*****

Harmony had had it up to *here* with the taunts, the snickers, the snide remarks and the veiled innuendoes. This was it. She had finally reached the absolute limits of her immeasurable patience and understanding. In a word, she was pissed.

And not that skanky Spike's version of the word either. She was plain old American angry as hell and out for blood. And she wanted the world to know it.

She had spent her entire life cheering on the winners and basking in their glory. She had always tried to be supportive and sympathetic to the men in her life. After all, she had been raised to understand that it was her *duty* to be the most beautiful, the most charming, the most coveted prize her man could have. She had grown up working hard to make the girls jealous of her status and the guys envious of her current boyfriend. To be fought over was it's own reward.

But she had left that life behind so long ago and everything was so different now that it was almost as if she was on another planet altogether. One she *didn't* enjoy.

How long had it been since she'd been somebody? Since she'd had respect? Since she'd been adored? Worshiped? Envied? She couldn't remember the last time that someone had placed her up on a pedestal.

Oh, Spike *tried* to placate her need to be loved and cherished. He really did. After all, she *was* a hot dish in the sack and they both knew it. But Spike *didn't* respect her. At all. In fact, he thought she was stupid. And she wasn't. Not really. But she had always been taught to hide her brains, that it was more attractive and ladylike to appear helpless and flirty and shallow.

And in her mortal life, that had been all too true. Look at Willow for example. Harmony suspected that the red-haired witch was one of the smartest students to have ever gone to Sunnydale High, and yet, she had practically been scorned by the entire student body. Only the Slayer and her band of Slayerettes had truly appreciated Willow's intelligence. And Harmony, who had made "playing dumb" an art form, had been immensely popular by comparison. Hell, she had been the 2nd most popular girl in the entire school.

Now though, it was different. Part of her wanted to believe that it was okay, because *she* still ended up dating the coolest, best looking guy in town. But, in her heart, she knew that wasn't okay. She may have been sleeping in the same bed with Spike, but *Willow* was the one he respected. He respected her power and her mind and the things she could do. *She* was considered a threat. A *serious* threat. One overshadowed only by the Slayer and her Watcher. For the demon population, that was a big deal.

And maybe she could have overlooked Spike's less than perfect outlook on her abilities if he were the only one to look down on her. After all, he *was* a Master Vampire while she was little more than a fledgling. In vampire terms, he *was* so much stronger and faster and more powerful than she was. Or could ever be. Even if Spike was of the opinion that she would end up dust before she hit her first decade as a vampire.

But other's held her in low regard as well. And they didn't even *try* to disguise it like her Spikey did. The bitch Buffy laughed and sneered at her. To her face! That brat Dawn *pitied* her. *Pitied!* The witches snickered about her and Cordelia held her in contempt. Even that dork-boy Xander Harris had the gall to laugh at her and tease her.

Harmony *didn't* enjoy being ridiculed.

And now, she was going to put a stop to all those snickers and snide remarks. She was going to do the one thing that no one had ever done before. No one could claim to accomplishing what she had in mind. Her plan was brilliant. Perfect. And it would hurt the Slayer in a way no one else ever had before.

She would be *exulted* in the demon community. A princess once again.

*****
Part 2:

Harmony hung back in the shadows watching her chosen prey. The "weak link", the one least watched and protected, the one who, ironically, would understand her pain at being shunted aside and scoffed at.

The one who would be her greatest triumph.

She watched as the mortal carefully made his way across the darkened parking lot towards his car. To the casual observer, he probably seemed lost in thought, unconcerned. But she knew better. She had been watching him and studying him for two weeks now. She knew that his casual and relaxed demeanor was just a sham. Her prey was well aware of the dangers lurking about, and he watched for them closely.

This is what had made this plan so difficult. He was wary. He was battle hardened and bloodied. He was armed. He was...perfect.

And so was her plan.

Tonight was the night. She had considered it long and hard. Now was the perfect time and everything was in place.

She watched as he drew nearer to his car. He shifted the large grocery bag in one arm and fumbled in his pocket with the other. Slowly, silently she drifted closer. She slid between the parked cars, drawing ever closer to him as he turned to walk over to his car. She could clearly hear the jingling of his keys as he fumbled with the lock, his other arm full with the burden of his groceries.

