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Buffy called up the stairs “Get a move on Dawn.” She looked over to where Spike was sorting through the weapons in the chest.

“Won’t bother with the small stuff. Couple of good axes should hold off Glory’s mates while you tackle the lady herself.” Spike grunted with satisfaction as he hefted a well-balanced axe.

Buffy paused, “We’re not all gonna make it. You know that.”

He looked at her and grinned, “Yeah. Hey, I always knew I’d go down fighting.”

“I’m counting on you. To protect her.” She said sincerely.

Spike swallowed hard. “’Till the end of the world – even if that happens to be tonight.” His voice tight.

Buffy gave him a small smile and started up the stairs.

Spike looked up after her – it was now or never, he’d probably not get another chance - and blurted. “I know you’ll never love me. I know I’m a monster. But you treat me like a man, and that’s….” His throat closed painfully.

She looked down into his eyes, which were gleaming with sincerity, and felt as though he had winded her. She hadn’t got a clue how to respond and said the first thing that came into her head. “I, I’ll just go and see what’s happened to Dawn.” Then fled up the stairs.


_____________________________________________



Buffy, Dawn and Spike were the last to arrive at the Magic Box. The others were grouped around the table at the back. They all stared at the three late-comers in silence, Willow seemed to be trying to smile, but she failed miserably.

“Okay, you’re wigging me out. What’s the what?” Buffy asked briskly.

They all looked away and avoided eye contact.

“Giles?” Buffy said uneasily, “what’s wrong?”

“Um, I think that perhaps Dawn would be better waiting in the back room while we discuss this.” Giles spoke slowly, still avoiding eye contact.

“Oh no – if this is about me and my being all key-like, then I’m staying.” Dawn said firmly.

Buffy drew up chairs for her sister and herself and Spike silently squatted on the stairs leading to the upper level.

“I agree, she’s got a right to know what’s happening.”

“Very well, but this doesn’t make easy listening.” Giles pushed his glasses up his nose and looked down at the book that was on the table in front of him.

“We found a ritual text which mentions the Key. Well, I’m afraid it’s um – well Buffy, I’ve read these things really very carefully and there’s not much margin for error. Glory, um, plans to open a dimensional portal by way of a ritual blood-letting.” He made eye contact for the first time.

Buffy had an awful, nauseous feeling that she knew what he was talking about. “Dawn’s blood.” She whispered, as she heard Dawn’s gasp.

Giles swallowed hard, “Once the blood is shed at a certain time and place – the fabric which separates all realities will be …. ripped apart.” He said in a hollow voice. “Dimensions will pour into one another, with no barriers to stop them. Reality as we know it will be destroyed and chaos will reign on earth. I, I’ve studied the rather complex text, and it looks like the ritual will have to take place within the next 24 hours”

Buffy squared her shoulders. “So – how do we stop it?”

There was another long pause as Giles removed his glasses and began to polish them.

“Giles!”

“The portal will only close once the blood is stopped – that’s what the text says.”

“What the bloody hell does that mean?” Spike jumped up and began pacing up and down.

Buffy went on, “Pretty simple math here. We stop Glory before she can start the ritual. We still have some time, right?”

Anya raised her arm, “can’t we just run away and hide until the ritual time is over?”

“Oh, and what? The god-bitch will just give up and toddle off into the sunset, will she?” Spike snarled sarcastically. “Knowing these ritual things, there’s always another time when it can be done – we have to finish this now!”

“I didn’t think I’d ever hear myself say this, but I think Spike’s right.” Giles said grimly.

__________________________


“And what are we doing here, again? Xander asked, not for the first time.

Buffy was glad that Spike wasn’t in the vicinity – they could do without another full-blown argument at the moment. “If I remember, you said you didn’t care where we went, as long as Spike shut up about it.” (Only he’d used one of his less polite names for the vampire, which she wasn’t going to repeat.)

“Yeah, but that was before I saw this place. It’s a wreck. How are we supposed to sleep here? How do we know that the bleached wonder will keep to the plan?”

Buffy winced – the plan. Now that they were actually in the disused factory, the plan that they’d concocted seemed ridiculous. This was the same place that she and Angel had tracked Spike and Dru to, when they were constructing a huge demon called the Judge. She shivered as she remembered the flight through the sewers and then its conclusion when she and Angel had made love for the first time. When Angel had turned into Angelus. No, she said to herself, history is not going to repeat itself – Spike is not Angelus – he won’t turn against us.

“Hello, Earth to Buffy.”

She became aware that Xander was trying to attract her attention.

