Chapter Twenty five
'Becoming 2'
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AN: The final chapter already. For this part at least. Thank you guys for your kind reviews and let's hope that if you are still interested it's not to long before I get to post part 2.
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"FREEZE!"
"Put your hands up. Back away from the girl slowly."
A policeman had entered the library, his gun now pointing at Buffy. Another one had also entered, gun drawn and now also trained at Buffy.
"Look, I didn't do anything," Buffy responded as she slowly got up and backed away.
"Do it! Now," the first cop yelled nervously.
The second one, a female cop, moved over to examine Kendra, her guns still pointing at Buffy.
"This one's dead," she said looking at her partner.
"What about up there?" the other cop asked.
The female cop looked up the stairs to level with the book stands. She could see Xander lying unconscious on the ground.
"Xander..," Buffy groaned as she saw him as well and wanted to go to him. The female cop however grabbed her.
"Get her out of here," the first cop said and the female cop started pushing her outside.
"Wait," Buffy protested as she was being handled, "just see if he's OK! Please!"
The female cop didn't care however and handed Buffy over to the male. He led her out of the library and she no longer put up a struggle. For a moment none of it mattered any more. She had failed her friends and they had paid for it with the ultimate price. Kendra was dead, lord knows what had happened to Xander, the fate of Willow, Cordelia and Giles unknown.
It was only once she was being led outside the library that she began to protest again.
"Please. You don't understand...," she said.
The cop however is not impressed.
"You'd do well to keep your mouth shut, missy," she said sternly.
Then Snyder walked into view flanked by two more cops.
"But I didn't do anything," Buffy said, still not having seen Snyder.
"Why do I find that so very hard to believe," a very gloating Snyder said. It's only then that she noticed him.
"You know this girl," the first cop asked.
"Buffy Summers." Snyder smiled, "if there's trouble, she's behind it."
"You stupid little troll," Buffy hissed angrily, "you have 'no' idea!"
"Attitude problem. Serious," a still gloating Snyder said.
"Look, I just wanna know if my friends are OK," Buffy pleaded with the cop as she tried to go back into the library.
"All right, that's enough," the cop said and took out his handcuffs.
Suddenly a blast hit the cop, electricity arcing his body. Yelping in pain the police man fell to the ground.
"GET AWAY FROM HER!"
As Snyder and the other cops turned around they face an angry man, heavily battered and bruised but with ink black pupils filled with hate staring at them.
"You!" Snyder said shocked, eyes big as saucers.
"Snyder, you bastard! You know! You know everything! And still you pester her?" Belmovekk said furiously, "I am going to enjoy ripping you apart, limb by BLOODY LIMB!"
As if to add force to his words a white flames appeared around the man. The cops pulled out their guns and pointed them at the man. Snyder however knew better and ran away.
"Freeze," one of the cops, a female one said, "put your hands up slowly!"
"Police?" the man said, spitting out the word police as if it were the most vile curse, "you, are police?"
The man spit on the floor in contempt.
"People die in this Gods forsaken place and you label it gangs on PCP and do NOTHING!" Belmovekk said as he slowly walked towards them, "and the one time you should be doing nothing you interfere? You are not police, you are something I try to scrape of my boots when I have stepped into something that came from the ass of a dog. Leave this place before I lose myself and kill you all!"
The female cop then started to fire her gun, as do the others. Most bullets bounce off against the man's white flames, although some manage to get through and bruise him. The man however does not care and let's out a terrifying roar, then charges straight into the police officers. In less then one second he has knocked them all down, then he prepared to kill them all, deadly energy attacks charging in his hands.
"Belmo! Don't!" Buffy asked as she ripped off the handcuff from her hand.
Belmovekk looked at her. For he few seconds he said nothing. Then the energy attacks disappeared. Instead he panted heavily but the rage in his eyes seems lifted. Then new attacks form.
"For you I will spare them," he said, then he fired of similar blasts as had hit the first cop at all the others. Electricity starts to arc around the fallen policemen and they began to whimper and writhe in unconscious pain.
"But these vermin deserve a lesson that corruption, incompetence and turning a blind eye comes at a price," the Saiyan said as he spit on them, "where are the others?"
"They're hurt," Buffy said, "Kendra is dead, Xander seems badly hurt."
"Go," Belmovekk said, beckoning her to go, "I will take him to the hospital."
Outside the school however came the sounds of more police sirens and the arrival of ambulance services.
"There is no time," Buffy said as she stepped forward and took him by the arm, "look at you, you can't even stop bullets anymore. Come, I'll take you to my house."
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"No. I-i-it's impossible. There..., there's been some terrible mistake," Joyce said to the two SDPD detectives who had been questioning her.
"And you have no idea where your daughter is?" the detective who had identified himself as Stein asked her.
"She said was going to her friend Willow's house," Joyce lied, "she knew what was going on but she'll be damned if she is going to turn her daughter over to these clowns, "maybe she slept over?"
"Is that Willow Rosenberg," Stein asked noting the name down.
"Yes".
"Second victim," Stein said to his partner as they both nod in agreement.
"What?" Joyce asked shocked, was Willow also hurt?
"Your daughter has a history of violence," the detective asked again, "doesn't she, Ms. Summers?"
"I think you should leave," Joyce said, suddenly a hint of steel in her voice.
The detective could take a hint. He won't get anything more from her.
"You call us, OK? If she decides to stop by," he said and gave her a card, "be best if she just comes in."
The two detectives left and Joyce closed the door. She went into the kitchen and threw the card into the waste basket.
"You did great, mom," Buffy said standing in the kitchen and took her mother's hand to squeeze it gently. Belmovekk sat on the other side of the kitchen counter, his eyes closed and resting with his head backwards against the wall.
