Chapter Thirty- Two- Kindred

Rick led them to his house. It was about a mile away, farther from town.

“This is it,” he confirmed.

They entered the house. It was just as Rick had left it. He tried to keep his eyes from the blood that stained the floor, but it was hard. He sunk to his knees, freaking out.

“Buffy,” Willow called. She pointed to the fallen man.

Buffy barely glanced at Rick. “Leave him. We don’t have time to deal with this.”

Chanting hit their ears. They followed the sound. Dawn and Alexis gasped when they passed the body of Susan Dobson. The girls dealt with the horror quickly and moved on.

The chanting was coming from the basement. Buffy led the way down the steps. The display that lay before them made them stop. Judas stood by a table, with a flaying baby on the top. A demon, that Buffy deduced must be the legendary Gestalt demon, lurked to the side.

“Slayer,” Judas greeted. “We weren’t expecting you.”

“Shucks. And I thought my invitation got lost in the mail. I really didn’t get invited?” Buffy punned.

She was about to storm into battle, but was bounced off by an invisible barrier. She would have fallen, but Spike rushed forward. He caught her arms, steadying her.

“A force field,” muttered Giles.

“I can get it down,” Willow said. “Give me time.”

“We don’t have time!” Buffy sighed. “Okay, do what you can, Willow.”

The Gestalt wasn’t in the force field. The wall only enclosed Judas and the baby. It came at them, going for Giles first. He rammed into the man, making him drop his book.

Buffy sprung into action. She sent a kick hurtling into the demon’s chest. He staggered back. Getting into the fight, she went for another kick. This one didn’t go so well. She began to lose her balance.

Spike grabbed her. “Luv, your center of gravity is a bit messed up.”

“Punches it is then.”

Meanwhile, Giles had recovered his fallen book. He had lost his place and flipped through it in frustration.

Willow had her eyes closed, concentrating. She murmured under her breath. She was searching the force field for a weakness. So far she hadn’t found one.

The chanting grew louder. Buffy doubled over, gasping for breath.

“What is it?” Spike demanded.

“I . . .” Buffy winced.

“Is it the baby?”

“Uhhh,” Buffy moaned. “My stomach hurts.”

“God, Buffy . . .”

The Gestalt saw an opening. He went for it. He knocked Buffy aside. Spike growled, releasing his anger at the demon. He moved violently, releasing an explosion of punches and kicks.

“It’s the ritual!” Alexis shouted. She leaned against the wall for support. “I know who Judas wants to kill with the ritual.”

Dawn’s eyes widened. “You!?”

Alexis nodded. “Me.”

*****************************

Giles finally found the passage. His eyes scanned the page in a hurry.

“Dear lord,” he whispered.

His head snapped up. “The ritual can’t be stopped once it’s started.”

“What!?” Dawn shrieked.

“Not without a willing death.”

“Willing d-death?”

“I’m afraid so.”

“We can’t . . . Buffy can’t die again. Spike can’t die. Willow . . . Me?”

Giles slammed the book shut. “You will do no such thing!”

“I’m willing,” Dawn said. “I’m sixteen. I know that’s young. But a baby hasn’t even had the chance to live yet. I . . . I’m willing, Giles.”

“And so am I.”

They both shifted their attention to the stairs. Rick stood there. His eyes were red and swollen. He had an aura of strength about him, despite his ragged appearance.

“It’s my daughter there. I’m willing to save her by any means possible. That includes death.”

Just then Willow let out a whoop. “I’ve got it down!”

********************************

They didn’t notice Alexis slipping from the basement. She pulled herself up the stairs with difficulty. She made it to the kitchen. She clung to the island for a moment. Then she opened a drawer.

Not there. She managed to search the whole kitchen. Eventually she found what she was looking for. She grabbed it and staggered back toward the basement.

*******************************

Spike fought hard. He wasn’t losing. He also wasn’t winning. The demon was strong. They were equal matches. The demon didn’t seem to be getting tired. Spike, on the other hand, was. He gritted his teeth, ignoring the fire in his muscles, and kept going.

“I’ve got it down!” Willow yelled in triumph.

Good going, Red, Spike thought.

“Get the baby!” came another shout.

Alexis, Spike realized.

Spike sent all his power shooting at the demon. The demon went down. Before the creature could get up again, Spike went for the table. He swooped up the baby.

“Fools!” Judas said with a crazy laugh. “You can’t stop the ritual. You can take that child away from here, but it will make no difference. It has started and will continue.”

Spike thrust the baby into Dawn’s arms. Then he went to Buffy and picked her up.

“Let’s get out of here,” Spike suggested.

The Gestalt had recovered. He snarled at them, prepared to strike. He never got the chance. A match from nowhere hit him.

Everyone turned their heads to see Alexis. She held a matchbox, lighting match after match. She threw them everywhere.

“Back up,” she advised her friends and family.

Ges let out a holler of pain. His whole arm was aflame. He thrashed about, not knowing what to do.

“Never learned how to stop, drop, and roll, huh?” Alexis said. She tossed another match. “Good!”

Alexis grinned and her legs gave out. Giles helped her up, an arm around her.

“Like I said before,” Spike said. “Let’s get the buggering hell out of here!”

The group was in agreement. They rushed out of the house. On their way, Rick grabbed a butcher knife.

******************************

They watched the house burn.

Spike settled Buffy down on the sidewalk. He knelt down beside her. She wasn’t in good condition. Neither was Alexis. The girl had passed out completely.

“Pet, how ya doin?”

Buffy’s eyes glistened. “Spike?” She blindly reached for his hand.

Spike took her hand and held on tight.

“Watcher, how does this ritual end? I take it the demise of the practitioner doesn’t do the trick?”

Giles ran a hand through his hair. “There must be a willing sacrifice. That is the only way.”

“You have one!”

Rick raised the knife he possessed. He inched it toward his throat. He hesitated. “I-I can’t do it.” He scanned the people around him. “Someone, do it for me? Please.”

No one said a word. Spike rose. He stepped up to the man and took the knife. He understood. If Rick hadn’t volunteered he would have willingly slit his throat instead.

Heads turned away as Spike did the deed. The air was filled with the crackling of fire and the gurgling of a dying father.

*****************************

A while later, the gang was gathered in the Summers’ living room. There were solemn faces all around.

The baby began to cry.

“She needs to be fed,” Buffy said.

The slayer and her daughter were back to being perfectly healthy again. Rick’s sacrifice had saved them both, along with his little girl.

A bottle was rummaged up. It was one of the items Buffy had bought for when baby Alexis was born.

“Can I do it?” Alexis offered.

Giles handed her the bottle of milk. She took it, cradling the baby gently. The baby sucked hungrily at the liquid.

“It’s over,” Dawn announced.

Buffy nodded. “Yeah . . . It’s over.”

But not without loss.

They all looked toward the baby. The baby who had lost her parents and had no one to turn to except them now.

Alexis gazed down at the baby. She felt some kind of strange connection with the child. Maybe it was because of the ritual that had bound them together.

Then their eyes met. Alexis gasped in awe. The baby had emerald eyes. Beautiful green orbs that held more understanding than they should.

“Sirena,” Alexis choked out.

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