“Where should we set up?” He was smiling nervously and she realised that she was glaring at him.

“Sorry Xand, I was miles away.” She said smiling with an effort.

_____________________________________

Glory was incandescent with rage. One of her ugly acolytes was sprawled in a corner, where she had flung him when he’d tried to placate her. His limbs were twisted at grotesque angles.

“Time is running out, you scabby morons! I must have my Key – I will have my Key!”

They all shrank back, not wishing to be the next corpse.

________________________________________________


Spike stalked through the dark streets of Sunnydale intent on his hunt. He had already visited the hospital, the school and the campus. Where were the bloody demons when you wanted them? He decided to swing by the Slayer’s house.

He tried, unsuccessfully, to empty his mind and concentrate on the present. But no – his brain went into overdrive and he realised that for the first time in his unlife he was terrified. Not for himself, but for his girls. Having nothing to do but think about the coming conflict, his imagination had flung up all sorts of scenarios. He knew, intimately, how much damage a human, or more precisely a female human, could sustain, and still remain conscious enough to scream and cry for mercy. He had become an expert, revelling in his “research”, through over a hundred years of hunting. Thinking now of Dawn or Buffy in the same situation, made him want to vomit.

This plan they’d concocted was flawed in so many ways, he knew how easily it could go wrong. He hadn’t got a better one, well he wasn’t exactly known for his planning expertise. But now they were committed and he knew what he had to do.

_____________________________


The door to Glory’s apartment opened and Jinx walked in, rubbing his hands together nervously. “We have something for you, oh magnificent beauteous one.” He gestured behind him and another two demons dragged in a bruised and bloodstained vampire, his hands bound behind his back.

“Why the hell do you think I’d want that?” she said scornfully.

“Mmmf.” Spike tried to talk through his gag.

“He is the Key!” Jinx said proudly.

“Impossible. The Key has to be pure - this is a vampire – vampire equals impure. You can’t even brain-suck a vampire, he’s completely useless.”

“Uh, no, oh radiantly stunning one.” Murk glared at his fellow demon with angry impatience. “He said he knew where the Key was.”

“Oooh! Now that’s different. Take out his gag and let’s hear what he has to say.”

“Bloody hell, what kind of treatment is this!” Spike licked his dry lips. “I’ve come here to do you a sodding favour.”

“And why should I believe anything you say? You’re the Slayer’s pet vampire.”

“Yeah, that’s the bleedin’ problem. That’s how she treats me – like her sodding pet. I thought, once I’d got my feet under the table, I’d be giving her one.”

Glory frowned at him. “Giving her one of what?”

“Bloody hell, you know, giving her a seeing to – shagging her senseless.” He sighed when Glory still looked blank. “I thought I’d be having sex with her.” He enunciated slowly and carefully.

“You looked at home when I last saw you.”

Spike lowered his head and muttered, “Bloody bitch thinks she’s better than me. Beneath her. She said I was beneath her. She wouldn’t touch me – well only to punch me in the nose.” He forced himself to remember that time and looked up and allowed Glory to see the pain and hurt in his eyes.

“So, you’ve come to betray her instead? Why haven’t you just sucked her dry – I’m sure you’ve had plenty of opportunity.” Glory said sceptically.

Spike’s shoulders sagged and he muttered “Soddin’ chip.”

When he explained what that meant, Glory threw back her head and roared with laughter. “Now that *is* funny.”

Spike watched her carefully, “Now, if you were to find a way to get rid of this bit of hardware they’ve shoved up my brain, well, I’d be very grateful.”

Without warning, the hell-god picked him up and threw him across the room on to her bed. He landed awkwardly and groaned as his shoulder dislocated. Before he saw her move, she was straddling him and putting her fingers to his head.

“Mmmm, let’s see what’s inside here.”

He watched her with astonishment, as she placed her fingers on either side of his head. Then all cognizance fled, as she thrust them in and agony lanced through his brain. It was like the chip effect, magnified a hundred times. He felt a disgusting pulling sensation, kept conscious long enough to see her holding a small glittering thing between her fingers, and then passed out.

He came to, feeling someone slapping his face hard. His head felt as though someone had taken off the top of his cranium, squished his brains around and then jammed it back on again.

He opened his eyes, to see Glory grinning at him. “So, you were telling the truth. A small miracle for a vampire. Now, tell me where my Key is.”

“Do better than that, I’ll show you.” He managed to croak.




________________________________


You may recognise some dialogue from the original (acknowledgements to Joss Whedon et al) which I stole (ahem, borrowed), because, well I couldn’t resist, its such good dialogue.

Marianne





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