Angel stumbled to Buffy, completely intent on doing Drusilla's bidding. "You can stop this, Angel," Buffy said, trying to rationalize. "You can go to Willow, and she can do a forgetting spell so that you won't remember ever meeting me. You can go back to L.A., and do your work. You can help people."
"Is that something you would do?" he said, his voice straining to talk over the chants. "Simply have a spell done to forget me?"
"I don't think a spell could ever make me forget you, Angel. You were such a big part of my life. Emphasis on the 'were'! I love you, Angel, but not romantically. I thought we covered all of this. I'm in love with Spike, and however hard it is for you to be able to understand that, you need to just accept it, and move on. Just like I did when you told me to. So take your own advice. Right now, I can't deal with you! I've got to stop the end of the world!" She kicked pasted the brooding vampire, slamming him to the floor, and successfully knocked him unconscious. Buffy sprang toward the circle where the ritual had begun. The box sat on Selena's barely moving chest. Both Drusilla and Spike had hands over their daughter's bleeding arms. The small amount of color that was in any of their faces was draining fast. With Drusilla's free hand, she lifted the key from Selena's neck, and slid it into the keyhole. She placed her other hand on the box's top, moving Spike's bloody one to do the same.
The chanting slowed, and all Buffy could hear was Drusilla mumbling that it was here. She took that chance to kick the two chanting demons away from the circle, hopefully breaking whatever spells that not only had held her in place for too long, but also had been started with the blood. She wasted no time in making sure that the spells weren't the only things broken .Buffy darted for the box, only to receive a series of long thin cuts on her right arm, reaching from her elbow to her wrist. Drusilla's nails jerked back to her face as she licked the Slayer's blood from her fingertips.
"Mmmm," her throat growled. Buffy was jerked back to reality as she saw the stomach-curdling act and quickly punched Drusilla in the face.
"You crazy," punch "disgusting," kick "vampire bitch," Buffy said in between hits. She knocked the knife from Drusilla's hand, causing the vampire to stagger from her. She swung the scythe, barely missing her target. Drusilla recovered, kicking the weapon from Buffy's grasp.
The two women fought. Neither one tried to go for their weapons. They punched, kicked, and deflected the blows the other threw. Buffy tried to flip over the vampire, but ended up being face-planted into the ground. Drusilla stalked over her, a maniacal grin spread across her face. "Oooh, Slayer," she said as she crept toward Buffy. "'ve waited so long to kill you. You tainted my Spike. Took him from me." Buffy tried to stand, finding it increasingly difficult as she rose to her hands and knees. Drusilla took the chance to kick her in the stomach, causing Buffy to fall once again, but not before she kicked Drusilla's feet from under her. A drop of fear rippled through Buffy as she temporarily thought of her untimely death once again. Drusilla cackled, as she smelt the alluring aroma. She rose to her feet, towering over the blonde.
"I'm gettin' so sick of you," a voice from behind her said. Before Buffy could react, a stake protruded from the vampire's chest. "Go to hell," Spike said as she burst into dust. As the dust settled, Spike helped his lover from the ground. She wrapped her arms around his neck tightly. She hesitantly stood straight, feeling a sharp pain in her sides. "You okay, pet?" Spike asked as he nuzzled into her neck.
"Fine. I think I have a broken rib or two, but I'm okay. Let's get everyone out of here."
They separated as they walked to the bodies around them. Buffy looked to the Selena, still unconscious and on the sarcophagus. Spike made his way to her, gently stroking her face. "It's the pressure points," Angel said groggily. "I can undo them. If you want me to."
Spike nodded and let him near the girl. After a few quick jabs to the back of her neck, she moaned. "Dad?" she mumbled.
"I'm here, luv. I'm here."
"Angel," Buffy began, "can you help Dawn, too?" He walked to the girl, laying limp on the floor. He performed the same jabs. She came around seconds later.
"Buff… My arms," she whined in low voice. Angel poked her arms, allowing her mobility once more. "Thanks."
"Hey, B," Faith said, walking into the cave. "Did we miss all the fun?" She looked around, seeing the three dead demons and the pile of ashes that used to be Drusilla.
"Just a bit. How's Robin?"
"Alive," he said, walking in behind Faith, struggling to stand.
"Good. Let's get home. I'll call Willow, get her and Andrew to bring a car for us."
Buffy helped Dawn to her feet, allowing her to lean against her small frame. She looked to Selena and Spike, who were doing the same. The box laid on top of the tomb. The key was in the keyhole, turned. The lid was open. "Who—who opened it?" Buffy asked, a new spread of fear washing over her.
"It was open when I came over here. Nothing in it though. Just an empty box."
"Hm. Hope was the only thing that remained. I guess it was just empty all along," Dawn suggested.