The time was *now*.

Swiftly, she launched herself over the hood of the car next to his and even before her feet hit the pavement, she was swinging the large bat in her hands. *crack* The impact of her weapon connecting with his head jarred her arms and her prey crumpled to the ground. Briefly, she wondered if she had hit him too hard and broke his skull. Then she shrugged. It didn't matter. As long as he was still alive.

Reaching down, she grabbed his keys and unlocked his car. Then, she dragged the dead weight of his body into the back seat. Climbing into the front, she put the key in the ignition and slammed the gear shift into reverse. They were *so* out of here.

~~~~~

Icy cold water splashed into his face, yanking him into awareness. And pain. Bright, mind-numbing, skull-smashing pain. Xander groaned and tried to curl up into a fetal position.

And couldn't.

A brief flare of panic forced his eyes open. The light was probably dim, but it burned into his brain anyway. A wave of nausea rolled through his stomach and his head felt like an overripe melon that had been dropped to the floor. He groaned again. He knew what a concussion felt like, and this was it.

But that still didn't explain why he couldn't move.

Blinking his eyes rapidly to try and bring them into focus, Xander first noticed the candles. Three of them. They were set up on an old crate and were burning cheerfully away as if they were happy to be illuminating the dreary and dirty warehouse. It was dark, dank and the air was slightly fetid. But all of that didn't seem very important once he realized just *why* he couldn't move.

The answer was simply really. It was because he was tied to a chair. Much the way he used to tie Spike to the big recliner back when they were temporary roommates in the Basement of Doom. Granted, this chair wasn't as big or as comfy. It was an old plastic and metal chair, the kind you could find in classrooms all across America. And he was tied up tight to it. He could manage a slight wiggle, but that was all.

Of course, comparing his current situation to the times he had spent with Spike tied up in his parent's basement just gave him the wiggins. All he could think was that the chip had finally broken. It had somehow worn out, got buggered or was bespelled. Granted, Giles or Willow and Tara could fix that...but not before Xander was dead. Gooseflesh broke out along his arms and he suppressed the urge to whimper.

A slight sound behind him caused him to shiver and he was certain that the end had come. Clenching up in fear, he waited while his captor slowly made it's way around to face him. Ready to cringe, he was startled to see...Harmony?

He gaped in astonishment. Then, he smirked.

"Ya know Harm, you better untie me before Buffy gets here and kicks your ass for this. She will *not* be amused and even pathetic only goes so far with her. She might not over look your...stupidity this time. So...what do you say? You undo the ropes and I won't have to vacuum your dust up. Deal?"

He watched as Harmony's expression of cruel glee turned to shock and then melted into pure unadulterated rage. It sent a little sliver of fear up his spine, but he ignored it in favor of smirking at her some more.

Xander expected her to rant and rave. To bluster and threaten. To pace about as she wavered between complaining about her existence and promising to bring Buffy to her knees. So, he was very surprised when she just glared at him silently for a moment, her face wavering between it's human mask and demonic ridges. And then, her composure settled once more, she smiled her fashion plate smile at him and straddled his lap.

"You know dork-boy. After this...it won't *matter* if Bitchy dusts me. I'll *still* go out with a claim to fame that no one else can make. I, Harmony Kendel, *killed* a Slayerette. No other demon, of *any* species, can say that. No one, that is, but *me*."

A feeling of horror washed over him as he realized what she meant to do. Then it was her turn to smirk. Right before her gameface slid into place and she reached up with one hand and grabbed a handful of his hair in a punishing grip. Xander felt his head ruthlessly tipped back and to one side and then *bright pain* *dark pleasure* her razor sharp fangs slid into the skin of his throat, slicing through a vein.

His heart thundered in his chest and a heavy numbness washed over him like a cool tide. He could clearly hear the slurping sound she made as she drank down his life and it was almost as disturbing as the little shivers of pleasure that raced over the surface of his skin. The wound in his throat burned raw, but his veins tingled with electric sizzles and he had a moment to wonder that it didn't hurt as much as he thought it would. His vision began to fade and grow hazy and his mind became sluggish and fuzzy. He was dimly aware that he was struggling to draw a breath into his lungs and that his heart was beating irregularly and was about to give out, but it didn't seem important somehow.

And then the pulling sensation on his veins was gone and the demanding mouth at his throat disappeared. Part of him was grateful, but another part mourned the loss. He could hear a feminine chuckle nearby, but he couldn't focus on the sound very well. It seemed to be muffled, as if he were underwater.

And then an amazing rush of intense taste he could only identify as 'cool' and 'wet' splashed onto his tongue and hit the back of his throat. He was confused as to what it was. It seemed slightly familiar, but he couldn't identify it. But it was *good*. Delicious. The most wonderful taste in the world. It was dark and salty and vibrant and it *tingled*. And he wanted *more*.

So he suckled at the source of this coppery feast. It took all of his strength and all of his focus, but it was worth it. He drew in a mouthful of the wondrous elixir and swallowed it down his hungry throat greedily. Then he drew in another. And another.

And then...darkness.

*****
Part 3:

