**I'm back. This is the sequel to For All That You Love. If you have not read that story then this will be a little confusing and you will have no idea what is going on. I have the first few chapters written but I can make no guarantees about posting schedule. I currently have 4 active stories. Enjoy**
Buffy watched as the flames continued to consume Sunnydale. She didn't think that anyone could survive the inferno, but she wasn't going to take any chances. If something escaped the fire then it would have to be destroyed. The undead humans were bad enough, but if any of the mutated demons were to escape it would be utter chaos.
As she was running the perimeter of her former home her thoughts traveled to those she left behind. She hoped that Chris and Faith would take care of the others. She knew that Angel would help them if they could make it to L.A., but after seeing the Umbrella logo on the side of those jets she wasn't sure if they would be able to get far without being caught. From what little Chris told her about Umbrella, she had no doubt that they would kill anyone that went against them.
She came to an abrupt stop when her ears picked up a growl coming from her left. She could tell immediately that whatever made that sound wasn't human. As fast as her mind came up with a plan, her body put it into action. She was born with faster reflexes because she was the Slayer, but this was crazy.
Her body flew through the air and she landed smoothly on one of the branches of a tree. Her eyes scanned the area, taking in everything. She could see detail on the small insects that were flying several feet away. She could smell the smoke from the fire blended with the natural smells of the forest around her. Everything was heightened and if she weren't looking for something demonic right now she would be enjoying her newfound abilities.
Moments later the growl sounded again, closer than before. Her eyes caught movement through some bushes before it stepped into the open. The moment she saw the leather trench coat and platinum blond locks she knew who it was. He was cursing and trying to remain in the shadows of the larger trees.
She leapt from her perch and landed lithely on the ground. He startled when he heard the crunch of her boots against the foliage, but froze when he realized who it was, "Slayer. Should have known you'd survive."
"Spike. What are you doing here?" she asked stepping towards him. She noticed how pale and sickly he looked and wondered what could have happened to make him look that way.
"I came back to kill you." She rolled her eyes and he continued, "Bloody military gits caught me and stuck me in some underground prison. They tried to feed me spiked blood. Damn near fell for it too if it hadn't been for the guy in the cell next to me. Barely escaped when all hell broke loose. I found a tunnel that opened up in these woods." His eyes narrowed as he took her in. Something was different about her, "What happened to you? Something's…different."
Buffy wasn't sure what to say. She decided she should probably find out what he knew before trying to explain what happened to her, "What exactly do you know about what happened?" "I was in a cell, something went all wonky and the doors opened. Demons were running all over the place attacking the humans that captured us, but then they were being attacked by zombies or something. I ran, found a tunnel that was clear, and made it out just in time to watch bombs get dropped on good ole Sunnydale. Your turn, pet."
She took a deep breath and moved to a rock to sit. Spike jumped back at the speed in which she moved. Slayers have always been fast, but this was different. Once Buffy was comfortable she started telling Spike her tale. She told him about Chris, Umbrella, the T virus infecting demons, Willow's death, and finally ended with her bite and the bombing of Sunnydale.
He remained quiet through the whole tale, watching as she recounted the last two days. He scanned her form, cataloging all of the ways that she had changed since the last time he saw her. Her face was much paler than it had been, her eyes were unnaturally bright, and not once did she move while recounting her story. Humans twitch, fidget, and blink. She remained motionless except the quick movement of her lips.
"…and that brings us to now." It wasn't until the story was finished that Buffy considered the possibility that telling Spike wasn't a good idea. What if he tried to get himself turned? What if he went to Umbrella? She couldn't dwell on the what if's.
"Bloody hell, Slayer. Can't you die like a normal person?" he asked with a mystified look on his face.
Buffy laughed without humor, "I wish I could."
They decided to form a tentative alliance. Spike, because he thought Buffy could get him away from those sadistic military gits (and he was afraid of her newer abilities if he was being honest), and Buffy because, as much as Spike annoyed the crap out of her, he was familiar. They stuck to the shadows to avoid the sun, circling Sunnydale to look for survivors and to kill anything infected that they found.
Xander pushed the old truck to its limits, hoping to get away from Sunnydale before the roads were closed off. In one night he lost pretty much everything. His family. His friends. His home. Granted, his family were a bunch of drunks who couldn't really care what happened to him, and his home was on top of a Hellmouth, but his friends were everything to him. They had been through so much together, and now they were gone.
He glanced toward his right and took in Joyce's slouched form and vacant eyes. Tears were still sliding down her face, but she was no longer sobbing. It looked like her body was shutting down and he hated it. She was like a mom to him when his own family wasn't there. Giles wasn't much better. It was obvious that he was trying to be strong and hold it together, but Xander could see the pain clear as day on his face.
Chris had lost friends to the T virus before, but it was harder this time for some reason. He was trying to push it away as he had in the past, but thoughts of Buffy continued to find their way in. He hadn't known her long, only two days really, but she had captivated him the first time he saw her three weeks before.
Faith was struggling to come to terms with everything that had happened. She woke up after being in a coma for almost a year to find the world completely changed. The mayor was no more. Zombies were using the people of Sunnydale as their own personal buffet. Buffy was now dead.
It was this last thought that Faith had mixed emotions about. She knew that Buffy had been trying to help her, but the betrayal of Wesley was painful and it led to her trying to kill Faith. Of course, Faith tried to kill Angel first. It was all really screwed up, but she cared about Buffy in her own way. Now, they were on their way to see Angel, who apparently didn't die the way she intended. Talk about one jacked up reunion.
