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The three of them stood at the top of the platform staring into the swirling vortex incased just below them. The fun lighthearted atmosphere was gone now replaced by this little feeling of awe and fear. Not that the two next to her would admit to that but it was there anyway.

Bringing her head up she took a look at the two of them.

They were deep in thought and she was sure the same look of deep reflection was on her face. Here they stood maybe a step away from going into a portal that would take them into whatever dimensions the Partners call home. It was something that was a bit much to take in all at once.

Not that it was what she was thinking of, well at least not in the same way they were. This last step into a sort of abyss was the last step she would take before facing the thing in her nightmares. So for her this was some of the last minutes she knew she would get to spend with the men at her side. She wished that she hadn't been such a coward before and had talked to her friends letting them know that she had forgiven them. Wished for the chance to make sure they knew that she loved them.

It was too late now and she understood that. Whatever fate had in mind when it set up this little shindig was about to play out. Funny that she was sort of okay with that. Not that she relished the fact that she might die or who was she kidding that she was going to die, but she had been fate's plaything long enough that she understood some things couldn't be changed. The only thing was sometimes fate messed with the rules a little. It was something that gave her a little hope.

But staring into a portal of energy that she had to jump into? Not helping. Too many not so nice memories associated with that thank you very much.

Taking another glance at the two of them she felt an impulse and for once went with it. Reaching out with her hands she took one of theirs in hers. Brown and blue questioning eyes swiveled to meet hers and she just gave them a small smile. There was no way she could voice what she was feeling and in her mind she asked whoever was in charge up there that they understand just how much they meant to her.

Letting their hands go she took a small step forward closing her eyes to work up the nerve to make a jump so similar to one she made before. The first time she had done it with a clear conscience secure in her knowledge that everyone she loved knew she loved them in return and that they would be alright without her. It had been her time and her calling to leave them at that point. Now she was faced with the same fate without the same clear thoughts. This time the thought brought her no sense of peace no sense of completion at what they demanded from her. There were so many things she had yet to do many of which involved a certain blond menace by her side.

Fighting off the urge to shake her head at her unproductive thoughts she opened her eyes once more. Pushing back with her right foot she could feel the cold steel of the dagger and knew that in a few moments her course would change again. It was time she made peace with that.

Not looking back she jumped forward and into the portal.

********

Tumbling out of the portal she rolled to her feet across the earthen floor. She glanced around quickly taking in the bareness of the cavern seeing only the faint illumination of the few torches along its walls. Ahead of her was a narrow passage.

Only one direction to go then. She waited a few more seconds for the others to join her but nothing came except the silence. Here she was in another dimension alone, it wasn't the most comforting thought she'd had. They would be there eventually she knew so there really was no point in just standing around waiting for them to show up.

Following the torches she walked down the narrow passage slowly listening carefully for any movement. It was still deathly silent apart from the muffled thunk of her footsteps. After a few yards she could make out the end of the passage a soft light entered from the room and as she made her way closer she could feel a slight tingling that made the hair on the back of her neck stand straight up. Something probably not nice was in that room.

Stopping in the shadows near the entrance of the next cavern she reached into her boot to pull out the dagger. There was a gut instinct that told her that whatever she was facing in this room was the last obstacle before they had a chance at the Senior Partners and hopefully where they were holding Connor. She was certain of it in fact. Feeling comforted by the weight of the dagger in her hand she finally stepped into the room.

Her eyes scanned quickly searching for things hidden in the darkness. Most of the cavern was just like the first one empty and lit with a few torches along the walls. But this room made her stomach flip flop with the familiarity of it. Well just not the room considering what was in the center. Easily a demon tall, very muscular, very red, with four arms and two swords. In the center of its chest were the markings that Wesley had told her were a binding spell.

The demons nostrils flared scenting her approach no doubt since she had entered the passage. Its dark eyes followed her steps as she moved forward her fingers tightening around the dagger. She stopped leaving maybe fifteen feet between them neither moving as they gazed at the other. There was a strange calm that seemed to take over her as she watched the demon size her up that she thought odd. Here facing this thing that in many torturous nightmares had caused an unending series of deaths and yet there was no fear. No sense of foreboding that she expected.

Then as if by mutual signal their dance began. Both beings circled neither moving forward just orbiting around the other waiting for the first move.

It broke first and lunged towards her. She began to lose herself in the steady rhythm of the fight punch kick spin duck dodge. Each move was matched evenly making the moves flow from one being to the other. Time lost all meaning and she had no idea how long they continued to twirl around each other. In fact it was so fluid that her mind began to wander her body taking the clues from the demons movements without any thought.