It had been almost a full week since the whelp had gone missing. Normally, he wouldn't have even noticed let alone cared, but it also meant almost a full week of brassed off Slayer. *Every* demon in Sunnyhell noticed when the Slayer had her knickers in a twist. And with him being more or less on the in with the whole whitehats lot, he bore the brunt of her wrath. And the witches worried eyes and desperate babble fests. Not to mention the ex-demon bint's flip-flopping between angry scorned psycho bitch and concerned hopeful lover.

Spike had finally had his fill of the sorry mess and had escaped to Willie's for more alcoholic pastures. Hell, the only good point in this whole debacle was the fact that Harmony had gone off again leaving him free of her whining nagging shrill voice for a while.

Although he hadn't mentioned it to the sappy Scoobys, he had a feeling that Harm might have killed the dumb sod and then panicked. Fleeing from the Slayer before Stuffy found out it was actually *her* that offed the moron. With a half-smirk half-grimace, Spike had to admit that Harmony might very well be a powerhouse in the sack and in the shopping mall, but she *was* a bit of a coward when it came to facing down enemies. Spike couldn't blame her for that though, the only reason that Slutty forgave Harm for the whole bollocks'd "Dawn kidnapping" scheme was that the half-pint had felt pity and sympathy for the blonde vampiress.

In any event, it didn't matter to Spike none. He didn't really care *what* happened to the whelp as long as no one actually *turned* him and the only use he'd had for Harm was what was between her legs...and to kill the random human here and there for him. He just wanted out of the way of the shit that was building up. He just *knew* that it was getting ready to hit the fan. And it was his experience, that when the shit hit the fan, the spatter was *not* dispersed evenly.

Spike was pulled out of his morbidly circular thoughts by the sound of the front door slamming open only to bang against the inside wall. With almost no real interest in who just barged in with such attitude, Spike slowly turned his head to look. And then flinched back into the shadows at the sight of Her Buffness in a royal snit.

"Bloody Hell. Can't even enjoy a good bender anymore without the damn Slayer showin' up to bollocks everyone's good time."

With that snarled softly into the air at no one in particular, Spike casually slid off of his stool and slinked deeper into the shadows and headed towards the back room. Once out of her line of sight, he slipped out the back door and into the dank and dirty alley behind the bar.

With a long suffering sigh, he pulled out a fag and lit it. Then, feeling only slightly pissed, but more than a little angry, he headed towards his crypt.

*****
Part 4:

Xander dropped the dead body on the ground at his feet, belched loudly and then turned a bloody fang toothed grin at his Sire.

"Eeewww! Can I just say, that was, like, *totally* rude."

Xander's grin grew wider. Harmony rolled her golden eyes and wrinkled up her ridged nose in disgust before letting out a little sigh of exasperation and shrugging.

"Well, at least you didn't get blood all over your shirt this time. I *swear* Xander, you're, like, one of the messiest eaters I've ever met."

Xander nodded his head in silent agreement and then shrugged.

"It's easier to stay clean when you won't let me pull them apart and rip out their insides."

He pouted at her for good measure. Instantly, Harmony was overblown sympathy and understanding with a strong dose of "mother knows best" mixed in. Her features slid back into her human mask and she flashed him her "sweet and appealing" look and stepped over the corpses of both her dinner and his. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders in a quick hug.

"I know, I know. You *like* to pull 'em all apart to see what's inside, huh?"

Xander nodded, his eyes sparkling at the very thought.

"But, I *told* you. We can't do that unless we are someplace that we can clean up. We can't wander around all gory and bloody. What would people think?"

Xander let his own face smooth out into his human mask and attempted to look as innocent as possible.

"They'd think that we were having a *really* fun night."

Xander could tell that Harmony didn't know whether to agree or not. Finally, she took the stance that he knew she would. His Sire was beautiful and cruel, but not very bright and she was more than just a little predictable at times.

"Well, yes. That's true. It *is* fun to rip humans into itty bitty bits. But, they'd also think that we didn't know how to shower and clean up after ourselves. And we *always* have to make sure we look our best."

That said, Harmony let go so that she could lift her hands to pat at her hair and straighten up her clothing back into immaculate lines once more. Then, true to form, she turned her attentions back to Xander. She ran her hands along the plains of his chest, smoothing out a few wrinkles in his new silk shirt that she had killed for. Literally. Then, she fixed the collar of his new black leather jacket and used her fingers to comb a few unruly strands of his dark curls until they lay to her satisfaction. Xander truly didn't care *how* he looked, but he craved his Sire's attention and her pleasure, and if this is what pleased her, he'd wear whatever outfit she put together for him.

As soon as Harmony was satisfied with their appearance, she linked her arm through his and began to lead him back out of the dank alley and towards the street.

"Come on. Let's go see if there's anything happening in this lame town. Perhaps we can find a party or something going on."

Xander shrugged and followed. He was up for anything. Well, except for running into Buffy. As much as he would like to see the Slayer dead, he knew her well enough to know that he was no match for her and that any fight between them would end with his dust blowing in the wind. And that was *not* high on his list of things to do.

He'd much rather find some dumb human and pull it's arms off of it's body.

