"There's nothing."

The air was ripped from her lungs when Giles raised weary and tearfilled eyes from the book.

Buffy stood trembling in the middle of the room, too shocked for tears. She sucked in a harsh breath when her lungs began to burn and she shook her head, not believing the words.

"Don't. Don't say that! There has to be-" The tears finally came and her next words were whispered, "there has to be."

"Do you not think if something was out there that I would know? This is my child, my son! I would know!! I would find it." Giles finally broke down, the thought of losing Spike crippling him.

But there wasn't. It was fatal.

The demon that had attacked him, there was nothing to save him from it's poison.

And it was her fault.

She had distracted him. If only they had been actually patrolling, rather than goofing around and kissing. He never saw it coming, not until it had latched onto his arm.

The demon was dead, but the damage had already been done.

Spike was dying.

Buffy shook her head and held it high.

"I won't accept that. I will find something."

She walked into the bedroom that held her love and walked over to the bed. She sat down beside him and stroked the sweat slickened hair away from his burning forehead. Tears hit his face as Buffy leaned down to place a sweet kiss on his lips.

"Hey, baby."

Her body shook as sobs hit her and she closed her eyes against the tears.

"I'm gon-- I'm gonna save you. Just hold on."

She placed another kiss to his lips and stood up, her body burning with determination. She walked through the living room, passed her friends, and stopped inside the doorway. She spoke without turning around and left into the night.

"I will save him."


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Buffy walked into the graveyard and came to the spot where it happened. She stood on it and closed her eyes.

"Whistler!"

She opened her eyes and scanned her surroundings.

"Whistler! I know you can hear me!! Please..."

She closed her eyes only for them to snap back open when she heard his voice.

"Yeah?"

She turned to see him leaning against a monument, his hat over his eyes.

"I need your help. Spike is--"

"Dying."

She tried to control her rapid breathing and nodded her head.

"Please, help me. There has-- Is there anything? Please."

"Sorry, kid. I don't have any answers for you."

The world crumbled out from under her and she hit her knees.

"But I know someone who does."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


Buffy looked around the white room, wondering where she was and just how exactly she got there. She started when she heard a voice and searched the room, finding nothing.

"You seek answers."

Buffy still searched the room, but she nodded her head.

"Yes. Please, Spike he's-- he needs help."

"There is nothing known to man that can save your William."

She lifted her chin and stood fearless of the unseen force.

"But your not a man."

The voice was quiet and Buffy was terrified she had lost any chance of saving him.

"What are you willing to sacrifice?"

Buffy's brow furrowed in confusion, before Spike's face drifted through her mind.

"Anything."

"Even your own life?"

She sucked in a breath and her eyes widened.

"What?"

"Are you willing to sacrifice your own life, in place of his?"

"So it's either live without him, or not at all."

Could she live without him? Could she go on without him beside her?

She raised her chin again, and felt the tears as they traveled from her cheeks, down her neck.

"I'd rather die than spend one moment in a world that didn't have him in it."

"This is your choice? To give your life in place of his?"

"It is."

"Then so be it."

Buffy stood trembling and wiped her eyes, making a last request.

"Please. Can I-- can I say goodbye first?"

She never got an answer.

When she opened her eyes, she was standing in front of Giles' front door. She opened the door and made her way inside, passing the others as they sat solemnly in the living room.

She walked in the bedroom and released a ragged breath, walking toward the bed. She started crying when he opened his eyes as she sat down.

"Buffy?"

She stroked his cheek and gave him a tearful smile.

"Hey, baby."

He looked around the room and back at her.

"What happened? I thought- I thought there was nothing to be done?"

Buffy covered his lips with trembling fingers and stared longingly at his face.

"Don't worry about it right now."

She saw his eyes widen and knew he must have caught on. His breathing quickened and fear crept into his eyes. He pulled her hand away from his lips, holding it in a vice grip. His voice shook and his lips trembled with fear.

"What did you do?"

And he knew.

He knew the second her eyes met his.

"No. No, Buffy. No..."

He started crying and he shook his head, his body shaking with sobs. She turned his face back toward her and tried to get his attention.

"Spike, listen to me. I did what I had to do."

He looked at her, grasping her hands with his.

"Why?"

She stroked his face and gave him another tearful smile.

"Because I can't live without you."

He squeezed her hand and was overcome with pain and grief. His voice rose and sat up in the bed, gripping her shoulders.

"And what about me? What am I supposed to do wit-- without you?!"

"I'm sorry. I'm selfish. But I can't live without you. I'm sorry."

He fell back into the bed and brought her with him, squeezing her as tight as he could.

"How- how long?"

She brought her forehead to rest against his.

"Not long."

Her tears fell onto his face and mixed with his.

"I love you, Spike." He let out a raspy sob, holding her closer to him. "And this, this is only the beginning. 'Cause I'm gonna love you through eternity. I'll never stop and I'll never leave you, do you hear me? Never."

He nodded his head bringing her lips to his.

"I love you, Buffy. I love you, please- please don't leave me."

"I have to. This is my destiny." She stroked his cheek. "You are my destiny."

Her body stiffened and she could feel it pulling at her.

"I love you, Spike. Never forget it."

He sobbed as he felt her slipping away from him.

"I won't. I can't. I love you so much, Buffy."

She looked into his eyes and leaned down to kiss him again, using her last breath.

"I love you."

He felt her last breath hit his lips as she uttered her last words, and he clutched her to him, a mournful wail passing his lips.

The others ran into the room and watched as he held her body, tears falling from his eyes and flowing down her cheeks.




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A/N: This short little ficlet popped in my head and wouldn't go away. Hope you enjoy it. ~Hannah





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