"They actually have the gall to accuse you," she snorted in disgust, "part of me refused to believe the police was this inept until this happened."
"You'd better believe it," Buffy sighed.
"They are covering things up," Belmovekk coughed, some blood coming from his mouth, "it is as I feared, they know. They just do not care. Buffy has been a nuisance to them and now they think they have a chance to get rid of her. Bastards! I would kill them all if it were not for that damn Judge!"
"There will be no killing," Buffy said, "maybe some vampire slayage, but no killing humans."
"They have made their choices, young lady," Belmovekk coughed not sharing her concerns.
"Not all of them," she said shaking her head. "it can't be. Don't punish the innocent with the guilty."
"Have it your way," the Saiyan replied and closed his eyes again.
"Can you take care of him, mom," Buffy asked as she turned towards her mother, "I have to go to the hospital and check on my friends."
"But Buffy, shouldn't he go there as well?" Joyce asked concerned as she saw blood coming from Belmovekk's mouth.
"No hospital" Belmovekk said firm, "just rest."
"You heard him," Buffy shrugged and made for the backdoor, "he's tough, he'll make it. It's my friends I worry about. Besides, he's an alien, they'd cut him open!"
"Be careful, Buffy," Joyce called after her.
"Ain't I always?" she smiled and put on a black woolen cap.
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Arriving outside Giles' apartment, Buffy noticed the doors were open. At the hospital she'd met with Xander and Cordelia. It turned out Xander had held his own against Drusilla's minions but when Drusilla killed Kendra and came for him he thought it prudent to save at least Willow and live to fight another day. He had gotten away with only a broken hand, Willow however was still unconscious. With the prognosis not looking good. The biggest surprise however had been that Giles was still missing. So the first thing Buffy had done afterwards was go to his apartment to see if he was there.
The apartment looks deserted in which case the front door standing open looked like a bad sign. So she entered the place fearing the worst and feeling very worried.
"Giles!"
No answer.
"Giles!"
"I don't think he's here," a voice said. On the stairs stood a short man in a leather jacket and a pork pie hat on.
"And who are you?" Buffy asked weary.
"Whistler's the name," the man said as he tipped his hat.
"What are you doing here?" she asked.
"Actually, I'm waiting for you," Whistler said.
"Why?" Buffy asked, still weary.
"Cause I-I-I need a date to the prom?" Whistler joked.
That was the wrong answer. In no time Buffy had him by the throat against the wall.
"I have had a REALLY bad day, OK," she said in her best 'you are about to die' tone of voice, "if you have information worth hearing, then I am grateful for it. If you're gonna crack jokes, then I'm gonna pull out your ribcage and wear it as a hat. Talk!"
"Hello to the imagery," Whistler replied, "very nice. It wasn't supposed to go down like this."
"Nobody saw this coming. I figured this for Angel's big day. But I thought he was here to 'stop' Acathla, not to bring him forth. Then that Saiyan came and changed everything…., now he's a creep again. Everything is in flux. Now it's up to you make things right. What are you gonna do? W-what are you prepared to do?"
"Whatever I have to," Buffy replied and let go of Whistler's throat.
"Maybe I should ask, what are you prepared to give up?" the guy asked as he straightens himself out.
"You don't have anything useful to tell me, do you?" Buffy snorted, "What are you, just some immortal demon sent down to even the score between good and evil?"
"Wow. Good guess in one," Whistler grinned, "Whistler's the name and I work for the Powers that Be."
"Well, Mr. Whistler, why don't you try getting off your immortal ass and fighting evil once in a while," Buffy said unimpressed, "cause I'm sick and tired of doing it myself."
"That's the way it is, kiddo. In the end, you're always by yourself," Whistler said, "you're all you've got. That's the point. That Saiyan should not have interfered. He shouldn't even be here. Now everything is in flux. Angel is awakening Acathla, vampires and demons are starting to do chi related stuff."
"Spare me," Buffy snorted and turned around to leave not hearing anything useful.
"The sword isn't enough," Whistler called after her, "You gotta be ready, you gotta know how to use it!"
Buffy didn't reply and slammed the door shut behind her. No sooner was she outside when she saw Spike standing there, leaning against the wall, smoking a fag.
"How you doing, pet?" he grinned impishly.
"It never rains when it pours," Buffy sighed in dejection and lunged forward to hit the bleached vampire.
In Willow's room at the hospital things were finally looking up. She had regained consciousness and Oz had also arrived, having cut short the tour of his band.
"I'm OK, Buffy," Willows said speaking through a phone, "really. I mean, I don't feel good, but…, I'm awake, and I know my name and who's President and how many fingers, so they don't think my brain got mushed at all."
"Thank God," Buffy said relieved, speaking through the phone in her house, "so sorry I can't be there."
"I know," Willow sighed, "I'm sorry I didn't get to cure Angel."
"Don't be. It just wasn't meant to be," Buffy sighed as well, "I know I'm never gonna get him back the way he was. It just makes it easier."
"Any luck finding Giles?" Willow asked.
"Yep. I got a lucky break," Buffy spoke into the phone.
"What?" Willow said incredulously.
"You wouldn't believe me if I told you," Buffy said looking into her living room.
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"Have we met?"
Spike looked around towards Buffy's mother who looks at him inquisitively.
"Um…, you hit me with an ax one time. Remember," Spike said and made a gesture of holding up an ax, "uh, 'get the hell away from my daughter?'"
"Oh," Joyce said, not really remembering as those were still the 'lets repress anything that happened' days. So both return to their uncomfortable silence.
"So, do you," she asked, "uh, live here in town?"
Before Spike can answer he senses a familiar presence and looked around.
"You!" he hissed aghast.
