The hand that suddenly dropped onto her shoulder just shy of the front door of the mansion made her jump slightly in sudden fright. Not the response one looks for in a vampire slayer.
Whipping around quickly she was shocked to see Xander there waiting almost patiently.
"Hey it's just me Buffster."
"Xander what are you doing here? Have you lost your mind?" She didn't know what to think about his presence here but she couldn't stop and take the time to find out. Her eyes scanned the door of the mansion and the area around them looking for any stray minions.
"Figured you needed some back up. So here I am being all backup-y." He frowned a bit at his own words.
She gave him a quick look of disbelief taking in the object in his hand.
"You're gonna back me up with a rock?"
He grinned sheepishly at her before shrugging and glancing down at the rock in his hand.
"It was the only thing I could find. Besides still back up with a rock is better than back up with no rock right?"
Buffy didn't answer instead she reached the waistband of her pants and handed him a stake.
"Thank god this is so much better." He tossed the rock with a casual shrug before taking the stake.
Had the situation not been so dire she would have spared his antics a laugh. Xander always made her laugh.
"I want you to stay back in there. See if you can get to Giles and get him out. I'm not going to be able to protect you once this thing gets started." She leveled a finger at him. "No heroics got it?"
"Not a prob Buff. Don't worry about me." She looked deeply into his sincere brown eyes for a moment. Inside she knew that there was nothing she could say that would dissuade him from following her into the lions den.
Giving him a slight nod she turned back towards the entrance.
"Buffy." She turned at his quiet call. "Willow said-"
When he stopped for a moment she raised a questioning eyebrow at him.
"Will said to kick his ass."
She didn't respond to his words instead she slowly turned and walked through the door. Silently she made her way into the heart of the mansion stopping to dust one minion who still had his back to her. Lowering the sword once more she took a few more steps.
There in the main room stood Angelus chanting at the stone figure in the center of the room. She could see three other minions on the other side of the room blocking another exit. To the left she could see Spike lounging casually against the wall while Drusilla watched her sire with wide excited eyes.
She could tell the millisecond that they felt her presence the three sets of eyes that turned to her showed varying amounts of surprise and unhealthy glee. Apparently it was a fight they were looking for.
"What's a matter Angelus not happy to see me?" Buffy quirked an eyebrow at her former boyfriend.
"You know I just don't have time for you right now." His hand dropped away from the statue.
She took a step further into the room a slight smile on her lips.
"You don't have a lot of time left."
At her words Angelus just laughed.
"Always the defiant one aren't you Buff? You don't stand a chance here and you know it." He took a step in her direction and she gave him a casual shrug in response.
"Pretty sure of that aren't you Angelus? I think it's time we put your little theory to the test."
She refused to react to his very obvious scoff at that idea.
"And you're gonna do this all on your little lonesome." He chuckled again. "Oh I'm so scared look at the little vampire Slayer now I'm just shaking in my designer shoes."
"First of all don't you mean knock off designer shoes and secondly who said anything about me being alone?" She could tell the knowing smirk she had was confusing the older vampire but she was unconcerned at least on the outside.
Inside well until she saw Spike's hand close around the poker from the fireplace he was conveniently resting against she was so unsure of what she was going to do. The move of the blond vampire settled her internal fears and she couldn't help the gleeful smile she had as she watched the poker slice through the air before making contact with Angelus' back.
She had just enough time to see Angelus collapse to the floor under the force of Spike's blows. That was before the minions suddenly realized just what was going on and rushed her.
The poker arced through the air again before it struck Angelus' body with a dull thud. Spike couldn't keep the smile from his face. This felt extremely good. Even if he didn't take into account all the years that he wished he could have done this to his grandsire the reality of the last few months would have made this moment sweet.
Right about now he would usually be making some kind of snide comment. But he didn't have one ready. Plus he just couldn't talk through the shit eating grin on his face. It was perverse he knew but hell he was a vampire after all if he couldn't enjoy the pain and suffering given to someone so truly deserving than there was something wrong with him.
The grin turned to a shouted laugh as he watched the poof's eyes roll back in his head as he gave into unconsciousness. Stupid git was always a bit fragile. Oh he could dish it out but ask Angelus to take it not very likely.
