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“Your certain?” Marcus asked her gently. “That is where they’ll make their stand?”

She nodded distractedly, eyes unfocused, head titled to the side as if listening to some unheard voice, “they’re like Jack and Jill” she told him with a knowing smile, “tumbling down”

“Well done darling” he leaned in and kissed her long and passionate on the lips. “You stay here my love, Solomon will defend the house, keep you safe”

Her eyes widened, comical and childlike, “who will keep him safe?” she asked in a stage whisper her eyes darting to the Vaith.

He smiled indulgently at her, “Velmorick” he answered as if imparting a great secret to a small child.

She clapped her hands, “Oh I forgot he’s coming to the party. Our guest of honour, I wonder if he will dance with me.”

“How could he resist” Marcus indulged fingering her silk gown, “you look so beautiful” She smiled and twirled away from him, dancing elegantly to silent music.

“Solomon” Marcus barked, “Spread the word to the generals, we attack Brakers Field an hour before midnight”
…………………..

Angel noticed two things about Buffy that left him more than a little concerned, firstly she was wearing an oversized black leather duster that looked suspiciously like the one Spike had stripped from the still warm corpse of the New York slayer Nicky Wood, and still more worryingly her diamond engagement ring was conspicuous only by its absence as she griped the aged leather to pull it more tightly around her small frame. There was a chance of course that Buffy had removed it in order to keep it safe during battle, but Angel couldn’t help but think that that was wishful thinking, especially considering the glances she was casting at his seemingly oblivious grandchild.

Damn Spike, what had he done to Buffy? How had he got under her skin so badly? She couldn’t love him, not really, he was a soulless demon, a creature of unrepentant evil. Perhaps she harboured feelings for the souled version that had fought with her in Sunnydale, but there was no way Buffy could feel anything for Spike, not really.

Spike watched her too, drowned in the coat of a long dead sister, did she know where he’d got the duster? No she couldn’t, wouldn’t wear it if she did. Just another barrier between them, a barrier only a soul could breech. His mind was made up, as soon as Marcus was defeated, and he was confident they’d win, absolute faith in the small girl alongside him, then he’d leave, go to Africa, face the trials.

“There” Buffy looked down Spikes outstretched arm to see an elegant modern house set in large grounds.

“Nice place” Xander commented dryly. Moving to the slayer’s other side, “so what’s the plan?”

“Side entrance” Spike told them, “should be able to sneak in commando style”

She turned to the group, the elite force where kited out commando style at least, tight black sweaters and combats. Knives, stakes, swords and crossbows strapped to every inch of their bodies. The elite where Faiths best troops, the Slayer SAS high kill ratios and special training, the best of the very best, she just hoped it’d be enough. “You know what to do, fast and silent” she told them. “Anna, you’ll hang back, make sure Giles and Willow get in there. Angel, you and Xander to the left, Spike and I’ll take the right”

Curt nods signalled she was understood and then they where spreading out, moving silently towards the house in open formation. She could feel Spike just behind her, moving silently in the darkness, she tuned him out and focused her Slayer sense on the house, definitely defended, she could sense demons up ahead, looks like they’d have to fight their way in after all.

As they approached the house a strangled gasped to her left signalled the first kill of the night.

……………………

Faith had never been afraid to fight, since the age of ten when she accepted the life pretty much sucked, she had not been afraid to die. But tonight she was afraid. Afraid for the girls under her command, afraid she would fail them, lead them astray. The irony of her, the eternal loner, being so weighed down with the responsibility for the lives of others that she could barely form a logical series of thoughts was not lost on her.

“Sir” Becky, an advance scout caught her attention, “Still no sign of anything, shall we expand our radius” she waited a long beat for her commander to answer, “Sir?”

“No, recall the lookouts” Faith kept her eyes trained on the distance, “Fighting pairs, form line, he’ll be here”

“Sir”

She watched her order spread with efficient speed through the ranks until a thin defensive line formed around the summit of the hill. Looking left she could she Maria Akuba leader of the African contingent standing proudly before her troops, the blade of her sword glistening silver in the moonlight. To the right Lady Jane Parker a Hertfordshire heiress and Vi’s second in command moved among the European force offering words of encouragement six different languages

They where ready, ready as they’d ever be at any rate, nothing to do now but wait. Damn she hated waiting.

………………………..

She caught his eyes in the low light, angling her head upward in silent communication. He understood of course, he always did. There had only been two things Spike and Buffy had ever done right together, one of them, well that was the obvious, and the other was fighting, whether they be side by side or face to face, when they danced, the music cut to their tune.