~~~

Spike slid through the shadows and around another corner. He had several city blocks between himself and the Slayer, yet his nerves were still wound up tight as a bow string. Yet, he wasn't sure why. He was too far away to sense her Royal Buff-Puffness, but *something* was setting alarms off in his head. He just had to figure out *what*. With a frown of concentration, he reached out with his senses.

He could hear faint footsteps, but no heartbeats, so there were vampires nearby. Close. However, his demon wasn't rattling in it's cage, so they were young and had little to no power. Minions most likely.

Then a familiar scent hit his nose. Strawberries and cream with just a hint of alcohol and lavender. Spike groaned softly to himself. Harmony. The Strawberries and cream scent was from her shampoo and the alcohol and lavender was the perfume that she favored. But there was something else there too. Something oddly familiar...

Spike reached out with his senses once again. The creak and scent of new leather. A musky earthy scent of faint male arousal. The lingering traces of fresh blood. And something that he *knew*...but he couldn't place it. It was...off somehow.

Then he heard it. A deep heartfelt laugh of true joy and mirth.

Xander.

Icy shock and ironic amusement battled for dominance in his mind. His lovely and tragically stupid Harm had gone and turned the bloody whelp! He wasn't sure if he was impressed with her temerity or in awe of her idiocy. To turn the Slayer's best friend took *serious* knackers, he had to hand her that much, but she didn't have what it took to get away with such a crime. She was barely little more than a minion herself and would be considered a fledgling, no matter that her Sire was currently dust, for another few decades. This was the type of scheme that required the power and skill of a Master Vampire to have it succeed.

Someone like himself.

Shaking his head and chuckling in his throat, Spike turned the corner and waited in the deepest shadows for his girlfriend and her newborn childe to reach him.

*****
Part 5:

Harmony strode down the darkened street on the arm of her newest, and in her opinion, best childe. And though she would never have believed that it could be possible, her Favored Childe was Xander Harris. Ex-Dork-Boy.

Harmony had turned several of her former high-school classmates. Most of them had simply been minions, and a few had been meant as childer, but Xander...Xander had turned out far different then any of them. Even only a week old, and he was a better demon than all of them had been. And she had honestly wondered *why*.