He would have taken more time to enjoy his triumph if Dru hadn't landed shrieking and clawing onto his back. Quickly dropping the metal in his hands he whirled with her attached to him like a limpet slamming her into a nearby wall. The blow wasn't enough to knock her off and he had to suppress a growl as one of her claws actually sank into his back.
Picking herself up off the floor Buffy decided that she was done dealing with these minions. They were annoying the crap out of her. She had far more important prey to deal with than the likes of these losers. Kicking out she caught one in the abdomen and sent him stumbling towards the spot where Xander was still hiding. Watching out of the corner of her eye she caught the flash of a stake as it imbedded itself into the back of the minion turning him into dust. She focused back on the other two demons as Xander made his way down the hall.
Turning quickly Spike slammed himself back first into the nearest wall hoping to shake a raving Dru from his back. Of course the grip she had around his throat and his shoulders kept her from falling off like he hoped. Turning back the other way he bent quickly at the waist using the momentum to roll her off his back. He watched her spring to her feet before glaring at him. He recognized that look in her eyes and knew it wasn't good.
"I don't want to have to hurt you Dru." He told her as he backed up two steps from her advancing figure.
She just hissed at him and slipped into her vampire features.
"But I can play rough with the best of them." This time he didn't hold back and used an open hand across her face sending her back into the wall. The growl that she let out sent a small shiver down his spine. In all their years together she had never used that sound in regards to him. Oh he was definitely going to be in the dog house after this.
Spinning in a roundhouse kick Buffy finally knocked the two remaining vamps back far enough for her to swing her sword. Bringing it up high she twirled and took both of their heads. As the dust settled around her once more she couldn't help the wide astonished look on her face.
Angelus was up and standing in front of the stone statue once again facing her.
"Have to give you credit Buff you almost pulled it off. Notice the emphasis on the word almost." With that he gave a good chuckle quickly pulling the sword out from the now awakening rock.
Stepping forward she brought the sword up in front of her ready once more to face her one time love. Down in her core she knew this would be the last battle they would fight. This time it would either result in his death or hers and she really didn't want to die this year.
She could take him she'd seen glimpses of it in fights from before not just at the graveyard but also at the mall when she faced the judge. He always counted on her feelings to save him from the final blow of her stake. This time there would be no second thoughts about it.
"Gloating a little early aren't you Angelus? Way I see it the fight still could go either way." Planting her feet in a defensive stance she watched him warily as he swung his sword in a slow arc as if testing the weight.
"Just look behind me. Acathla is awakening and he's going to take the world to hell."
"Better demons than you have tried and failed." She gave him a cold appraising look. "You're not as special as you think."
She couldn't help the little thrill that ran up her sign as she watched the muscle in his jaw tick. The words had struck a nerve to say the least and she fought the little smile that threatened as he charged her.
Spike rolled away from Drusilla after catching her fist with his face springing back to his feet immediately. He noticed that her attention seemed to drift away from him for a moment and he turned to look at what grabbed her attention. His jaw almost dropped in shock as he caught sight of the glowing portal growing out of the statue. Shaking his head to clear the image away and fighting the urge to look where he could hear the clanging of swords he focused back on his sire.
Rushing her with a low growl Spike caught her around the mid section before his momentum carried them to the floor. The hit was hard enough that a rush of air escaped from Dru before he looked in her eyes. The hurt and betrayal he saw there cut him to the quick but he had to finish this now.
"Say goodnight sweetheart." Bringing his fist up rapidly he struck her on the chin and watched her eyes roll up in a sick sort of fascination.
Buffy blocked yet another thrust from Angelus' sword hard enough for the vibration to pass through the metal and into her hands. The sound of metal clashing rang in her ears along with her own labored breathing as they made their way around the room. She dodged another blow as she swiped at him with her own sword which he narrowly avoided. The fight ebbed and flowed neither really gaining the advantage. The continuous fighting was beginning to take a toll on her endurance and she could feel it in her muscles.
The heavy swings required by the sword and the quick movements she needed from her feet to keep up with and out of the way of Angelus' swings were beginning to tire her out.
Out of the corner of her eye she caught sight of both Drusilla and Spike hitting the floor and the momentary distraction was all Angelus needed. The sound of his sword slicing through the air was the only warning she had before jumping back. It wasn't far enough and the point of the blade slashed across her middle. Not able to contain the whimper of pain that left her lips she let her eyes harden at his grinning face. Oh no this wasn't going to be finished that easily.