He cupped his hands, launching her up onto the high roof before moving slowly along the wall towards the group of watchful guards. That’s right Spike, just enough noise to make them jumpy, that’s it get them looking your way. She heard one of them give a murmured command, sending two burly demons Spike’s way, he’d take care of them, that left three for her, she levelled her impact cross bow and waited for the right moment, that’s right ugly, just a little to the left and… Whoosh one arrow straight through two hearts, perfect, she dropped down behind the third before it could react dragging a wicked blade across its leathery throat.

Spike was beside her as they crossed the threshold, no magical wards, that was something. She turned back into the night and gestured for the others to follow, confident they could see her clearly backlit in the doorway.
………………….

They heard them long before they saw them, the thunders sound of thousands of demon feet, driven on by the relentless hammering of their drums. At their front came Marcus’ cannon fodder huge mindless Fyral and Melick demons, too blood thirsty and stupid to realise they where little more than a sacrifice, further back came his best troops, the one Marcus’ planned to still have alive when the alignment came, cunning vampire’s and fierce Vaith, powerful Apeathens, poisonous Trex and tens of species Faith didn’t recognise.

Watching the approaching army Mari-Claude was reminded of her history teachers vivid descriptions of Napoleon’s columns marching under a burning gold eagle towards the seemingly fragile thin red line of Wellington’s forces, for once her patriotic heart was glad that the British had won.

The column was an awesome sight, terrifying and magnificent, a diverse army of demons united in a rhythmic chant of Marcus’ name. There where so many more than they could ever have anticipated, Bedrogs screeched as they circled above the marching horde adding to the cacophony of sound. The line faltered, a step back rippling for one frightened slayer to the next, Faith felt it rather than saw it, felt uncertainty and fear spreading like a virus through the troops.

She took a step forward, deliberate and decisive, and felt them steady behind her, felt their unconditional trust in her, the faith they placed in her judgement, God please let them be right. “Come on B” she mumbled to herself “we’re gonna need you.”
……………

It was going well, better then expected, between them they had killed all the perimeter guards without raising the alarm, and so far they’d met no resistance within the house. Spike stopped, getting his bearings, she waited, no need to worry he’d work it out. He moved left and she followed, funny how it never occurred to her to doubt him.

Angel and Xander where directly behind her, then Giles and Willow surrounded by a protective circle of Slayers. Faith’s orders had been clear, get the witch to the temple at all costs. If she’d had the time Buffy would have been surprised and impressed by Faith’s unquestioned authority, by the fierce loyalty of her troops.

“Just through there” Spike leaned in close to whisper, Ok Buffy this is not the time to be distracted by sexy vampires lips on your ear, focus. She caught his eye from the briefest moment before turning to the others to wave them forward through the double doors to Marcus’ private chambers.

Ah, maybe not going quite so well after all. Within the large room where at least a hundred demons, she recognised the large horned demon that was obviously their leader as Vaith, nasty fierce bastards that took a hell of a lot of killing.

She heard Angel warn the Slayers to stay clear of the two Trex demons paralysing venom. “Swords” she commanded drawing her own weapon, “beheading ‘ll work on all of these.” It was more than an order to her team, it was a threat, said loudly so that the facing demons could clearly hear her.

Unsurprisingly it was Spike who broke the tense stand off, launching himself at the demons with a savage growl, Buffy followed immediately unable to stop herself emitting an answering growl of her own.

……………………….

Stella could make him out clearly from her advanced position in the trees to the advancing columns left. It had to be him. Pretentious bastard, done up like bloody royalty with his gold armour and black horse, what was this the bleeding middle ages? She levelled her bow, even at this range she could hit him, she was one of Vi’s best marksmen accurate at 300 yards.

Taking a calming breath she trained her eye along the arrow, fixing it on Marcus’ throat, no way she could penetrate the armour at this range, but she could certainly incapacitate him. Her finger closed around the trigger letting the mechanism spring forward to release the arrow. Suddenly Vi was in front of her the arrow in her hand, caught even as it left the bow.

“What the hell do you think you’re doing?” her commander asked, voice low and full of warning.

Stella stood to attention eyes trained straight ahead “I had a clear shot Sir” she justified herself.

“Your orders to remain hidden until we can attack their flank” Vi dropped her voice to a threatening hiss “Is that in anyway unclear?”

“No Sir, but I believe I could have taken out their leader”

“Brilliant! That would only have left another two thousand demons to fight. Without Marcus Buffy can’t execute the plan and we will all die, do you understand?”

“Yes Sir” Stella felt foolish but she kept her back straight and her head held high.

“Good, hold your fire”


....................

A/N moving on with the battle, so all S and B have to put their feelings on hold.

Hey KMS Thanks fior the encouragement. Like the show I've tried to make Angel well intentioned but kinda biased, hope it came off.

Cali- I know there are inconsistencies in Spikes reactions, but that's to be expected, remeber his consience is new to him and inspired by Buffy, in the show he felt enough regret to go after the soul and I'm mirroring that. Buffy clouds his judgement, love makes you do the wacky after all





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