touching Jamie's shoulder. "I'm so sorry."

"So am I," Jamie sighed. He met Siobhan's gaze. "I know what it's like to lose someone close to you. I know what you're feeling right now."

Siobhan shrugged. "How can you? I don't even know what I'm feeling right now."

"I know." Jamie laughed bitterly. "That's exactly what I felt when Jules died. It's like... You should be feeling something, but you're completely numb. You've completely forgotten how to feel."

Siobhan looked down, biting her lip. "I first came here from Waterford five years ago. Micky was the first person I ever talked to." She smiled sadly. "We ended up jamming all night. And after that... We were together. Even after we broke up, there was still this bond between us. Like as long as we kept playing music together... We'd be all right."

Jamie reached out, taking Siobhan's hand. He squeezed it tightly. "I promise, Siobhan... We'll find out who did this."

Siobhan idly played with the ring on her finger. It was a beautiful silver Celtic band, with an emerald set in the middle.

"That's a beautiful ring," Jamie said quietly. "Did Micky..."

"No," Siobhan replied. "It's... It's older that that. It's just... Special to me." She sighed. "I should call Micky's girlfriend. I don't want her going over there and finding..."

"All right." Jamie got up. "I'll leave my number, so you can call us if you need anything. I'll come by to..."

"Don't go," Siobhan said softly.

Jamie blinked. "What?"

Siobhan set her guitar down, standing up. "I said don't go." She wrung her hands. "I don't want to be alone right now."

Jamie shook his head slowly. "I.... I really don't know if that's a good idea."

"Why not?" Siobhan asked, cocking her head curiously.

"Well..." Jamie took a step back. "If you haven't noticed... You're really hot. And I tend to act like a complete jackass around hot women. And you're vulnerable and you just lost someone close to you... I don't want to be a jackass around a vulnerable, hot woman."

"Stay." Siobhan's intensely green eyes were welled with tears. "Please."

Jamie hesitated, looking over Siobhan. Finally, he nodded. "All right... But if I act like a jerk... I give you permission to hit me."

Siobhan gave Jamie a small, sad smile. "I'll keep that in mind."

****

With a frustrated cry, Connor kicked the side of one of the amplifiers in Micky's apartment. He had torn the place apart looking for a clue.

Oz stayed cool, leaning against the wall. "My inner musician is crying at the damage you've caused this equipment."

"The guy who uses it is dead," Connor grumbled. "It hardly matters now." His lip curled in a snarl. "I can't figure out how this guy died, dammit!"

Oz shrugged. "It's only been a few hours."

"The longer it takes, the more likely that thing will kill someone else..." Connor shook his head savagely. "And the more likely it will get away."

Oz cocked his head. "Don't think I've ever seen you like this."

"You've never seen me work," Connor said darkly. "This is my town. I'm not going to let some..." He kicked the speaker again. "God! I can't pick up any scents... Find a trail... The last time this happened, I was nearly suffocated by some fog monster."

He began to pace. "I can't figure out how this guy died."

Oz remained silent, just watching Connor pace back and forth.

Connor clenched his fists. "I'm supposed to be the great, powerful, mythic Destroyer... All prophecized. I told Angel I didn't need any Slayers backing me up here... But if I can't do this..."

Connor leaned heavily against a speaker once again. "I told them I'd protect them. What if she..." He paused, swallowing hard. "They... Get hurt?"

Oz didn't respond. He just impassively observed Connor.

Connor shook his head, face contorting in a look of self-loathing. "I couldn't stop the Mimic... Now I can't stop this thing... The only thing that's changed since Vail died is me . I just can't do it any more. I thought I needed to be this to fight demons... But I keep failing..."

Oz crossed his arms over his chest, narrowing his gaze on Connor.

"There has to be something I'm missing..." Connor muttered. "I'm sure of it. Micky O'Rouke didn't just die. I'm going to find the thing that did this and they're not going to get near anyone else."

****

Jamie was asleep on Siobhan's couch, still sitting upright. He shifted in his sleep, snoring lightly. Siobhan watching him for a moment before putting a blanket over him. She then began to fiddle with her ring. "It was nice of him to stay," she said quietly to herself. "He's sweet."

"They're always sweet," a disembodied voice whispered. "To begin with."

Siobhan whipped around, trying to locate the source of the voice. "What?' She took in a sharp breath. "Is someone there?"

"He's here," the voice replied. "And you know he shouldn't be. You know what they bring. You know what they do ."

Siobhan bit her lip. "You're what... You..." She looked to Jamie. "Jamie!" She hissed. "It's here!"

"He can't help," The voice snapped. "They never help. They just hurt you."

"What are you?" Siobhan demanded. She ran from the living room to the kitchen, looking around frantically.

"You know what I am," the voice was sultry. "And you know what I say is true. Why do you try to deny it? They never change. You'll never find one you can trust."

Siobhan covered her ears. "Stop it!"

"It was the same with Micky... with Liam... Aiden, Sean, Garrett.... Want me to go on?"

"Please stop," Siobhan begged.

"They're all like De..."

" Shut up! " Siobhan turned and set eyes on the horrific creature. Its long, grey hair was ratty with large bald patches. Its flesh was rotting, pale with only the slight hint of green. Her tattered dress was stained with blood from the gaping wound in its chest.

"Finally getting a reaction," the creature hissed. "That's what I want. You keep trying to deny it, but you know it's true. You know what you want." Its cold eyes flashed menacingly. "You want him."

"I won't," Siobhan shook her head. "I don't... Just leave me alone."

"I can't do that," the creature purred. "You know that. You know he had to pay. Again and again. He can't get away with what he did."

Siobhan shook her head. "No... You can't..."

"That's right." The creature nodded. "I can't. But you... You know it has to be done."

Siobhan met the creature's gaze. "I'll scream."

The hideous woman smiled, showing off disgusting brown teeth. "I sincerely hope you do."

ACT THREE