Driving herself harder she pushed an offensive assault making him retreat in the face of her aggression. Step thrust swing turn block she used the continuous movement in her fight making her moves flow like liquid into the next. She kept pushing him back recrossing the distance in the room once more. She could see the feral determination in his eyes and he fought back with equal intensity swinging wildly at times to try to make her unbalanced.
Luck momentarily granted him a reprieve when a swing to his right managed to graze her sword arm. The numbness spread quickly to her fingers making her lose her grip on her sword and she was pissed as she watched him kick it away. She rushed forward hoping that closing the distance between them would lower his advantage of having a weapon but he was prepared and backhanded her away from him sending her out the doors into the atrium.
Spike breathed a sigh of relief into the face of his unconscious sire before moving to get off of her. Kneeling he took a look behind him and noticed the steadily opening portal. Turning slightly he caught sight of the Slayer still fighting now outside the atrium doors. Things did not look good.
Glancing back at his dark princess he gently cradled her in his arms before picking her up. First things first he needed to make sure that she was secure. Striding quickly to the other door that led to the garage he found his keys and popped the trunk of his precious baby.
"Sorry 'bout the accommodations sweetheart but you know how things are." He only felt slightly bad as he gingerly placed her inside before quietly shutting the lid. It was for the best after all. He needed to be sure that she wouldn't interfere with what he needed to do or that the Slayer wouldn't find her and go after her.
Right now he was going to go back in there and make sure the Slayer dusted his worthless excuse for a grandsire and stopped the hell that was coming from the demon in the main room.
He made his way to the atrium and watched as Angelus backed the Slayer up against the wall lining the garden. She was on her knees her breaths leaving her raggedly and her hands now weaponless.
"God he's gonna kill her." He didn't know if he actually whispered the words out loud or they just passed through his mind but he did know it was a pity. Creature such as her should have a had a better end. Plus it wasn't like he knew what to do about stopping the dumb git's plan. He was willing to bet the Slayer did.
"Now that's everything huh? No weapons, no friends, no hope." Angelus smirked. "Take it all away and what's left?"
Buffy let her eyes close not in supplication to his words or his actions but to center herself once again. She could feel the power surging through her body once more. Could hear the slightest sound his movements made.
"Me." Was her answer as she glared once more in his eyes.
Spike watched mouth agape as the girl just stopped Angelus' thrust with her bare hands he'd been half a second from charging Angelus. As he watched her rise and begin to pummel Angelus he couldn't fight back a sudden surge of admiration for the girl. He moved quickly back away from the door seeking a place that would keep him slightly out of sight and out of the way. He knew this was her part of the fight. He only wanted to make sure the outcome was in their favor.
Buffy kicked Angelus sending him sprawling back into the mansion before she grabbed her sword. Watching him roll she anticipated his move and she thrust her sword. It seemed so much easier suddenly fighting him. This time he barely blocked her thrusts and seemed to slow to use his own sword more offensively. Another swing and this time she managed to catch his hand slicing it open. She watched out of the corner of her eye as his sword now released from his bleeding hand goes flying away from him. Giving him a high kick she let out a small grunt of satisfaction as he crashed against the bottom of the slowly awakening Acathla.
Raising her sword up she knew that this was it. With the vortex in front of her slowly growing this was the end of their fight. The end of months of his mental torture of her and her friends.
And all she could think in that moment was that it was about damned time.
Spike found himself holding his nonexistent breath as he waited for the downward plunge of her sword. He could feel the tiny thrill of anticipation through his body at the thought of the monster before her becoming dust. As the second seemed to stretch on he had to fight the urge to yell at her to just do it.
The sword was already on its way down when Angelus seemed to stiffen and his eyes glowed red. She stopped the movement of her weapon with a bit of confusion still holding it poised for a killing blow.
As a sob tore through the vampire in front of her she had to hold back a gasp as his teary eyes turned up into hers.
"Buffy?" His voice was shaky with his sudden grief. And she could see that was what it was. Pure grief.
"Where are we? What's going on?" His suddenly warm brown eyes seemed to finally focus on her. "You're hurt!"
Seeing the concern and the pain in his eyes she knew that she was no longer staring at the cold blooded killer that had terrorized her for months. No the curse must have worked for she was now looking in the deep soulful brown eyes of the vampire she had fallen in love with.
She slowly lowered her sword to her side.
