She tried not to grimace at the info Giles spit out. There was no way things weren't going to go bad. She wasn't that naive. The fact that Angelus had gotten his slimy fingers on a way to destroy the entire world, well she knew it wasn't a good thing. Beside the fact that he'd already tried to start the world destruction with using the Judge.
Only this was worse. This time it would be the whole world in a single opening of one demon's mouth.
She'd finally understood just how evil her ex was when he was soulless. Had seen enough examples of it demonstrated since that fateful night.
She'd never knew that he'd completely lost his mind.
Sure destroying the world looked good as an act of evil. What could top that show stopping number? But honestly what did he think was going to happen afterwards?
Did he believe that for some reason he would be chosen to rule the hell on earth? That he and his family would reign?
Or did he even think about afterwards?
If everything on earth that was living was sucked into a never ending hell wasn't there going to be a problem finding something to eat?
She could feel Kendra's eyes boring into her back as she focused on the glass orb in Willow's hands. Yes the ensouling was a sound idea even if no one else could see it yet.
No she was certain that all of them thought she was holding on to the last hope that Angel would return and everything would be all right.
Like anything could ever be all right ever again.
She made her way to her feet feeling the eyes of the others turn to her the motion drawing their attention. Buffy felt the need to flee. Just to run out of the library as if Satan himself were chasing her. The overwhelming feeling of guilt and fear along with her sense of duty just seemed to crowd in on her.
Instead she took a deep breath and let it out slowly.
They all needed to make their ways home.
************
Spike paced with quick strides in the small bedroom. It was the only place he could find in the mansion where he could get some privacy.
He needed to think.
It wasn't like he couldn't appreciate the evil of Angelus' new scheme. No vampire here, he was well aware how dramatic a move it made. Not only would it take care of the white hats but, hey, think of all the innocents that would suffer.
No he got it.
The problem with ending the world as they knew it was they would be ending with it.
He knew that Drusilla couldn't distinguish the consequences of her choices. She wasn't sane enough to remember who she ate the night before, let alone think about what she was doing.
The fact that Angelus didn't seem to be able to see where this would lead told him that the vamp was further gone then he thought. Maybe the soul had truly driven the rest of the demon insane. It was the only explanation.
He wanted a chance for him and Dru to get out of here. Get things back to where they were. How they used to be before Angelus' returned.
Before Sunnydale.
But the threat of Acathla would stop all of that. If the world was gone they would be to.
And Spike wasn't ready to let go of his immortality quite yet.
He sure as hell wasn't about to let Dru dust.
So he was pacing. His mind racing to find a solution.
Hoping it would come to him before it was too late.
He felt her at the door before she opened it and stopped mid pace. The look of glee she had on her face as she entered the room almost made him grimace.
He loved her. Truly and deeply he loved Drusilla.
But it was times like these he had to wonder why.
He knew the thought was wrong. That he shouldn't question his loyalty or feelings for his dark princess. But right now sitting on the verge of the world ending he couldn't help the traitorous notion that if he didn't love her so much his life would be a whole lot easier.
"It's time my Spike." She glided softly over to him her movements as always seemed hypnotizing. She stood in front of him her blue eyes looking directly into his before she trailed a blood red nail down his chest. "Mummy's missed her sweet."
He couldn't help the bitterness of his answer.
"That right pet. Thought Daddy made it all better?"
"Don't be a bad doggie." She poked the same finger into his chest. "Mummy needed Daddy and soon all the little puppies will scream and burn."
She turned from him them but not before he caught the cold look in her eye or the evil smirk on her lips.
"Coming my prince?"
He had no choice of course but to follow. And really wouldn't he follow her to the ends of the earth?
The question was was he willing to follow her to the earth's end?
**************
Spike entered the main room as two minions dragged a young boy in. His hands were bound and they dropped him right in front of the three master vampires.
"I will drink, the blood will wash in me, over me and I will be cleansed. I will be worthy to free Acathla." Angelus turned and looked at Spike his dark eyes making contact with narrowed blue. "Bear witness as I ascend." His gaze moved to Dru for a moment before he morphed into his demonic visage. "As I become."
Spike could feel the creep of dread along his spine as he watched Angelus pick up the boy by the throat before sinking his fangs in.
He could hear the slurps of blood as the elder vamp drank the boy and drained the life from him. As he heard the humans heartbeat slow to a stop Angelus pulled his face away from his neck while swiping his palm through the blood there.
The soft sounds of Angelus' footfalls were the only noise in the room as he reached for the hilt of the sword. His fingers closed around it slowly.
And in that fraction of a second as he felt his muscles chest constrict and he held his breath, he knew.
This was not how he was going to go out.
Not like this, not without a fight.
A good one at that. Preferably with a really worthy opponent. Someone like the Slayer.
Instead he watched as Angelus pulled on the sword where it remained until a bright flash of red light seemed to propel him away from the fossilized demon.
Letting out a huge sigh of relief Spike couldn't help himself.
"Someone wasn't worthy." The mocking sing song of his voice earned him a glare.
"Damn it!" The brunette got on his feet before dusting himself off.
He tuned out his Sire and the Pratt’s conversation trying to think of anything to get them all through this. Well not all he really did want Angelus to go to hell.
As the two of them planned on how to nab the Slayer's watcher Spike fought with every instinct he had against where his thoughts were taking him.
Really he wasn't even thinking it was he?
*********************
Okay so the vampire immolation-gram had her a bit freaked. It wasn't that she wasn't ready to face Angelus. No far from it.
Now after everything that had happened it would finally be a relief to get it over with. But sending a vamp into the school during the day? Freaky in itself.
So she understood the concern that the others had for her. But she had to do this.
The words the vampire had said to her kept repeating in her mind. If she didn't want anyone else to die.
