Chapter 18
A/n: Reders & reviewers... I have up to 25 written.... So I will update until I hit that. Seems like my *new* chapters take about 3-4 weeks.

Warning: character death


The silence was deafening as the three male vampires saw the body of the slayer. Her body was laying flat on the dirty pallet, covered in dirt and dust, not moving. Her eyelids were half closed with the whites of her eyes showing. Lips smeared with drying crimson blood. William reached for her first. His cold skin touching her rapidly cooling skin. A thin layer of perspiration covered Buffy’s body, giving it an unearthly glow, as the sun rose, scattering light through the only window in the room. William’s body racked with sobs, and shook as the enormity of the situation hit him. Buffy was gone. Angel came up behind William and put his hand on his shoulder, trying to give comfort. Unseeing and unfeeling, William gathered Buffy’s body into his arms, cradling her head against his chest. “Please, Buffy. Wake up.” His mournful tears hit her skin, splattering his shed blood. “Please, do something!” William begged, looking at Angel. “We can bring her back, right? Not too late?”

Angel’s brown eyes looked down with pity. It was already done. Drusilla had killed the golden Slayer and replaced her with a demon. Suddenly, Angel realized that William didn’t realize that Drusilla sired her. He thought she was dead, never to return. Keeping the secret quiet, Angel looked over at Spike’s fallen form.

Kneeling on the ground, just a few feet away from the Slayer’s form, Spike felt it. The force he knew as Drusilla was fading. In front of him were the remains of his sire and love. His hands were covered dust as he brought them up to his face. A howl of outrage filled the room, leaving nothing in its wake.

The three male vampires, brethren by right of the supernatural, stayed in one place, each one lost in their own world. The tears and howls of the younger two filled the room with unbearable grief. Both loosing their loves. William, so fresh in the euphoria of finding someone to love, and to be loved by, shook with his overwhelming grief. Spike lost in his own grief induced visions, was crying over his lost mate and sire. The bright stars blinded him with the vibrant truth, sending him over the edge. Angel despaired and rejoiced. His darling slayer, Buffy, the one that turned his life away from self-loathing and pity into a mighty purpose had fallen into the darkness. The strength, the will, the instinct to survive was not enough. It never was enough. And, his angelic Childe, the innocent nun that held visions of the future and present has finally been put out of her misery. Through the years, her visions took over completely; leaving her body as a shell, and all he could do was be thankful she was finally at peace.

Stepping around William, he pried the lifeless body of Buffy away. Growling at the young vampire, ordering the William’s demon to obey the patriarch of the family. Spike was still lost in his own visions, that he didn’t even know that Angel had taken over. When William refused to let go, Angel slapped him across the floor. He had to get her out of here, out of New York. It was up to Angel to take care of her. A heavy growl came from a vamped out William. He was too emotional to realize what was going on other than his territory, his love, was in danger. He needed to protect her body, even if she no longer existed in it. He needed to do it for her. Angel on the other hand, let go of Buffy, letting her drop back to the pallet. As William flew through the air intent on attacking Angel. Angel turned around and blocked him. Throwing his beefy hands in rapid succession, Angel resisted the impulse to finish the young vampire off and leave him dusted. Instead, he knocked William unconscious long enough to pick Buffy back up and head upstairs.

Hitting the kitchen, he ducked in the shadows, avoiding the rays of sunlight through the windows. Looking down at Buffy, Angel realized that she would never walk in the sun again. Her precious tan would slowly disappear as she lived in the shadows with him. Angel knew there was no way he could dust her, no matter how cruel the demon that now resided in her could be. He also accepted that he wouldn’t allow anyone else to kill her, she was still to precious in his heart to let it be that way. Instead, he would get Willow to use the curse before Buffy had an opportunity to taint her soul with murders in the name of food. Finding two blankets, he covered their bodies and sprinted to the closest sewer.
~*~*~

Spike’s eyes were blood red, shocked from the images that infused his body. Past, present, future, blood, sex, sweat, tears, love, hate, and friendship. They all flowed into him the minute he touched Drusilla’s ashes. It was like her essence entered his for a few scant minutes. Her melodic voice filtered into his brain, giving him her last wishes. Spike collapsed under the emotional stimulation that he felt. Closing his eyes, he lost consciousness.