Granted, once she had stolen him a new wardrobe he had become a lot easier on the eyes. After all, Xander had never been ugly, just painfully unfashionable. But that was easy to fix. However, that *still* didn't explain how someone that she had held in such utter contempt in life could turn out to be such an amazing example of demon-flesh when guys who had been twice as popular had been such...*crappy* vampires.

So, she asked Xander. And what he told her had effectively rearranged her entire thinking of him. And the life he had once lead.

In life, Xander had been a fighter. A *real* fighter. Most of the guys she had seen as strong and brave had known *nothing* of the "real world" beyond cars and sports and clothes. Xander *had* known about evil and demons and pain. So those *other* things were ignored as "not important" because fighting for his life took up so much time and energy.

He had been possessed twice, injured, tortured and had helped work intricate magic. He had studied and fought demons even as he tried to hold down a job and earn a "normal" living. He came into the darkness with more knowledge and understanding of the demon community of Sunnydale than even Harmony herself had. All of the strength and courage that had taken one painfully normal young man and kept him battling horrors that outclassed him in every way was suddenly channeled into a snarling bloodthirsty demon.

He was cruel, smart, ruthless and a danger to humans and demons alike. And he was *Harmony's*.

What's more, word was slowly beginning to spread through the demon community of what she had done...and to whom. Granted, most of the demons that they ran across, Xander killed. For fun. But of those who escaped his wrath, they *knew* who he had been. After all, the Scooby Gang was known throughout the entire city. If a demon couldn't recognize a Slayerette on sight, then they probably wouldn't survive long. It was simply a fact of life on the Hellmouth.

And soon, that word would spread.

Harmony was going to be *famous*. Her name would be whispered with awe and respect. No one else had managed to take out a Slayerette before. The closest that anyone had come had been Angelus himself. He had managed to torture the Watcher and kill his girlfriend. Harmony *liked* being compared to Angelus. *He* was feared the entire world over. *Everyone* knew *his* name...and soon, they would know *hers* as well.

"Well, well, well...what do we have here?"

The deeply amused voice of her childe pulled her mind back to the present and she looked around in confusion. Then, to her mild surprise, her boyfriend stepped out of the shadows and smirked at them. She grinned at him even as he lifted one of his smelly cigarettes up to his mouth and lit it. The flare of the flame made his bright blue eyes seem to sparkle and she felt a tingle of arousal.

"Hello Spike. Fancy meeting you here."

Spike's bright blue eyes shifted from her and slid over to run up and down Xander's form. For a brief second, Harmony was afraid Spike would laugh at her choice of a childe, but when he just continued to stare she relaxed. Sliding her arm away from Xander's, she sauntered over to her boyfriend and rubbed her body up along his hard muscled chest and pressed a kiss to his cheek before turning to purr into his ear.

"Lookie what I did Spikey. Isn't he just lovely? Makes you want to eat 'em all up."

Harmony giggled and wiggled against him, turning slightly so that she could look at Xander out of the corner of her eyes. He was smirking at them, even as he calmly reached down and adjusted the erection he was now sporting. She could easily smell his arousal from here. Harmony smiled wider. She *knew* that she and her Spikey were beautiful together and for some bizarre reason, it was important to her that her childe approved.

"Still, I can't believe that no one else besides me saw his potential. He makes a wonderful demon Spikey."

To her surprise, Spike snorted, right before he took a deep drag from his cigarette. Pointing the glowing ember at the newborn fledge, he proceeded to shock her with the truth.

"The bloody whelp was marked for death as *my* childe *years* ago, you twit. Way back when you were still alive and in highschool *Angelus* himself offered him up to me as a *gift*. Of course, things went all to hell and Angelus was really the souled up pouffy version of his real self, but that didn't change the fact that he had *given* Xander to *me*. And *that*, you stupid cow, is why no one has turned him. *Everyone* knows he's *mine*. Even the Slayer."

Harmony felt a wash of confusion enter her brain and she didn't like it.

"What? What are you talking about Spike?"

The bleached blonde Master Vampire sighed in exasperation and pushed Harmony away and strode over to Xander, circling him. Xander tensed, but he *didn't* flinch away. Harmony felt a rush of pride at that.

