Authors Note: Recap of Season 7: Chosen for my first chapter, and my take of their emotions. The rest of my story will not be a canon, and recap of anything else. I will use a few ideas, from Angel, but other than that everything will be my own, and I hope to make an amazing story out of it. But who knows, it's only my first story ;)
Disclaimer: I do not own any characters or the idea of Chosen for this chapter. Sadly, they all belong to Joss Whedon.
I'll always remember my life in Sunnydale, California. High school on the Hellmouth, fighting vampires and demons, late nights at the Bronze with Willow and Xander.. And then harder things came, like losing my mother, sacrificing myself to save the world, and having my friends yank me out of heaven. Heaven, the one place where I was truly at peace with myself. But there's one day that I know I'll never forget. One day that replays in my mind almost every day. The day that he changed the world forever…
The potential slayers fought hard in the hell mouth, doing everything they could to fight back the Turok-Han. Willow's spell had worked, and Buffy's power soon became every potential slayers power. The girls fought harder, grew stronger, and became greater. They no longer feared not having the strength or skill to win this battle. Friends fought alongside one another, and the feeling that came over them was empowering.
Kennedy returned into the hell mouth with Buffy's scythe, the one tool that was strong enough to kill these monstrous creatures. The slayers fought with all the agility they had, although they still could not manage to keep all the vampires from escaping.
Spike screamed out in pain. The amulet Buffy had given him to wear began to burn his chest and surge pain throughout his body. She told him it was made for a true champion to wear. Someone more than human, someone with a pure soul.
Buffy called out to the other slayers "Hold the line together. Drive them to the edge. We can't let them-" She was interrupted by the searing pain of a sword ripping through her torso. Buffy collapsed to the ground in pain, while blood began to spread from her wound. Faith saw her fall, and immediately ran over to her.
"Hold the line." Buffy's said to Faith, her voice was weak, and powerless. She handed her scythe off to Faith, knowing she would no longer be able to be valuable in this war.
She helplessly laid on the floor, and watched as the slayers around her were slaughtered, and defeated. "Oh no, ow. Mommy, this mortal wound is all itchy." The First stood before Buffy, and knelt down to her level. "You pulled a nice trick, you came pretty close to smacking me down." The First shrugged. "What more do you want?"
"I want you to get out of my face." Buffy spat back, and with all the strength left in her body, forced herself to stand. One of the slayers threw her the scythe, and Buffy began fighting back the vamps, knocking a good deal of them into the pit below with a mighty swing from her weapon.
Spike backed himself into a corner of the hell mouth. He could feel the power from the amulet rage inside of him, pulsating in his veins. A dull ache, worming it's way throughout him. Taking him over. A bright blue light began to shine out of his body, and upward through the ceiling. The sun shone on his face, and ignited the amulet. He had watched as Buffy and the potentials battled the army of Turok-Han, an elite vampire species that were strong, and killed anything crossing their paths. He had watched as Buffy's power became their power, and saw them gain her speed and strength, taking on the deadly creatures. He had watched as some died, and as some were wounded. And it slowly became clear to him. He knew what he had to do, what his purpose for being here was.
"Buffy", he called out to her. His voice was silk and honey, with an undertone of urgency. Time was running out. He had to save her, if it was the last thing he did. He would not let the woman he loved die for a third time. She had suffered through enough already, it was his turn to be a hero.
"Spike!", yelled out Buffy. She could see his whole body aglow with vibrant light.
She watched the amulet light up, and saw Spike thrown back hard against the wall. The necklace sent out bright golden rays of light, dusting the army of uber-vamps before them. The slayers had battled these vicious vampires with all the strength left in their bodies, but Spike was the one who held the ultimate power to destroy them. It was mesmerizing, empowering, fulfilling even. Faith rounded up the slayers, and told everyone to leave. The hell mouth was going to collapse soon. Buffy watched the chaos dissolve around her before running over to Spike. She stared at his glowing figure, her eyes filled with fear and wonder.
"I can feel it Buffy", he said.
"What?", Buffy asked, as tears began to fill her eyes.
"My soul. It's really there. Kind of stings." She could see the pain in his blue eyes, watching him as his body shook rigid with power. She knew deep in her heart, there was no way of saving him now. Buffy stared helplessly into Spike's eyes. It had taken her so long, but she'd finally begun to come to terms with her feelings for him. The only creature who has cared enough to treat her like a woman, and love her with everything he has.
"Go on then", Spike said, his stare pleading with her to leave.
She could feel her world slipping, her breath beginning to shake, her eyes beginning to burn from the tears..