"You," Belmovekk hissed shocked as he limped into the living room, supported by Buffy, "I'm going to enjoy killing you, you bastard!"
The Saiyan then somehow managed to throw himself upon Spike.
"Hey, look, flag of truce here," Spike managed to get out before Belmovekk started squeezing his throat shut.
"Let him go," Buffy said as she tried to pull the Saiyan off from Spike, "he came here to help."
"This bastard is responsible for everything," Belmovekk hissed angrily, "him, Angelus and that crazed woman of his."
"Listen to what he has to say," Buffy said.
"Never," Belmovekk replied with murder on his heart.
Then Spike grabbed Belmovekk by the hands, a chi flame faintly glowing around him and slowly but surely he managed to twist the Saiyans hands away.
"You should listen to your pet, Big Scary," Spike said with a big grin on his face, "although technically, you're not that scary anymore. The judge roughed you up good?"
Spike now got up, still holding Belmovekk by the hands and driving the large Saiyan unto his knees.
"Enough, Spike," Buffy said.
"Fine," Spike replied and let the Saiyan go who fell panting heavily to the floor.
"Are you alright?" Joyce asked worried as she knelt beside him.
"I will live," the Saiyan replied stoically and panted, "I am just so very tired."
"The Judge drained him dry," Buffy said, "not even Super Saiyan could help him. And then the bastard blew up."
"The bastard drained me alright," Belmovekk grinned as Joyce helped him to sit next to her on the couch, "but he got a little bit more out of me then he bargained for. I am afraid he could not take it. Few can. But do not worry, a few days rest and I will be back to normal."
"Too bad," Spike said ruefully and sat down again, "look, Big Scary, me and Dru, I admit we did rebuild the Judge. Thought we could use it against you. Ever since that church fire we knew you were the real enemy. Figured that if we took you out, we could deal with the Slayer. You see, when Dru got better from Angel she also inherited everything he knew and could do."
"That we knew," Belmovekk said refusing to look at Spike .
"Well, what you didn't knew was that Angelus came to us the very day the pet here had a good snog with him," Spike continued, "then the Big Scary here pulled a whammy on us and started blackmailing him with that curse. Which I have to admit was bloody brilliant, mate."
"Why thank you," Belmovekk replied without much feeling as Spike continued on.
"So Angelus has us bidding his time," he said, "Over time he manages to double cross you, feed you falsehoods mixed in with truths. Cause while we may have the Judge to take care of you, who knows how far you've souped up the Slayer here and her friend. By the time Angelus and her parted ways she was quite ahead of him and he did lack that nifty gravity gym of yours. Then one day he comes across a certain mage called Ethan Rayne.
"I'm so going to kill that bastard," Buffy muttered as she heard his name.
"Quite an unlikable fellow," Spike agreed, "but he did conjure up this cool spell that increases our powers. Angelus and Dru figures they are now superior to the Slayer. But we were still not sure if the Judge could take the Big Scary out in time. And Angelus did fear being re-souled in retaliation. Then one night he learns that the Watcher's honey has the curse. So a plan starts to form. And then along comes Acathla. And now everything changes. The Judge may or may not defeat the Big Scary here but if Acathla sucks the world into hell, that would surely do the trick."
"That still does not explain why you are here," Belmovekk said, finally looking at Spike, "and last thing I heard you were in a wheelchair."
"Angelus has been making the moves for his girlfriend," Buffy said. Belmovekk looked at Buffy, then at Spike and then he started to laugh.
"It's not funny, mate," Spike said looking insulted, "I was in that bloody wheelchair for months and he's been making my life a misery. To be honest I preferred him when he was still Droopy Boy and fawning over the Slayer here. He's madder then Dru now. Besides, as I told the Slayer, I don't want the world to end. I like it quite as it is. I've enjoyed its pleasures myself for a century, I hope to enjoy them for many more centuries to come."
"And the wheelchair?" Belmovekk asked.
"Funny things, these spells," Spike smiled, "Ethan did his Halloween prank and that Harris wanker not only gets to become superman, he stays like that. Me, I found I could suddenly walk again after Ethan did his spell to increase our strength."
"Then if you hated Angelus putting his moves on your girlfriend, why didn't you do anything about it?" Belmovekk asked as Joyce took his hand, "you seem to have collected some skills these days. Why come to us?
"Because he and Dru were way stronger then me. They knew stuff I didn't. I had to pick it up from watching them practice and training the boys," Spike replied, making some mock kung fu moves to illustrate his point.
"So what now?" Belmovekk asked after thinking it over.
"Now I go down there, rescue Giles and stop Angel," Buffy replied.
"He has Giles?" Belmovekk asked surprised.
"Must have been the point of the whole exercise," Spike shrugged, "he tried to awaken Acathla earlier but it didn't work. Must have needed the brainiac to figure out why."
"Then we have no time to waste," Belmovekk said and tried to get up. No sooner was he up as he fell back down on the couch again.
"Don't," Joyce said concerned, "you are in no condition to do anything."
"And even if you could I don't want you to," Buffy said, "you've done quite the amount of damage. You failed to re-soul Angel, now even vampires know this chi stuff. You've only managed to make things more complicated. It wasn't supposed to happen like this."
"Now I may be a bit down and out, young lady," Belmovekk said surprised, "but how would you know how it was supposed to happen?"
"When I went looking for Giles I met this guy at Giles' home," Buffy said, "claims he was some balancing demon called Whistler, working for something called the Powers that Be. He said that Angel was supposed to stop Acathla, not awaken him. That because of you the vampires and demons will get stronger. That because you failed to re-soul Angelus he will awaken Acathla."
"And you believe that?" Joyce asks surprised.
