CHAPTER ELEVEN – SAVE THE LAST DANCE

He stood motionless, a figure clothed in black. His features were unrecognisable, human features, handsome features, but the aura of darkness, of evil, that surrounded him was unmistakable.

His eyes met hers and a smile curved his lips.

"You're too late," he said, spreading his arms wide. "Here I am."

Staring straight into his eyes, Willow began to speak. The second stage of the spell was about to begin.

"The strength of she who came to power

The strength of she who should not be

Join together to forge the weapon

The tool to destroy the enemy"

Like sleepwalkers, Buffy and Faith moved out from the crowd, walking towards Willow. Standing on either side of her, they each took hold of one of her hands.

"Share the strength, share the power

An offering made freely

Share the power, share the strength

I take the offering made to me."

As Willow spoke the final words, a change came over her. A blinding white light seemed to flash from beneath her skin and rippled over her. Then, she stepped away from the two Slayers who flanked her, leaving them standing motionless as she moved relentlessly towards the Master.

Those remaining in the room made way as Willow glided past them, moving towards the figure standing at the far end; even the billowing dust appearing to part for her.

The sneer on the Master's face faded slightly.

"What is it you plan to do, witch?" he asked with genuine curiosity. "How do you suppose that you alone can destroy me when so many others have failed?"

When Willow spoke, it was as though there was a slight echo that repeated every syllable a split second later. "We are never alone," she answered. "The two hands shall guide the shade, and we shall destroy you once and for all."

A frown appeared on the Master's face. Lifting his head, he stared across the room at Drusilla, flanked by Spike and Angel. Then his gaze fell on Buffy and Faith, standing like statues.

He looked at Willow, now standing next to him with a calm smile on her face. "What is it you have done, witch?"

Then, faster than the eye could follow, he reached out a hand to grab Willow around the throat.

Before anyone else had time to register the attack, let alone act upon it, Willow had leant backwards, seeming to melt away from his arm, so that he swung around harmlessly, his momentum carrying him on. Then, like quicksilver, Willow moved behind him, slipping one arm around his neck and laying her other arm against his chest.

Almost inaudibly, she began to chant, her power a tangible presence in the room. As she spoke, the figure of the Master began to sag in her arms, almost collapsing in on itself. Gradually it became clear that he was turning very slowly to dust. As he began to lose his human shape, he threw back his head and released a scream of pure agony that reverberated throughout the room, shaking the walls and dislodging lumps of plaster and masonry.

A black cloud appeared as the last dust fell to the floor in front of Willow, hovering above the ground. Willow held out her hands and continued to speak. Sparks appeared in the black cloud, until all at once it ignited and finally disappeared.

Willow sagged and would have fallen if Xander hadn't rushed to her side and caught her. The glow that had emanated from her as she confronted the Master dissipated, and as though waking up, Faith and Buffy blinked and looked around.

"That was wicked cool," Faith announced.

"And kind of weird," Buffy added. One minute she had been looking out at the world through Willow's eyes, feeling the combined power of two Slayers and a witch; the next she was back in her own skin. She looked around, getting her bearings, and realised that something strange was happening.

With the Master's dust still floating to the floor, a low wailing could be heard through the room. As Buffy watched, a vampire standing in front of her, a female vampire that Buffy could tell had only recently been turned, fell to her knees and began a keening that sent shivers down Buffy's spine. Then, just as the Master had done, this vampire began to slowly dust, limbs turned to grey powder, features blurring and disintegrating. After a long couple of minutes, the vampire finally dissipated, leaving the same black mist that had appeared from the Master. This time, however, it was only visible for a couple of seconds before sparks began to appear; then the mist combusted and disappeared.

Buffy turned to look at Willow, confused. "Will, what …" Her attention was caught by another recent vampire beginning to dust. "What is going on here?"

Willow shook her head. "I don't know, Buff."

Giles cleared his throat. "I - I think I do. It's to do with the Master." He looked at Buffy. "Once the Master ceased to exist, his line ceases to exist. All the vampires in his line … starting with the newest."

Buffy stared at him as his words penetrated. "But - that means …" She whirled around to find the three vampires standing at the back of the room.

Spike.

Angel.

Drusilla.

Drusilla was swaying slightly as though dancing to an unheard tune, her dark eyes fixed on the disintegrating vampire.