~*~*~

The house was silent when Spike finally came out of oblivion. He didn’t have to open his eyes to know that the sun was setting. The night called to him, singing the song of the nightingale. Groaning, Spike’s memory hit him full force. His dark princess was gone forever from this existence. Who said the poet inside him was dead? The grief washed over him.

William stirred under the boxes that Angel had thrown him into. The stench of death covered him. Covered the room. Covered the city. Death covered the world. With his demon visage, William quickly got up and looked around for Buffy. His yellow eyes scanned the area, but he already knew she was gone. Angel took her away. Blind with furry, William wanted to start to hunt for Drusilla. She killed Buffy and Sire be damned, she was going to pay for it. Walking towards the staircase, William saw a flash of movement in the corner of his eye. Stopping, William turned around and faced off with Spike. “Where is she, Spike?”

“Gone, gone, gone.” Spike sobbed in grief.

William’s face turned back to human as he looked at his older brother. He was too distraught. William saw his dirty face, streaked with tears when it hit William. The dust that still hung low in the air was not any ordinary dust: it was Drusilla’s. New pain washed over William as he collapsed under the weight of it all. There would be no revenge, no satisfaction of ripping out her heart like she had done to him. No opportunity to watch her explode into dust. No more sire. He was alone now. Drusilla was what kept the family together. Her and her vision of her family. There was no family now. William didn’t even have a friend, anymore. No one to talk to, no one that would care.
~*~*~

The moon hung high in the sky, but neither vampire wanted to move from the basement. It was just too much. Spike knew that he had to move. Had to take care of William because that is what Drusilla wanted. What she begged him to do. Gathering up his emotions and stuffing them away, Spike stood up. Brushing off the excess dust, Spike walked over to William who was curled up on the floor, his tears still fresh. Nudging Williams form with his boot encased foot, Spike watched as the younger vampire rolled over. “Come on, mate. Pull it together. We need to go home.”

“Buffy, no Buffy.” William sobbed.

Rolling his eyes, Spike picked William up buy his shirt. “Come on, mate. Let’s get you home.”

“No!” William tugged free. “Just leave me be!” William backed up to the wall, leaning against the red surface.

“Come on, mate. All’s not lost. We’ll get some blood in you and figure it all out.”

“All’s not lost? How can you say that? Drusilla…” Sobs threatened to overtake William once more. “She killed Buffy. Beautiful Buffy. MY BUFFY! And now, she’s even gone. How can you say that?”

Spike watched William scream and shout. Howl in despair. Spike’s head cocked to the side as he evaluated William. “Think your girls dead huh?” Spike took a step towards William, his instincts telling him to take it slow. “Mate, I think you’re missing something.” William looked at Spike approach. “Wank McWanker took your blonde beauty. She ain’t gone.”

“No, Drusilla KILLED her. It’s your fault!” William launched his body toward Spike, knocking him down before he rolled off him. “She was jealous that you wanted Buffy. If you just kept your dick in your pants this wouldn’t have happened!”

Laughing Spike punched William away. “Think you’re mistaken, mate. Drusilla didn’t kill the bitch; she sired her because you wouldn’t. It’s your fault that my dark goddess is gone!” Kicking out, Spike hit William’s chest, knocking him to the ground. “But you know what? I can’t be angry with you because Dru knew it. She knew that she would be dust after it was all said and done. But she did it for you! She did it for you!” Spike fell back to his knees; despair washing over him once more. Inhaling his emotions again, Spike stood up. “Come on, mate. It’s time to put our family back together.”

a/n: How about I update another chapter this afternoon?





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