It had all happened so quickly. We all knew it had to happen eventually, slayers never lived long, but still. She'd already died twice, but it didn't get any easier each time. Spike couldn't help but think that it was his fault. If only he'd gotten there sooner! Maybe The First wouldn't have killed her! There was still life in her as she lay on the cold basement floor, but they all knew that she was going. She didn't have much time. The whole thing replayed in Spike's head as he watched his dying love.
As usual, she had insisted on going alone. Of the potentials, only Kennedy was left, and Buffy needed her to protect Willow as she tried to do a spell to weaken The First at least a little bit. Spike had tried to follow her, but after she yelled at him and they fought a little, he finally said bugger it and left her alone. If only he hadn't, he thought. Buffy went to the school basement where she planned to meet The First.
The Scooby Gang stayed home. Willow on the floor of the living room, Kennedy and Dawn posted in front of the door, weapons in hand, Giles helping Willow, Xander pacing nervously, and Anya and Andrew sitting on the couch. Willow muttered the last incantation and the orb in her hands began to glow.
"Finished," she announced.
Xander hurried over. "What do we do now?"
"We wait," said Giles, cleaning his glasses.
**
Spike went to his crypt and tried to enjoy a glass of whisky. He paced back and forth for a moment, and finally threw the glass against the wall.
"Bloody hell!" he yelled. He couldn't get her out of his mind. He was worried about her. He reached for his leather jacket as he ran out the door, then remembered that Wood stole it. He set out at a run to help his love.
**
By this time Buffy was already getting beaten. She walked into the basement room and was immediately thrown against a wall. She rubbed her head as she stood up. She never could have imagined the creature that stood in front of her. The First was huge, with long fangs and dark green skin. Buffy was terrified. The enormous monster loomed over her, then hit her again. With what seemed to be no effort at all, he threw her clear across the room. She spit out blood as she stood again, this time Mr. Pointy in hand.
"You think your stake can harm me?" laughed The First.
Buffy ran towards him, and with all her strength ran the stake into his heart. The First looked at the small piece of wood protruding from his body. "Kinda tickles," he growled as he pulled it out and hurled it at Buffy. She dodged.
Next Buffy pulled out a sword, the biggest one she had. Again she charged him. The First caught her arm and twisted it, dislocating it with a painful crunch. Buffy whimpered and fell to the ground.
At that very moment, Spike reached the bottom step to the basement. The First looked his way, and sent a few uber vamps his way to keep him away. He turned back to Buffy. He picked up the sword that lay on the ground beside her where she had dropped it. He twirled it around, then ran it through her stomach just as Spike entered (having killed the uber vamps).
"BUFFY!!!!" he screamed.
**
Back at the house, Xander had finally lost patience.
"I can't do this!" he yelled. "I can't wait here and hope! I need to help her!"
They all agreed, as they went to the weapons chest and everyone withdrew something.
"Can I come too?" asked Andrew timidly. "I want to help Buffy too."
"Fine," said Giles, throwing him a stake.
The group marched out of the house, towards the High School, praying that they weren't too late.
**
Spike ran to Buffy. He extracted the sword and inspected the wound.
"You'll be fine," he said soothingly, brushing Buffy's hair out of her face. He saw the blood, and knew she wasn't going to make it. It was just a matter of time.
Spike turned to The First. He looked into the face of the creature that would kill his love. Rage ran through him unlike he had ever felt before. He picked up the sword and with a yell, charged The First. The sword entered its body, but Spike kept coming. His hand was now in the gut of the monster. The First stumbled and looked at what Spike had done. Spike pulled his hand back, and The First was dusted. Only not like other vamps, it was more of a mist rising. And then there was Wood, clutching a huge wound in his stomach. The remainder of the Scooby Gang ran through the door just in time to witness this.
"Oh my God!" stammered Giles as he realized what he had just witnessed.
"Principal Wood?" said Dawn, "he's The First?"
Spike looked Wood dead in the eyes. "Humans are easy to kill" he leered, and again threw the sword into Wood's flesh. He fell down…dead. Spike bent down and retrieved his leather jacket, putting it on as he ran back to Buffy.
Xander and the rest of the gang had already noticed Buffy and ran to her.
So here they were, Spike on his knees beside her, cradling her in his arms. Everyone was crying, but noone as hard as Spike. She looked into his eyes and tried to say something.
"Shhh," Spike said as he laid a finger across her lips. "Don't talk, don't speak."
He slid one hand under her knees and picked her up. He began to walk towards the door, he needed to be alone with her.
"No!" yelled Dawn through her tears, following him.
"It's ok Dawnie," said Willow, holding her back in a hug, "you'll see her again." She knew that Spike needed to say goodbye alone.
Once outside, Spike lay Buffy down again.
"I love you Buffy," he said, clutching her closely to him.
"I-I-lo" tried Buffy. He could see her feelings in her eyes, she didn't need to say it.
Suddenly, he shook his head as he vamped out, his fangs gleaming in the moonlight. He bent down and bit Buffy, carefully brushing her beautiful hair from her neck. Buffy was terrified, she tried to push him off of her, why was Spike trying to kill her?
Spike stopped drinking, leaving her enough blood to finish his plan. He pulled away from her, pulled his jacket away from his neck, looked at Buffy, and said "Drink."
"What?" coughed Buffy. She was weak, he knew he didn't have much time.
"Drink!" he yelled, "we'll be together forever!" He took her head in his hands and thrust it towards his bare neck.
She loved him, she needed him, and she knew he needed her. She closed her eyes and took a bite. Their love would be eternal.
**One Week Later**
The funeral was over. Life had gone a little bit back to normal, or as normal as it was ever going to be with out Buffy. Dawn wasn't talking, or eating. She stayed in her room, crying constantly. Willow was sure that she'd come out eventually, though she knew she would never be the same. Giles had moved in, he was even trying to adopt Dawn, now that her legal guardian was gone. Xander and Anya had rekindled their love, they needed each other, and now they both knew it. Noone talked to Spike. They knew he was hurting. Only he knew what he had done to Buffy, they all assumed that he was grieving in his crypt, as they were grieving at home.
Night fell, and the Scoobies began to go to bed. Kennedy and Willow heard Dawn's sobs as they passed her room on the way to theirs, and both felt a pang of pain deep in their hearts.
Spike sat in the grass in the graveyard staring at a headstone.
Buffy Anne Summers
"I'm here," he said, stroking the cool stone.
"I'm waiting for you luv, just waiting."