Spike watched the sword slowly come to rest at her side and held back his need to shout. No they were so close now was not the time for her to back down. Her breathy question of the poof's chosen soulful name made Spike begin to shake in anger. He didn't want this. He had been so close to the final end of all his conflicts with his grandsire to only have him seemingly rewarded at the last moment and spared seemed wrong.
Buffy sighed deeply. Behind him she could see the face of the demon actually begin to morph now changing into more of a living beast as the vortex began to grow larger at a rapid pace. There wasn't much time left. She took a step so that she was kneeling in front of Angel.
"Buffy." He says her name like it's a prayer. "I feel like I haven't seen you in forever." As the last word left him he grabbed her and wrapped her up in his arms. "I can't seem to think straight." He was shaking his head as if to clear it.
As she hugged in return she pulled the both of them to their feet. Buffy suppressed the urge to cry. She wasn't delusional. Just because Angel was back didn't mean her life was once again flowers and hearts. No not for her. Behind them Acathla was still going to swallow the world and send everyone to hell.
"Oh god Buffy." Angel is practically sobbing once again and she feels his hold on her tighten. Just as the statue behind her groaned. "What was that?"
She pulled back so that she could look into his eyes.
"It's not important." The lie falls easily from her lips. It was meant to reassure him but she isn't sure what it says about her that she could tell him that the thing behind him that was going to eat the world was nothing.
Knowing this is the last chance she'll ever have she slowly reaches up and cups his cheek before kissing him softly on the lips. Pouring out every repressed feeling she'd had for the last few months that she missed the man he was once again.
They both slowly pulled back and she looked once more into eyes that held nothing but love for her.
"I love you." Her words come out in a tiny whisper heavy with knowledge.
"I love you." His whispered answer cuts into her like a finely hewn knife.
Blinking back her tears she touched his cheek gently.
"Close your eyes."
Giving him a tiny smile to reassure him she held back a grimace as he obeys her request.
Spike blinked stupidly at the love story that seemed to play out in front of him. The sight of it sickened him. Although not half as much as the growing portal behind them. He was already beginning to cross the room to them as she requested for the poof to close his eyes.
She seemed to freeze for just a second and it made him pause mid step. He was trying to figure out what she was up to when she raised the sword and ran his grandsire through the stomach.
Buffy felt like the sword traveled through her own heart as it rammed into the statue after impaling Angel. The look in his eyes as she raised hers cut out what was left of its shattered remains. The pain and betrayal the hurt and suffering and all she could do was stare as the magic of the sword did its work with his blood to close the latest portal into hell. She didn't blink didn't move knowing that as harsh as this last glimpse of the man she had fallen in love with was it was the price she was going to have to pay for carrying out her accursed duty.
Duty she never asked for. Duty that has only brought her pain and suffering of her own and now as she watched the last moments of the man she had given her innocent teenaged heart to be sucked into the yawning mouth of the demon he had awakened she swore to herself that that duty would take nothing else from her.
"Shit." He was unafraid of the Slayer over hearing his exclamation as he watched the creature he hated above all others be sucked into the bright swirling vortex he had opened.
A part of him was beginning to feel a very disrespectful amount of glee knowing that Angelus would be no more. If there was a deity that vampires could really pray to he would have prayed every night just for an out come such as this. A time when he knew Angelus was going to pay for everything he ever did not only to him but Dru as well. The years of torment and pain they had suffered at his hand were finally going to come back and bite the great poof in the ass. And the knowledge that it was done by the hand of the girl the git had loved was even better. Cause to tell the truth the bastard didn't deserve her either. Not that he thought much about what the Slayer did deserve but the poof was stooping to low even for the killer of his kind.
And she had. Killed him that is. Knowing that the vamp she loved had gotten his soul back the girl had the brass ones to plunge a sword into him and send him into hell. Yeah he knew she was only doing what she had to, to save the world but it took a stone pair to kill the one person you loved. He knew deep in his heart that had it been Dru they would be seeing hell opening in front of them.
The admiration he'd felt earlier paled in the light of this sudden action. She was strong this one. Not the Slayer. No he knew the power the Slayer wielded. This strength he saw here belonged to the girl. As emotionally broken as Angelus had wanted to make her he'd barely even scratched the surface.
It was quite possible that Angelus could have spent years torturing her and her will would have remained strong.
How could he not respect that?