"Why did you *think* the Slayer won't let me leave Sunnyhell? For her love of my charming personality? No! Because she *knows* that if I get this bloody chip out of my bloomin' skull the *first* thing I'd do is *turn the whelp* and she didn't want to lose her *best* *friend*!"

Harmony was not only confused, she was getting a bit upset. Spike was *supposed* to be *proud* of her. He was *supposed* to praise her and tell her what a wonderful thing she'd done. And Xander was *supposed* to be standing up for her. She was his *Sire* after all, but he had this strangely intense look on his face as he quietly watched Spike. It was as if he didn't know if he should be the predator or the prey here... "But...but...*why* would Angelus offer *him* to you and why did *you* want him. I mean, yeah it would piss off Buffy, but...I mean, Xander was just...you know, a dork."

At that, her childe glared and growled, his eyes flashing deep gold, but Spike just snorted again and gave her a truly scornful look.

"Oh *please*. How can you even?... Look. Have you perhaps *noticed* that he's cut above the rest of the minions running around like bloody mindless cockroaches?"

Harmony just silently nodded her head, a pout beginning to form on her face.

"Yeah? Well imagine all that potential being turned by someone who's blood contains all the strength and power of a Master Vampire. Imagine him being trained by one who's got the battle experience of *decades* and not just a small handful of years. Hell luv, there are some people who are just *born* to be turned. Xander was one of them."

"Oh."

Harmony's voice was small and lost sounding, but she couldn't help it. She had seen her turning of Xander as a major triumph, a coop over the Slayer, and here Spike was telling her it was the boy's *destiny* or some such crap. He had effectively torn the wind from her sails, leaving her feeling empty and hollow once again. He still didn't show her any respect...only more scorn. She wanted to cry.

Then a voice from behind her yanked her from her thoughts and icy terror clutched at her unbeating heart.