Angel met Buffy's eyes and shrugged slightly. He had his poker face on.

Spike lit a cigarette.

Buffy found her voice. "But that means that you are going to dust."

Angel's voice was gentle. "We knew it was a possibility, Buff. We'd heard stories."

"You KNEW?" A world of hurt was in Buffy's voice. "You knew, and you didn't say anything?"

"We weren't totally sure. Besides, it was a risk we had to take. Destroying the Master was the priority here."

Buffy hated Angel's reasonable voice. His "I'm doing this for your own good" voice. "We could have come up with something to protect you …"

Spike interrupted. "Much as I hate saying it, Angel's right. We couldn't have anything distracting you lot from what had to be done, love." He took a drag on his cigarette and held it for moment before blowing out a streamer of smoke. "Don't mind dying for a good cause, anyway."

Buffy's throat closed up as she choked back tears. "But I don't want you to die …"

Spike's blue eyes met hers and held them steadily. "I know, pet. But - "

He was cut off as his body stiffened and jerked, and Buffy watched in horror as the now familiar slo-mo dusting process began. The cigarette he was holding fell from his fingers and arced to the floor, scattering sparks, and a low moan forced its way out of his throat.

Buffy had to make herself watch as Spike's beautiful eyes filled with agony and he fell to his knees. I won't turn away from him, she told herself fiercely, I won't let him die alone …

But something was different.

He's not dusting …

The black mist oozed out of Spike's body and hovered in front of him, tiny sparks appearing through it.

He's not dusting …

Spike's jaw clenched as he struggled to hold in another scream.

He's not dusting …

The black mist seemed to coalesce, then all at once it streamed back into Spike's body, and like a dropped doll he collapsed bonelessly to the floor.

As he lay there, the process began with Drusilla, and Buffy watched open-mouthed as exactly the same thing happened to her. Agony, mist, then collapse to the floor. And then again with Angel.

Buffy took a step closer, and sensed her friends just behind her as they stared at the three sprawled figures on the floor.

Xander spoke first. "Um, what just happened?"

Before anyone could answer, Spike stirred, then jerked to a sitting position.

"Bloody hell!" he said, feeling behind him. "That hurt!" He brandished his lit cigarette in front of him, rubbing at his back. "Maybe I should think about giving up."

"Colour me confused," Xander said. "Why, what and how? And huh?"

"Yeah, what he just said," Faith said. "Aren't you all supposed to be big piles o' dust right about now?"

Drusilla lifted her hands in front of her face as though checking they were still there.

"You sound disappointed," Angel said. He got to his feet and helped Drusilla up. "Man, that was weird."

"You're telling us," Buffy said. She watched Spike clamber to his feet, brushing dust off his jeans. "Wait, no, you're not telling us. What the hell just happened?"

"Don't know, pet," he replied. "Felt bloody horrible, though. As though my insides were being yanked out. Then they had a good look round, decided they didn't think much of things, and jumped back in with a bang."

"Well, I'd assume it's to do with their souls," Giles stated. "We can do some research later, but it seems the obvious conclusion. Their souls prevented the destruction of the line of Aurelius from affecting them." He looked around. "Well, I'd say it's all gone according to plan. The Master destroyed once and for all, scores of vampires dusted - except for those that fight on our side - and no losses in our team. Well done, Willow. Excellent job."

"I'd like to second that "excellent job" with a hearty "yay"," said Xander. "You kicked some ugly Master butt, and dusted all the vampires that aren't our friends. I'd say that deserves some warm, weak beer, out of a soggy paper cup, at the Bronze." He looked around. "Those in favour, say "Aye"?"

"Best plan I've heard tonight," Spike said. "Well, except for yours, Rupert. Of course."

They started to leave the library. Buffy lingered behind, watching the others walk in front of her chatting amongst themselves. She felt pretty darned good. Of course, she wasn't going to say it out loud, just in case – she'd learnt that lesson. But she'd faced a few demons from her past over the last week – both literally and metaphorically. And she felt better for it. Stronger. She saw Spike turn his head and catch her eye, and she quickened her step. The future? Well, it didn't pay to look too far ahead – not if you're the Slayer and you live on the Hellmouth. But, at this precise moment, she thought it looked pretty good.

THE END

Author's note: I've felt guilty for years for not finishing this story, even thought it was virtually all written. I've decided to post it now although it's been such a long time! I'm so sorry.