In the short amount of time that he had known this confusing Slayer he had seen a great many sides of her. And yet he knew this was just the beginning. After all she was still just a girl not yet a woman. And the woman she would become? Well if the glimpses he had seen in the last few months were any indication that woman would be nothing short of amazing.
If her calling didn't kill her first.
She didn't know how long she stared at the demon statue before she heard the slight sound of breathing behind her. She didn't have to think she knew it was him.
"Spike why are you still here?" Her voice sounded funny to her but she didn't have the energy or the will to care about that.
The sound of her voice as flat as it was startled him into motion again.
"Just wanted to make sure you held up your end of the deal."
She didn't turn to look at him trying to find solace in filling her eyes with the now quiet demon statue.
"And did I?"
He didn't like the way the question sounded coming from her but there was no way he was going to focus on that. He still didn't care about the chit. Respected and admired her yes. But he didn't really give a whit about this girl.
"Yeah seems to be."
The quiet fell between them once again like a lead curtain.
Buffy restrained the sigh of despair she could feel clawing at her throat. She didn't want to let it out. If she did she wouldn't be able to function. It would only lead to letting all the feelings she'd be repressing all night loose. And if that happened she wouldn't be able to do what still needed to be done. Not that she knew what that was yet.
They both stood there still and silent for some time and Buffy became a little more aggravated with each passing second.
"Well since I've held up my end why haven't you left yet?" She wanted to make sure he left before she left the mansion herself. She didn't know why but she wanted to make sure he was gone before she did anything else. Not that she had any doubt that he was going to leave with Drusilla but she had to see it with her own eyes.
"Was just going." He took a couple of steps towards her coming to rest just two steps behind her. "Guess this is goodbye Slayer." He paused for a second before smirking even if the girl had her back to him. "Unless of course you want that go round now?"
Taking a final glance at Acathla she finally turned around and looked up at him.
"No." She shook her head along with the word. "Just take your precious Dru and leave."
"Right." He began to turn to walk to his Desoto when her words stopped him.
"If I see either of you again I will dust you." She said the words quietly but this time he did catch the hint of sadness the sentence contained.
"You'll try." He cocked his head at the Slayer trying to figure out the conflicting feelings that were overwhelming her. "Slayer-"
He didn't even know what he was going to say to her when she cut him off.
"Don't. Just don't please." The softly spoken plea just had him nodding his head in answer. "Go Spike you've gotten what you wanted just take her and go."
His only response was a nod before he turned around once again.
***************
The crunch of the Welcome to Sunnydale sign sent a wave of relief flowing through his body. Letting out a deep sigh Spike stretched his arm a bit to bring Drusilla's still limp body closer to his side. He knew that she was going to be pissed when she woke up. Inside he hoped that she would understand why he had done what he'd done.
Besides it all worked out in the end. The poofter was in the hell he created the world didn't end and he was leaving this god forsaken place with his dark princess by his side.
The only down side was that the Slayer was still alive.
Well you couldn't win them all.
Steering the car towards the freeway he pushed all thoughts of the last few months firmly from his mind.
If he never saw this town again it would be too soon.
************
Buffy hefted the bag over her shoulder once more watching quietly as her friends made their way inside of the school. It hadn't taken any time at all for her to pack her meager belongings and the money she'd been saving before she snuck out of her window for the last time.
Watching the three of them she let go the sigh she was holding inside knowing this was for the best.
Turning quickly she walked down the sunny street towards the bus station. She blocked out all of her thoughts about the last few months and just let the warmth of the sun try to shake the chill in her soul.
Silently she made her way to a vacant seat on the first bus out of town. Sitting with her eyes glued to the window she flinched as the bus rumbled to life.
She desperately didn't want to think about everything she'd been through. Didn't want to concentrate on the pain and sorrow the last few hours had heaped on her. Instead she blanked her mind.
As the bus finally made it's way passed where the Welcome to Sunnydale sign was supposed to be a single tear fell from her eye. Inside she knew that she wasn't running away from any of the heartbreak she'd garnered.
No it would follow her wherever she was.
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Author's Chapter Notes:
Okay here's a bit of a lengthy chappie for you guys. There's a bit of dialougue from Becoming part 2 and of course credit for those little pearls I couldn't dare to touch go to Joss. Thanks to all of you who have reviewed and thank you for continuing to read this story. Let me know what you think, Thanks for everything.