"He made some good points," Buffy said and pointed at the door, "when this is over I want you gone. I never want to see your face again."
"I can't, young lady, I have…, responsibilities," Belmovekk said, evading her eyes, "something that needs to be done."
"Do them somewhere else," Buffy hissed as she got up and signaled for a leering Spike to follow her.
"Now you wait here, Buffy," Joyce said angrily as she went after her, "I've had it up to here with your histrionics. Belmovekk has gone out of his way to do whatever he can to help you."
"Making things only worse," Buffy replied and walked into the kitchen. Joyce followed and grabbed Buffy by the shoulder.
"Like you haven't," she said sternly.
"You don't understand, mum," Buffy said, "he could have re-souled Angel and we wouldn't have been in this mess."
Joyce shook her head in disbelief.
"So some stranger comes by, said a few words and you believe him over somebody who has stood by you?" Joyce said flabbergasted, "And what do you think would have happened if Belmovekk had never come? Would that have prevented you from fucking that vampire? He'd still have lost his soul and you would still be in this mess. Only then you would have no one to blame but yourself. I'm not stupid Buffy. You brought that Angel along before. I may not have recognized a daughter being the Slayer but I did notice a daughter being very much in love with somebody."
"He could have re-souled Angel, mum," Buffy said again, "he lied to me."
"I know," Joyce said without blinking, "he told me."
"What?!" Buffy exclaimed.
"He told me everything, Buffy," Joyce said unapologetic, "He said that between two lovers there shouldn't be any secrets. He told me what he had done and why he had done it."
"Jesus, did everybody know but me?" Buffy said throwing her hands up in despair, "Giles knew, Xander knew, and now you."
"And I totally agree with his reasons, Buffy," Joyce said firm, "Even with a soul that Angel would have been nothing but trouble for you."
Buffy turned her back towards her mother.
"That would have been my decision to make!"
"Buffy," Joyce said as she took hold of her daughter, "you may be the Slayer and a champion of this world, but you are also a teenage child and a legal minor. Until you are an adult we have to make decisions for you in your best interest."
"I stopped being a child when I was called, mom," Buffy replied looking over her shoulder, "I didn't ask for this but now I have no choice. Now I have to kill the love of my life. I want that man gone when I come back. I will not live with him under the same roof."
"That is not your decision to make, Buffy," Joyce countered, "he's the father of my unborn child. He tried to do what was best for you. Something your own father has stopped doing long ago. Don't hate him for that."
"Are you finished?" Buffy said and broke free from her mother and looked at Spike, who has watched the whole exchange with amused interest.
"Let's go."
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"So Buffy's going for the big showdown," Cordelia said as she paced nervously in Willow's hospital room, "huh? Wish we could help."
"Well, I'm no longer the buttmonkey but that Drusilla cut me aside as if I was nothing," Xander said and nurtured his broken hand, "it's like she was on steroids or something."
"I wanna try again.," Willow said as she sat up straight.
"Try what?" Oz asked, holding her hand.
"The curse," Willow answered, "we never got to finish it. Maybe we 'can' restore Angel's soul."
"I don't like it.," Xander said shaking his head, "you're talking about messing with powerful magic, and you're still weak."
"I'm OK," Willow said casually.
"You don't look OK," Xander replied and looked at Cordelia, "does she?"
Cordelia nodded in agreement.
"You should listen to him," Cordelia said, "the hair, it's so flat, and the lips."
"Could we stay on topic here, honey," Xander said.
"What?" Cordelia asked surprised.
Xander looked at Willow again
"Look, it's not a good idea," he said shaking his head.
"There's no use arguing with me," Willow responds, "do you see my resolve face? You've seen it before. You know what it means. This can help Buffy. If we turn Angel back soon enough, we can stop him from ever awakening Acathla."
Oz got up looking all puzzled.
"OK, I pretty much missed out on some stuff, didn't I? Because this is all making a kind of sense that's…, not."
"Go with Cordy to the library and get my things," Willow said looking up at her boyfriend, "she'll fill you in."
"Sure," Oz said, having faith in the girl he loves and kissed her hand, then he looked at Cordelia, "I'll drive."
"Xander, go to Buffy," Willow said as they have left the room, "tell her what we're doing. Maybe she can stall."
"But I...," Xander tried to protest, but it was in vain.
"Resolve face," Willow said again resolute, causing Xander to sigh.
"Be careful," Xander said and left.
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At the school library Buffy and Spike slipped past the police crime scene tapes and entered the library.
"So this is where it all happens! Why are we here again, pet?" Spike said as he examined the HQ of his former enemies. Former until this was over of course.
"I need to have that sword that was blessed," Buffy said as she rummaged through Kendra's stuff, "it can stop Acathla."
"Good call," Spike shrugged, "you know, I expected more of this place. So many plans were foiled from here. Yet it looks so…., dreary."
"Sorry to disappoint you, Spike," Buffy said unapologetic.
"No matter, once this is over I never hope to set foot in this bloody town ever again.," Spike said, then looked at a chalk victims outline on the floor, "hey, this were Dru bagged herself a Slayer?"
"If you start gloating I'll kill you anyway," Buffy said as she gave him a hard stare.
"Can't help but admire the work of a loved one, pet," Spike shrugged.
"And don't call me that," she said.
"You do know this is a crime scene, don't you," Snyder's voice said behind them, "but then…, you're a criminal, so that pretty much works out."
The school principal stood there, still gloating at her misfortune.
"You know I didn't do it," Buffy replied as she looked up to him, "the police will figure it out."
"In case you haven't noticed, Summers," Snyder gloated, " the police of Sunnydale are..., 'deeply' stupid. You other friend was quite right in that department."