She thought about the way she had dreaded this moment and concentrated on the dream. The deciding factor she had thought was the distraction that she had experienced when Spike had entered the room. But with the way they were fighting now she knew that Satan himself could walk in and she would be able to match the demon's moves. So that really wasn't what her dream had been telling her. Her mind skimmed over the other factors in the dream it was the same cavern that she was sure of and yes the demon was exactly what she had seen in her mind's eye. Eyes traveling to her hand she took in the dagger again. It was the same dagger she knew it, had known it in Angel's office by the feeling it gave her in the pit of her stomach. So maybe it was something about the dagger. She tried to concentrate on the things that Wesley had told them about it. Created in the blood of a true warrior used to cleanse the original demons from the earth. That could mean that the dagger was intended to take out the Senior Partners they had been around a long time maybe they were part of the original set.

That kind of made sense to her and she almost nodded as she ducked another punch. Rolling from the blade of the demons sword she tried to recall what else he had said. It was something important she knew it was tickling the back of her mind. Blood was important of course it was Spike had said so years ago it was always about the blood. But she was still lacking a detail and it would very soon drive her mad.

This thought was enough to distract her into miscalculating a step and the demon's sword cut along her left arm not deep but just enough for her to feel the pain and to bleed a little. Thinking maybe it would be better to concentrate on the fight she let her mind slip back into battle mode. They continued to move together in a deadly dance that both had perfected the steps for.

A punch followed by the jab of the dagger, spin, crouch, sweep out its legs, the moves kept coming but that little niggling in her brain refused to let up and she once again looked at the metal in her hands.

What had he said in Angel's office blood warrior pure what other word was it? The words circled around in her mind chanting over and over. What was the missing link what was the other word?

Seconds passed maybe minutes; it just as easily could have been years as her brain chased itself in a dizzying circle.

As she flipped to the side of the demon and kicked out with her foot sending it backwards the word came to her.

Sacrifice.

Oh that word. No good could come of that word.

It was too fucked up not even her life could be that screwed could it?

She released a sigh she had no idea she had been holding. But of course it could. Her life was the definition of fucked up.

Her mind which had seen one too many cryptic messages began to piece together a puzzle she now wished she could never put together.

A pure warrior whose blood was sacrificed.

A warrior or Champion like Whistler mentioned who had elevated themselves to where the Powers that Be determined they had nothing left to prove.

Someone like her.

Oh irony was a royal bitch.

The dagger was a tool that needed to be used with some kind of power that the sacrifice of her blood would unlock. She was the key.

Not funny in the least.

Moving in this cavern fighting against this whatever demon while the sound of their blows echoed around them she understood all the events since that night that she had been kicked out of her house. It all led to this.

Guess jumping into portals did only equal in ones own death.

So was this her only choice wasn't their another way?

The answer came to her quickly.

No.

There really wasn't because they had been showing her the way the whole time.

Her death.

The sacrifice needed for them to shut down the evil the Senior Partners were plotting.

The sacrifice needed to save Angel's son.

Was it so different from when she jumped to save her own sister's life, to save the world by closing Glory's portal?

No.

It was her calling the thing she had been born to do. Because death was her gift. The one gift she could give to the world to save it.

The sound of footsteps told her that they had finally made it into the cavern.

Oh God. Spike.

The thought brought a flash of pain because she knew seeing her die again, would be like killing him herself.

And even though her mind was now clear and she understood what her little role was in this her heart was heavy with that knowledge.

In the dream she had been struck down by the demon's sword when he entered the room, not because he was a distraction. But because he would stop her if he knew.

She could feel him there tensing to join in on the fight and felt the time slip through her fingers.

Just so damn sorry.

Dropping her arm with the dagger she took a step forward.

Without missing a beat the demon sank the sword into her chest and raked it downward shooting white-hot pain through her body.

Gasping she slid to the floor. Well her dreams had told her the truth this hurt worse then anything she had ever experienced.

He was over her in a second his eyes filled with a pain she had promised to both of them she would never put there again. A promise her last act had broken.

"Buffy." One of his hands was caressing her face and she felt the other putting pressure on part of the wound. It was too big for him to effectively stop the bleeding this way but he didn't seem to notice.

"Spike I'm sorry."

"Oh pet please just hold on."

This time she didn't need to tell him how much it hurt there was no need.

"The dagger Spike use it some kind of power against them." She placed the dagger on her chest resting it along the gash in her body. Resting it in her blood.

He could only nod and she saw the tears in his eyes. She knew he could hear her labored breathing the steady decline of her heartbeat.

"Buffy." Her name was choked through his throat.

Reaching up she placed the palm of her hand against his cheek. She gazed into his eyes hoping that all the love she felt for him was there for him to see. To witness that the last thoughts she had on this earth were of him.

"I love you Spike." Her voice was reedy drawing air was increasingly difficult and it sapped more of her strength.

He was beyond words she could see it in his eyes and wished that she could whisk the pain away.

If wishes were horses.

"Remember your promise." He could only nod as he crouched closer to her as her voice turned to a whisper. "Love you always."

The light around her was dimming and she concentrated on those eyes in front of her. Eyes that even now tears were falling from dripping down from her like a shower from heaven. The proof of his love for her.

She drew in a small painful breath and felt her hand slide back down from his face while her vision swam and the darkness swept her away.





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