At this point Buffy had no problem letting her thoughts swing to the morbid. Really would it matter to her now if more innocent lives were taken. Hadn't she already condemned enough people to death?
And truly if the world was about to end did it matter if those people died now at the point of a vampire's fangs instead of the great hulking world sucking demon?
The direction her thoughts took would horrify those she knew and yet it was the way she felt. Even as she directed Kendra to watch over the ensouling spell. Like the year before she set out to do her duty no matter what her feelings.
Only this time she hoped she didn't have to die.
Her trudging walk to the cemetery was done in silence the secure feeling of the stake tucked in her waist band the only thing she'd allow herself to feel. Nothing else was allowed past the barriers in her mind. Not when she was going to finally face the beast that had caused her so much anguish.
Buffy inhaled deeply and held the breath for a moment. Letting it out slowly she let all the tension ebb from her rigid frame as she stood at the entrance to the graveyard.
It was finally time.
*************
Her quiet steps did little to hide her arrival from the hulking figure leaning against the stone mausoleum. Not that she thought she would be catching him unaware.
"Wasn't sure you'd show princess." The words almost sounded genuine enough to pass for real feeling if you didn't take in the look in his flat dead eyes.
She wasn't fooled in the slightest. The time for her softer feelings about the man the demon had hidden behind was over. Those inclinations to change her behavior had vanished with the death of her Watcher's love and the encroaching world endage that he was going to bring about.
"After your sweet invitation? How could I refuse?" Her voice was sickly saccharine. "Not that the visit isn't nice and all but shouldn't you be busy trying out your King Arthur impersonation right now?"
She watched warily as he moved closer.
"You know I have plenty of time for that. Thought maybe you and I could say goodbye properly." He gave her a leer that spoke volumes.
"So you were hoping for what a 'Gone With The Wind' moment? Sorry but I don't give a damn." Her expression turned to boredom. "Isn't this where we fight now?"
"I didn't come here to fight."
She contained the eye roll threatening in her mind instead she just rose an eyebrow in disbelief.
"No?"
"Nah I thought we could just chat about old times and catch up with each others lives. What do you say?"
Giving him a cold glare she watched the yellow of the demon flicker in his eyes.
"Fine we'll fight."
The words were barely past his lips when he rushed her.
*****************
He was pacing again.
This time it wasn't because he needed to think. No now it was because he was trying not to in his boredom.
The course of action he needed to take was set. All he had to do now was wait until the time was right.
Unfortunately he knew damn well that phase one of Angelus' plan was to get the Slayer separated from the rest of the group she surrounded herself with.
So there wasn't anything he could do but wait until his poncy grandsire returned from his outing.
In the meantime he had to keep from letting his mind go over just what he was about to do. He couldn't let himself think about it or he would try to convince himself that it wouldn't work.
But it was a sound plan.
Later after all was said and done and he had taken his dark princess away again then he could think about what he did. Not before.
This was the only way he could stop what Angelus was doing and guarantee not only his safety but Dru's as well.
So now he just waited.
***************
They'd covered a great deal of the graveyard during their fight and there were quite a few damaged headstones to mark where they passed.
But she was holding her own.
Not to say it wasn't brutal and the punches and kicks didn't hurt. But she returned all of them with equal force. And as long as he didn't get the upper hand she knew deep down that she could take him.
Besides she'd faced tougher masters then him.
Angelus managed to get in a lucky punch connecting with her jaw making her stumble away.
"You know I thought for sure fighting you wouldn't be this boring. Guess I was wrong."
She could feel the anger flash with a searing heat over her skin.
"Oh I haven't even started yet." She flipped landing briefly in front of him before connecting a roundhouse kick to his jaw in return knocking him back a good ten feet. "That's your problem you're always underestimating me."
His loud chuckle sent an icy shiver down her spine.
"Oh I think I estimated you just right. Still thinking that everything revolves around you. Sorry but this time this has nothing to do with you."
Maybe it was the look in his eyes or maybe it was some sixth sense but right away she understood. Without thought she raced away from the now laughing vampire and headed back to the library and the others.
She pushed herself hard breathing deeply feeling the air burn in her lungs as her legs began to tingle with the strain. She ran through the night feet pounding hard against the pavement until they were muffled by grass whenever she took another short cut. And still she pushed harder fighting for a little more speed.
It seemed like she had run forever like the last few minutes had taken hours.
Until at last she pushed through the double doors of the school. Her shoes squeaked against the faded linoleum as she turned down the familiar hall and made it to the door of the library.
Buffy felt the fierce rush of air as it left from her lungs and out of her lips. Her head swiveled from one side of the library to the other taking in the overturned chairs and tables the broken shelves the stacks that had toppled the books scattered everywhere.
In the front center of all this carnage was the still form of a girl Buffy had barely begun to know and care for.
Moving quickly she kneeled next to the only other girl in the world who understood her calling.
She didn't need to feel for her pulse to know the young vibrant girl was gone. No the pool of blood under her told her that much.
Needing some sort of contact to ground herself to the reality around her she took Kendra's lifeless hand in hers. She could feel the tears pricking at the back of her eyes already. Stubbornly she held them back and reached her other hand out to gently caress her cooling cheek trying hard not to look at the gaping wound of her throat.
Closing her eyes at the image before her she began to summon the will to get up and check for the others too afraid of what she would find. As she began to move her hands away from Kendra's body she finally became aware of another presence in the library with her.
"FREEZE!"
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Author's Chapter Notes:
Hello all! Here is my next bit of this one. A line or two may be borrowed from Becoming part 1 all credit for them goes to Joss. As for me I just want to thank all of you who have been reading and reviewing. Please continue to let me know what you think. I'll keep posting as fast as I can. Thank you all so much!