"The troll has a point," Spike said, "I've never been to a place where I can get away with so much stuff from the Filth as in this place."
Snyder examined Spike, appraising him, then looked at Buffy again.
"It doesn't matter anyway," he continued, "whatever they find, you've proved too much of a liability for this school."
Snyder took a deep breath and his face started sporting the biggest gloating smile it can muster.
"These are the moments you want to savor," he sighed in contentment, "You wish time would stop so that you could live them over and over again. You're expelled."
"Want me to kill him, pet?" Spike said and was about to slip into his game face.
Buffy however took forth the blessed sword and held it up, examining the blade.
"You never ever got a single date in high school, did you?" she said without giving Snyder a look. Her remark caused Snyder's gloating smile to sour.
"Your point being?" he asked
"My friend was right," Buffy said, "you are something to scrape of your shoes that comes from a dog's ass."
Buffy nodded to Spike to follow her and left the library, making sure to pass very close to Snyder with the sword. Spike shrugged and followed her, also making sure to pass closely by Snyder, who's starting to feel very uncomfortable.
"Love what you did with the school," Spike grinned.
Once they were left Snyder started to shake and grabbed a chair to steady him. Having steadied himself he fumbled inside his pockets and took out his cell phone and dialed a number.
"It's Snyder. Tell the Mayor I have good news."
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"So what are we doing here, pet?" Spike asked as they stood outside Giles' apartment again.
"I need to ask a few questions," Buffy said, "stay here."
"Bloody sun will come up in an hour," Spike muttered as he fumbles with his coat
"It won't be long," Buffy replied and went inside.
Inside the apartment a certain balancing demon was busy raiding Giles' kitchen when Buffy entered. He sees her but continued to check out the refrigerator.
"Whistler," she said, "what did you mean, the sword isn't enough?"
The balancing demon grabbed a bottle of beer and opened it. He doesn't like the smell.
"You know, raiding an Englishman's fridge is like dating a nun," he said disparagingly, "You're never gonna get the good stuff."
Buffy put the sword on the kitchen table.
"Tell me how to use it," she asked.
The demon took a swig, then looked like it's vile before looking at Buffy.
"Angel's the key," he said while putting the bottle down, "his blood will open the door to Hell. Acathla opens his big mouth, creates a vortex. Then only Angel's blood will close it. One blow will send 'em both back to Hell. But I strongly suggest that you get there before that happens, 'cause the faster you kill Angel, the easier it's gonna be on you."
"Don't worry about me," Buffy replied casually.
"It's all on the line here, kid."
"I can deal with it," Buffy said sadly as she grabbed the sword and made for the apartment's exit, "I got nothing left to lose."
"Wrong, kid, how very wrong you are on that account, " Whistler said once she had gone and took another swig of the beer, then he looked revolted again and took a deep sigh, "I hate this job!"
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"And now?" Buffy asked when Spike had led her to a manhole cover in a deserted street of town.
"Here we go beneath," Spike replied and removed the lid, then jumped in. No sooner had he disappeared when Buffy heard something.
"Buff! Wait for me!"
It was Xander, flying towards her and then landing beside her.
"Xander," she said happily. These past days had been hard on them and their friendship but she's glad he's here.
"Cavalry's here," the young man grinned holding up his injured hand, "cavalry's with his hand in a casket but it's here."
Buffy grabbed the young man and hugged him.
"Why, Buff, I didn't know?" Xander said pleasantly surprised, then he responded and took hold of her as well.
"Thank you," Buffy said almost choking, "this means a great deal. But you're not here to fight. You get Giles out, and you run like hell, understood? Angel and Drusilla, they're too strong for you to handle.
"I'm not exactly useless any more, Buff," Xander responded, " If I must die beside you, then I gladly will. When the end comes I plan to be there beside you. I've sworn an oath on that."
"Dear Xander," Buffy smiled and caressed his cheek, "I know you will. But not today. I'm not planning on dying."
"Good, cause I was planning to live forever," Xander smiled.
"That's the spirit," Buffy said approvingly, then she let go of him and removed the cloth on the blessed sword, "As for me, I'm gonna be too busy killing."
For a moment her chi flame comes alive and this time it envelops the sword as well, it being loaded with her chi.
"Alright, now you're talking, Buff," Xander nodded approvingly, "it looks good on you. What is it?"
"It's a present for Angel," Buffy said as her chi flame disappears again.
That reminded Xander of what Willow wanted him to tell her.
"Willow. Uh, she told me to tell you..," he stuttered, then he stopped and looked around, "Where's the B-man? Shouldn't he be with you?"
"Home." she said, "the Judge drained him drier then a vampire ever could. He can't even stop bullets any more. Besides, after his betrayal I don't want to have anything to do with him. What did Willow wanted to tell me?"
Xander closed his eyes and cursed deeply inside, then he opened them again and looked her squarely in the eyes
"She said 'Kick his ass!'," Xander lied straight-faced.
"Are you two bints coming along or do I have to do this alone?" Spike said, his head sticking out of the manhole cover.
"What the…, Spike?" Xander yelled surprised
"Tell the dolt I'm here to help you before he goes all medieval on me too," Spike said and disappeared inside the hole again.
"What is going on here, Buff?" Xander asked angry.
"Come," she said and took him by the uninjured arm, "I'll tell you on the way."
x
x
At the deepest levels underneath the Hellmouth Angelus and Drusilla led a group of vampires who stood before the statue of Acathla. Angelus started to chant in Latin.
"Acathla.. Mundatus sum.. pro te necavi. Sanguinem meum.. pro te effundam..quo me dignum.. esse demonstrem."
Drusilla stepped next to Angelus and handed him a knife.