"Xander! No!"

~~~

Xander's gaze snapped from his sad and pouting Sire at the anguished sound of the Slayer's voice ringing through the night. Turning his head, he watched as shock gave way to hurt and loss, then the pain slid smoothly into hatred. From there, Buffy's face hardened, expressing nothing more than pure focused fury.

"You stupid *bitch*!"

It was beautiful in a horrifying and mindnumbing way. Buffy leapt and twisted through midair in a graceful arc of motion and muscle. Landing nimbly on the balls of her feet in front of Harmony, she lashed out with one hand, striking Xander's Sire across her perfect check. Then, in a blindingly fast move, Buffy twisted and lunged, staking the blonde vampiress in the chest. Aching loss and anger washed over him as he watched his Sire dissolve in a rain of falling ash.

"NOOOOOO!!!!!"

Mindless with fury and loss, Xander went to lunge at the blonde woman who had once been one of his most beloved friends, the taste of her blood his only goal. He never got the chance.

Inhumanly strong fingers wrapped around his left arm and he was literally dragged backwards down the street.

"Bloody Hell whelp, *RUN*!"

"But..."

Xander tried not to stumble. Forced to turn and run after Spike, Xander battled with his need to rip the Slayer to shreds.

"Don't bloody argue. She'll stake you and you're no match for her. Just...*run* damn it."

Forgoing an argument, Xander just concentrated on keeping up with Spike as they led the Slayer on a chase through the darker and more dangerous parts of town. Finally, about a half hour later, another demon, one more stupid than most, stepped between them and Buffy, allowing them to get away. They could easily hear the slow and painful death of the slimy thing as Buffy took out her rage and grief on it's sorry hide.

*****
Part 6:

Spike paced back and forth through the parking lot, his excellent night vision scouring the autos for an older model. Something that would most likely *not* contain some sort of alarm and didn't come equipped with an electronic or computerized ignition and locking system. He needed to find a motor that he could break into and hot-wire without alerting half of the neighborhood to what he was about.

All the while, part of his mind kept track of the distraught fledgling who kept flip-flopping between the high-pitched keening noise that only vampires and dogs could hear in mourning of Harmony and righteous anger and vengeance, his golden eyes flashing as he muttered various painful ways that the "Sire Killing Slayer" should die.

Spike fervently hoped that watching his Sire get dusted didn't unhinge Xander's mind. He himself couldn't imagine the pain and anguish of seeing that happen right in front of his eyes, and he and Dru were estranged. Xander and Harm had still been in the "honeymoon" stage. In any event, he knew that he had to get the whelp away from Sunnyhell until he was calmed down and a lot stronger then he was now. There was no way he'd survive an encounter with the Slayer...and in the frame of mind the fledgling was currently in, he'd seek her out anyway.

Grabbing a fistful of Xander's silk shirt just in time for Xander to start in with the keening again, Spike dragged him over to the next row of vehicles. The younger vampire didn't fight him or resist in anyway, he just followed along, a demonic durge issuing from between his lips.

Then, just as Spike was about to give up hope, he saw it. A late model Chevy parked towards the back of the lot in the deepest shadows. A smirk made it's way across his face.

Striding over towards the motor, Spike balled his right hand into a fist and then pulled the sleeve of his duster down over his knuckles. One quick punch was all it took. The rear driver's side window shattered, the sound of tinkling glass filling the silent night. A hurried glance around proved that no one had been alerted by the noise. Reaching through the empty space the glass had just occupied, Spike twisted his arm up and around until he could pop the door lock.

Yanking the car door open, Spike quickly shoved Xander inside and shooed him over into the passenger seat. Climbing in behind him, Spike easily ripped the molded plastic casing from off of the steering column. Bending forward slightly to see what he was doing, Spike gently pulled two wires out of their respective places and then twisted the ragged metal ends together. Just as he was about to turn the keyless ignition, Xander reached out and placed one pale hand on Spike's arm.

"Do you know why she did it? Harmony, I mean. Why she turned me?"

Spike looked into the grief ravaged face of the newborn demon sitting beside him and slowly shook his head 'no'. Xander gave vent to an inelegant snort of derision.

"Respect."

Confusion washed over Spike and he couldn't have stopped his scared eyebrow from rising up towards his hairline if his unlife had depended on it.

"Yeah...I know. Silly, right? Well...that's Harmony for you, I guess. She wanted respect. From the demon community...and from *you* Spike. She really did love you, you know? She just wanted you to be proud of her. She thought that by doing the one thing no one else had managed to do, it would make you respect her and be proud of her. So...she killed and turned a Slayerette. Me."

Spike blinked in something resembling shock. It had never even occurred to him for one second that Harmony might have turned Xander for *him*. He wasn't sure how he felt about that...not really. But he had to give credit where credit was due. No one else on the bloody Hellmouth had the stones to even *try* turning a Slayerette.

From somewhere deep inside, Spike felt a smile sneak up and out, stealing across his face.

"Yeah. My Harm wasn't the brightest bird, but she had the knackers to force her way into my unlife *and* my bed without getting staked for her trouble...even though she always managed to bollocks up all of my plans. As strange as it might sound, I'm not really surprised that she came up with such a crazy plan...and then saw it through."

Shaking his head to clear out the few fond memories that were threatening to rise up, Spike turned the ignition. The motor sputtered for a second and then started up with a rumbling purr. With a flick of his wrist Spike turned on the radio and loud pounding rock and roll poured forth from the speakers.

"Right then. Let's get out of the 'dale for a bit. Travel for a while."

Spike threw the car into gear and glanced over at the fledgling sitting beside him. Xander's grief and rage slowly faded away, a look of speculation creeping across his face even as it shimmered back into his human mask.

"Las Vegas?"

Spike laughed out loud and stomped down on the gas, burning rubber as the car spun for a bit before the traction caught and sent them flying across the parking lot and out onto the mostly empty street.

"Sure pet, why not? I'm up for a few weeks of showgirls, gambling and mayhem."

~~~~~

An angry and grief stricken blonde turned the corner of Ashford and West Lake, a green smear of demon slime across her cheek and a thin coating of vampire dust on her clothes, just in time to see a late model Chevrolet come barreling down the street. It flew past her at an incredible speed and then headed towards the edge of town. She didn't spare it a second glance, she had more important things on her mind. Like the fact that she had to go back to the Magic Box and tell everyone that she had finally found Xander.

She had to tell Willow and Giles that Xander was a vampire. That he was Harmony's Childe.

END