"No. No, You've done enough. You could still-"
She could feel the panic rise in her body.
"No, you've beat them back. It's time for me to do the cleanup." Spike interrupted. He refused to let the one woman he cared about endanger herself for him. Not again, not after last time. He'd made a promise to himself to keep her safe. Buffy and Dawn were the only important one's left in his world, and damn him to hell if he would let them get hurt.
As the ground ferociously began to shake, and the walls crumbled, Buffy realized what he was going to do. Her heart felt as if it was literally breaking.
"Buffy, come on!", Faith called out.
Spike looked into her eyes intensely, a slight grin spreading across his lips. "Gotta move, lamb. I think it's safe to say school's out for bloody summer!"
"Spike!", she yelled. She was scared, scared of losing the one person she began to fall for. Even though they hadn't always been close through the years, and mostly hated each other when they had crossed paths, she couldn't relish the fact of having to let him go. Not after he had defended her when no one else would. Not after he came to her when everyone else kicked her out, and gave up on her. Not after he told her that she was the one.. More tears welled up in her eyes. She reached out for him. She needed to touch him, to feel him. To know that this moment was real, and that he would always be with her. A part of her.
"I mean it! I gotta do this." He put up a hand to stop her. He was going to go through with this, even if it meant losing his life to save the most precious thing he cared about. They met each others gaze, never taking their eyes off one another.
Buffy looked down at his hand. Her body was bloody, bruised and sore. The world was crumbling around them, but she refused to move. She took his hand, and intertwined her fingers with his firmly, refusing to let go. Buffy's body tensed as their hands burst into flames, but she couldn't fathom letting go. She would endure the fire for him. The pain was worth every last second she spent with him.
"I love you." Buffy said as she stared deep into his soulful blue eyes. Finally, she couldn't hold it in any longer. Tears overflowed her green eyes, and all she could manage to do was let them fall. That was the moment it hit her. She wasn't saying I love you because this was goodbye. She was saying I love you because she truly, deeply, emotionally, and passionately loved him. Goodbye was slowly becoming the worst part of her realization.
Spike stared back at her, and his eyes began to well with tears. "No you don't, but thanks for saying it." He said with a soft voice, before giving her a small grin.
As they stared at one another, the ground began to shake harder beneath them, and the walls came tumbling down. The intensity of the quake caused their hands to fall apart.
"Now GO!" Spike said with such ferocity. He knew this was the only way he could protect her. As much as he wanted to go with her, he knew what he had to do. He had a job to finish, people to save.
He watched as she disappeared up the stairs. He closed his eyes for a brief second, and memories played in his head. The first time he met her, and how badly he wanted to claim another slayers life, but realizing how different she was. Their first time together, making love. And the times that followed that. The way he could look at her, and almost swore his heart was beating again. The day he was sure he lost her for good after she sacrificed herself to save the world. How he fought for his soul, just so he could win her love. The night they spent together when he told her she was the one, and how they laid in each others arms. Her soft skin, and the sweet scent of her hair.
Spike's thoughts were soon interrupted as the intensity of the amulet grew stronger, and he felt the heat build up in his chest. Pain seared through his body, but all he could manage to do was laugh. "I wanna see how it ends." His skin began to crack and peel, as the fire built up within him. A bold flame inside, searing his body, and consuming his soul. His soul, the one true thing that made him want to be a better man, besides her. A true man and champion, a savior of the world. A hero. And with that, his body disintegrated into ash and dust, and the amulet fell to the floor of the crumbling hell mouth.
Buffy ran as fast as her slayer speed could carry her. The old high school walls collapsed around her, and the floor began caving in. Ceilings fell before her, and blocked her path. Her breathing was heavy, and the smell of dust filled her lungs. She ran around the familiar hallways, and finally broke free through the front door, emerging into the sunlight. Buffy still continued running.
She climbed buildings, and leaped across rooftops. She wouldn't stop moving, refused to give up. Once she was close enough, she jumped from the building onto the bus. She watched as the city she had grown up in and loved caved in behind her. Her home, her old school, people she knew. All of it gone. The driver screeched to a halt, and everyone exited the bus. Buffy, exhausted and bloody, stood to look at the crater that was once Sunnydale.
"Who did this?", asked Giles, staring at the crater incredibly.
"Spike.", was all she said.
Teary eyed, she stared into the sun. The golden rays of light which reminded her of the one who she couldn't save, the one who she loved, the one who gave up his life for her.
And she couldn't help but smile. The worst was over, and tomorrow was a brand new day. Her world was full of endless possibilities now. And for once, that idea scared her. She could finally be an ordinary girl..