"You will be free," Angelus chanted as he accepted the knife and cut across the palm of his hand, blood starting to rip.
"And so will we all," he finished.
Suddenly a vampire cried out in agony, and then turned to dust. As everybody turned around it was Buffy holding up the blessed sword.
"Hello, lover," she said.
"I don't have time for you," Angelus said bored
"You don't have a lot of time left," Buffy retorted.
"Coming on kind of strong, don't you think?," Angelus snorted, "you're playing some deep odds here. Do you really think you can take us all on?"
"No. I don't," she smiles. While she's been busy grabbing everyone's attention Xander was off looking for Giles and Spike was encircling the others from behind. Then he made his move and rushed Angelus, his chi flame emerging and he savagely began to batter his rival with everything he's worth.
"How do you like this!" he yelled, putting his hatred for all the months of Angelus treatment into his attacks.
Meanwhile Buffy tried to attack Drusilla but got sidelined by their minions, And they were proving to be quite a handful as they had also been trained in the arts of chi enhanced fighting. Still, they are still weaker then her and slowly but surely she ground them down, one at a time.
"Painful, isn't it?" Spike grinned ferally as he continued to beat Angelus into a pulp.
"NO!" Drusilla yelled and tackled Spike, freeing Angel in the process.
"I don't want to hurt you, baby," Spike said as he got out from under her and faced her.
She continued to attack him and in response Spike punched her brutally in the face, sending her reeling backwards.
"Doesn't mean I won't," Spike said and threw himself onto her.
x
x
"Giles!"
A beaten and tortured Giles sat bound in his chair "
"Giles!"
Giles lifted up his head slowly and sees Xander standing beside him, fumbling with his ropes.
"Xander?" he said weakly.
"Can you walk," Xander asked concerned.
"You're not real," Giles sighed dejected.
"Sure, I'm real," Xander said.
"It's a trick," Giles said forlorn, "They get inside my head, make me see things I want."
Having undone the ropes Xander got in front of Giles and held him by the shoulders.
"Then why would they make you see me?" the young man said.
"You're right," Giles nodded, "let's go".
As they make their absence Buffy continued to battle the minions, using a large improvised stake in the right hand to dust one and her left hand to blast another to pieces.
Drusilla meanwhile continued to battle Spike, who despite his months of being seemingly bound to a wheelchair proved to be her equal. Somewhatish.
Angelus however had regaining himself and started to shake his head. When he had come to his senses he looked around and took stock of the situation. Spike clearly had betrayed him and was fighting Drusilla, his last two minions wouldn't last long against Buffy. He took one look at Acathla and knew he had to seize the moment before it was too late.
Buffy managed to kill another vampire then blasted the final minion. Before she can react further however Angelus made a run for Acathla and with his bloodied hand he yanked out the sword. Next a light came from the statue, then disappeared as the sword got pulled from the demon's heart.
"No," Buffy yelled desperately.
"Oh yes, lover," Angelus grinned holding up the sword he had pulled out of the statue triumphantly.
Buffy reached for her sword and prepared to face Angelus. Drusilla however allowed herself to be distracted and looked at Acathla.
"Oh.. Here he comes," she radiated, taken by the lightshow coming from the statue.
Spike used the distraction to his advantage and put both of his hand palms to the sides of her hand and started to blast her with wave after wave of raw chi blasts at point blank range. Causing her to cry out in pain and spasm.
"You almost made it, Buff," Angelus grinned madly in triumph.
"It's not over yet," Buffy replied holding up her sword.
"My boy Acathla here is about to wake up," Angelus gloated, "you're going to Hell."
"Save me a seat!" Buffy said unimpressed.
Both chi flames came alive, enveloping their swords as well, charging the weapons with deadly chi.
Then the fight started and the both of them clash, chi flames blazing fiercely as fighting started in earnest. Back and forth it goes. Attack, parry, counterattack, parry again. They turn out to be quite evenly matched and for now the fight could go either way.
Meanwhile Spike had blasted Drusilla into unconsciousness. When she finally collapses he gently and lovingly picked her up.
"Sorry, baby," he said regretfully and tenderly, "wish there was another way."
He took his sire and made for the exit. On the way he passes the Buffy/Angelus fight and watched for a moment. Buffy was good, probably just that bit stronger but the vampire is more vicious and completely fueled by madness.
"God, he's gonna kill her," Spike said, then he shrugged. Not his concern. He turned around and left for the exit carrying Dru.
The fight continued for a while but slowly but surely Angelus drove her further away from Acathla. Occasionally one of them fired a chi blast as well, but they are mostly weak. Their hearts were more into some old fashioned murder using their chi laden swords.
Meanwhile from deep within the Acathla statue came growling sounds and noises as the demon started to awaken and the lightshow intensified.
"You hear that," Angelus grinned, nodding backwards to the statue, "he's coming."
"Not if I can help it," Buffy said and went on the offensive, driving Angelus back until Acathla came back into view. A lucky slash managed to scrape Angelus on his left arm. He growled in pain and furiously counterattacked. This time he managed to drive Buffy further away from Acathla into one of the other rooms. In desperation she tried to stab him and got blocked, a follow up kick also got blocked. Angelus grinned evilly. He can taste victory now.
Then she missed with a thrust and her sword got deflected to the ground. Angelus stepped on the tip and the sword fell from her hands. Disarmed Angelus put the tip of his sword on her throat and picked up her blade. He had her now pinned against the wall.
"A blessed sword," he said and examined her blade. Then he stabbed her with it through her side, pinning her against the wall, and broke it off in two. Buffy cried out in pain.
"I've always wanted my own butterfly collection," he said, "I guess I have to settle for you."
Buffy looked up to him with big frightened eyes and the vampire drunk in her misery.
"Ah, the smell of impending death, how I missed it," Angelus gloated, "so, that's everything then, huh? No more weapons… No friends… No hope."
She knew she had lost. She closes her eyes.
"Angel," she whispers softly.
Angelus however is in full gloating mode.
"Take all that away… and what's left?"
Angel raised his sword and struck down towards her.
Suddenly a massive blow hit Angelus and sent him crashing into the wall to Buffy's left.
"She still has me," a voice said panting heavily.
Buffy opened her eyes. It's Belmovekk.
The Saiyan looked like he's been through Hell and back, still limping but he had murder in his eyes.
"I am going to kill you, Angelus!" he yelled and fired chi blast after chi blast on the vampire. Snarling with pure hatred the Saiyan unleashed whatever remained of his chi and dust rapidly enveloped Angelus.
"DIE!" the Saiyan yelled still firing, slowly closing the distance between him and the dust cloud enveloping Angelus. Then the Saiyan collapsed exhausted and fell on his knees.
"It is done! I am sorry, young lady," he said panting.
"Look out," she yelled.
From the dust cloud Angelus emerged and lunged for the Saiyan, grabbing him by the throat. Belmovekk is too exhausted to resist.
"Old man, you should not have come," Angelus said angry, after all the Saiyans assault, weak though it was, had hurt him, "now I'm going to torture you while my boy sucks the world and your precious Buffy into Hell. Fitting revenge for having you boss me and knocking me around."
"I do not fear you, vampire," Belmovekk spat at Angelus holding him against the wall.
"Tough talk for somebody pinned to a wall," Angelus grinned, wiping away some blood from his face, "payback is indeed a bitch. God, all those times I lied to you and fooled you was precious, but this…., I guess the credit card commercial was right. Some things are priceless. Let's see. How shall I torture you? I have to admit, I've always admired the way you tortured that Tarakan. Shall we dance?"
"Neither pain nor death will scare a Saiyan," Belmovekk said as he closed his eyes, then he started to smirk his most infuriating smirk, "I will gladly join my people in Hell if I can still take you with me."
Belmovekk started to glow, electricity arcing around his body.
"What the..," Angelus muttered surprised.
Energy started to whirl around the Saiyan.
"Suicide attack," Belmovekk grinned opening his eyes, "told you I was going to take you with me. For hate sakes I will spit my last breath at you!"
"NO," Angelus yelled with a hint of hear and let go of Belmovekk.
"Yes," the Saiyan grinned and closed his eyes, focusing on converting his mass into energy.
"Not like this," Angelus yelled and started to hit the Saiyan with everything in his arsenal. Energy attacks, punches, kicks, all rain down on Belmovekk without much result until a lucky blow to the side of Belmovekk's head had him collapsing to the ground, the light show coming to an abrupt end.
"Ha!" Angelus yelled victorious as he gave the Saiyan a vicious kick, "Concentrate on that!"
He lunged for his sword and raised it for a killing blow, chi enveloping the blade.
"I win," Angelus grinned.
"No you don't," Buffy's voice said behind him, "MASENKO!"
A yellow blast hit Angelus and sent him flying backwards in front off Acathla. Angelus shook his head and looked up to see Buffy advancing. She's still bleeding from her pierced side but she could take it. She held her hands in front of her.
"Nobody ever stays down these days," he muttered both angry and annoyed and got up. From the mouth of Acathla a vortex of energy emerged and started to slowly expand. Angelus sees it and smiled victoriously.
"So what are you going to do now, lover," he grinned, "it has begun, your blessed sword is broken. I win!"
"I'll just have to destroy the both of you then," Buffy said sadly.
"KA!"
She cupped her hands in front of her.
"ME!"
She withdrew them to her right side.
"HA!"
Blue energy started to glow between her hands.
"ME!"
Angelus started to look worried. This is new to him, he can sense that she's gathering some serious power between her hands.
"NO" he finally yelled and tried to attack her. Then his eyes suddenly glowed bright red for an instant and he collapsed to the floor.
Shocked by the sudden turn of events, Buffy held her attack in standby but still charged. Angelus got up from the floor. As he looked up she can see that his madness is gone and he was looking at her with eyes in tears.
"Buffy?" he asked in a tone of voice she hadn't heard in months, "What's going on?"
While she looked confused and Angel looked around in even greater confusion, she still held her charged attack.
"Where are we?" he asked, "I-I don't remember."
"Angel," she cried, her resolve melting.
"You're hurt," Angel said and came forth to touch her gently.
She looked down at her wound and felt his gentle touch on her arm. She closed her eyes, taking in his smell, the one she missed so much.
"Oh, Buffy.. God. I.. I feel like I haven't seen you in months," Angel said as he kissed her on the lips.
Buffy felt her resolve melting.
"That is because you have not," Belmovekk said behind her, leaning against the wall, "you lost your soul when the two of you made love and you became Angelus again. See that demon behind you?"
Angel looked behind him. He then clasped his mouth in shock as he recognized the demon.
"A-Acathla," he exclaimed.
"You awoke him," Belmovekk said, "he will suck the world into hell. Unless…."
"Unless the blood of whoever awakes him dies with him," Angel nodded. He understands.
Behind them Acathla's face started to move and the vortex grew even bigger. Angel looked at Buffy again and the energy attack she was still holding. Without saying anything he seemingly understood what had to be done and smiled at her.
"Do it," he said gently, "it's OK. I love you."
"I love you," Buffy replied, tears streaking down her face, "close your eyes."
He closed his eyes and she gives him one last kiss as the intensity of her attack started to grow again.
"Live happily for me," Angel said gently, then he looked at the Saiyan, "and you, take care of her."
"I will," Belmovekk said. Then Angel stepped backwards until he was almost in front of the statue.
"HA!"
With that single word Buffy unleashed the Kamehameha wave and let it slam into Angel. It pierced the vampire and together with his blood slammed straight into Acathla.
"Buffy," Angel yelled one last time, then he and Acathla were sent careening into the vortex. Once they were gone the vortex disappeared, as if sucked in after them.
Silence returned to the room, broken by the sobs of Buffy crying as she fell to her knees.
"I am so, so sorry," Belmovekk said as he crawled towards her and tried to put his arms around her in an attempt to comfort her.
Angrily she shook of his attempt to embrace her and moved away from him.
"GET AWAY FROM ME!" she hissed with pure venom, "You don't EVER get to touch me again!"
She lashed out with her chi and pushed him away. Belmovekk staggered backwards and fell over on his back.
x
x
"Damn it Harris," Spike said still holding an unconscious Drusilla, "this is the third time I have to go back to that hole."
Both he and Xander were walking as fast as they could through the underground tunnels.
"You and your floozy can leave after I check that Buffy is alright," Xander said not giving a damn about Spike. All he cared about was helping Buffy and the Saiyan.
"Why do you even need me?" Spike muttered, "Didn't you come along the first time?"
"I had other things on my mind," the young man snorted impatiently
"Bugger! First you lot, then the Big Scary, now you again. I feel like a bloody tour guide," Spike muttered and pointed, "there, go through that tunnel you wanker, I'm out of here."
Spike ran away carrying Drusilla leaving Xander behind. Xander made a half hearted attempt to stop him but changed his mind. He recognized the tunnel anyway. He went trough the tunnel and emerged into a familiar space. It's now deserted. Even the huge Acathla statue was gone. A sword lay abandoned on the floor.
"What the hell happened here?" Xander said as he looked around. Plenty of debris of the battle but little sign of any survivors. Where the statue used to be was now an empty spot. Bad sign. Missing statues usually mean trouble. Then again, the world hadn't ended and that would have been an inescapable effect. So maybe it was a good sign after all.
"Buffy! Belmovekk," Xander yelled as he looks around.
Then from around a corner came a muffled noise. Xander moved there quickly.
"Buffy," he said worried. Instead he found the Saiyan sitting against a wall. Belmovekk looked like he's been to Hell and back and then some. He had a blank stare and just talked softly to himself.
"Belmovekk," he said as he knelt down next to him and took him by the shoulders, "what happened? Where is Buffy?"
It took a while for the Saiyan to react but then he looked up in Xander's anxious eyes.
"I failed her, Xander," was all the Saiyan said, "I failed her."
As Belmovekk sunk back in his depression and he had made sure he was alright Xander looked further for Buffy but couldn't find any trace of her except a broken bloodied sword. Finally he returned to Belmovekk and helped to carry him back to the surface.
x
x
"Willow, are you sure you should be out of bed?" Giles asked as the Scoobies stood outside of Sunnydale High. The sun was shining brightly again and now it looked as if anything of the misery of late could never have taken place.
"Look who's talking," Willow said. Both look like hell, she in her wheelchair, he with several broken fingers.
"Touché," Giles said.
"Any word?" Cordelia asked worried.
"He refuses to speak," Xander said shaking his head, "all he said is that he failed her. I think he's going to crawl in a bottle and won't come out for a long, long time. As for Buffy, I guess you guys haven't seen her either."
"No," Willow said sadly.
"But we know the world didn't end, 'cause…, check it out," Oz said and looked around. It was a bright and sunny day.
"That we know," Giles said, "Xander said the statue was gone and he's taken me back there again. Whatever happened, at least we were spared that."
"I think the spell worked," Willow nodded, "I felt something go through me."
"Plus the Orb did that cool glow thing," Cordelia added.
"Well, I think it wasn't in time," Xander said gloomily, "maybe she had to kill him before the cure could work. Or God forbid afterwards. It's the only explanation that makes sense."
"Well, then, she'd wanna be alone I guess," Oz said.
"Or maybe Angel 'was' saved, and they want to be alone together," Willow said, the other alternative to horrible for her to contemplate.
"Perhaps," Giles said without much conviction. Silently he agreed with Xander.
"Well, she's gotta show up sooner or later," Cordelia said, "we still have school."
"Yeah," Willow said, "she'll be here in a while."
The Scoobies nodded and entered school, Oz gently pushing Willow's wheelchair.
x
x
Across the street Buffy watched from the shadows her friends go back to school. Sighing sadly she turned around and headed for the bus depot.
x
x
(cue dramatic music)
x
Yahweh
U2, How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb
Lyrics by Bono
Take these shoes
Click clacking down some dead end street
Take these shoes
And make them fit
Take this shirt
Polyester white trash made in nowhere
Take this shirt
And make it clean, clean
Take this soul
Stranded in some skin and bones
Take this soul
And make it sing
Yahweh, Yahweh
Always pain before a child is born
Yahweh, Yahweh
Still I'm waiting for the dawn
Take these hands
Teach them what to carry
Take these hands
Don't make a fist
Take this mouth
So quick to criticise
Take this mouth
Give it a kiss
Yahweh, Yahweh
Always pain before a child is born
Yahweh, Yahweh
Still I'm waiting for the dawn
Still I'm waiting for the dawn, the sun is coming up
The sun is coming up on the ocean
This love is like a drop in the ocean
This love is like a drop in the ocean
Ooohhh
Yahweh, Yahweh
Always pain before a child is born
Yahweh, tell me now
Why the dark before the dawn
Take this city
A city should be shining on a hill
Take this city
If it be your will
What no man can own, no man can take
Take this heart
Take this heart
Take this heart
And make it break