Chapter Sixty-Two

Vampires

A/N Ok, so this one is split up into scenes by particular people. So by the title, vampires means this is scenes to do with Spike, Buffy and Angel. There'll only be 3 chapters for Chosen, then an epilogue. And actually having Angel in this one really helps lead me into the next series. Um, shall explain more later.

Sunnydale, the world without shrimp 2003

Buffy was fighting her way through the vineyard, the scythe a comfort to her palms as it swung through the air as Caleb. He doubled over and fell, his stomach leaking with blood as he turned his face to the dirt. Angel had caught her in the nick of time, Caleb had lunged at her but he caught the blow. He'd waited for her to knock him down before coming over, he knew she would want to fight this alone, she deserved the victory over him. Buffy walked over slowly, dropping the weapon to her side and locking into his big brown eyes she kissed him. Somehow his presence always made her feel safer.

Their pairs of lips collided in motion, wet sloppy sounds emitting as they spoke without words. All the backed up energy of missing him and needing someone she could rely on where settled in that kiss, his body was familiar and molded to hers perfectly. It also felt like a goodbye, like she didn't need him anymore, and there was Spike. He'd proven he cared for her truly and she knew somewhere in her heart there was an affection for him, for years she'd dare deny it but now it felt like she was allowed, in a way. Like the world owed her for all the time she'd been away from Angel, she couldn't have Angel, but maybe she could settle for Spike.

Then Angel started making jokes and she knew it was weird seeing him, she'd reacted on pure instinct before. But now it was sinking in that she hadn't seen him in two years and it was weird to just jump on him. "Angel, what are you doing here?" She asked confused once she realised she hadn't called him and he'd just turned up out of the blue.

"Someone sent me something to give to you. I got that it was the First? The one that tried to convince me into killing myself - that year it snowed." He replied walking across the underground dust room to pick up a book. Just as he looked back at her Caleb rose suddenly, knocking the vampire to the ground, he was using ceramic like it was a weapon and swung at Buffy hard. She combated him with the scythe but she kept falling, her legs buckling underneath her as she fought gravity for balance.

He chased and cut her, black blood oozing from his eyes and mouth, he was dead and not dead, she'd killed him but he refused to die. That was until she swung the scythe underneath his groin and split him straight up the middle, the two halves of his body crumpling to the ground as Angel straightened up on the balls of his feet. "Where is he, did you get him?" Angel said staring her way, he was massaging the back of his head where Caleb had struck him, but being undead, the pain would subside soon enough.

"He had to split." She replied coyly, sniggering at her joke as they discussed the reason for his visit. He'd brought her an amulet, huge ugly thing, but it apparently 'bestows strength to a champion stronger than human' person. Buffy's immediate thought went to Angel being here and the champion and wanting to save her. But she knew it wasn't wise, if they lost the battle, they'd need a second front, a second army waiting to fight. Angel had to go home and get his team ready in case they were needed. The next line of soldiers.

She told him to go, that he was needed for the rest of the world's survival. But he didn't believe her when she said there was no other reason she wanted him gone. He could see it, he smelt it, he smelt Spike on her, it was a foul smell but he tolerated it when surrounded by her sweet scent. But now it was overwhelming - like he'd been so close to her, on her clothes. "Is it Spike?" He asked, following her out in the graveyard, his steps heavy as he trod into dry mud.

She stopped dead in front of him, coming to a slow halt when she heard that name. It was a name that was scarred inside her because of the man that name belonged too, and what he'd done to her in the past. How she felt about him conflicted with her morals and Spike had become a mystery to her self-esteem. "You're not tellin' me somethin'" He continued, she turned to face him then, her ponytail swishing and her blue coat bunching in her hands as she grasped in in frustrated confusion. "And the scent, I remember it pretty well."

"You vampires." She replied, "did anyone ever tell you the whole smelling thing's a little gross?" She said as a throwaway comment because she knew he was fixated now. Spike was his enemy, immortal as time even though they were once allies, the allies of evil are never true friends. They were always fighting over the same things and Buffy was no different, they fought for her the most. No one ever winning or losing because they both came with conditions.

"Is he your boyfriend?" Angel said, creeping a little closer out of the crypt. Buffy walked away from him through the gates of the tomb and she tried to explain, she told him about Spike's having of a soul and that did it. Inside Angel's mind of course he was a little jealous, he'd been there first, he was the vampire with a soul and now Spike had one too. Yet another reason he found to beat that guy up the next time he saw him.

"Everyone's got a soul now, I started that, before everyone else started gettin' in on it." Buffy rolled her eyes at Angel's childishness and sighed hugely before setting herself against a large headstone behind her. After a little while of cold silence Angel waddled over to her, standing by her side and staring up at the moon. Avoiding her gaze.

"I care about him Angel, I don't know if it's love, but I think of it as deep affection. He's doing good. And anyway what was the height of our relationship? When you broke up with me, or when I killed you?" She said poignantly at him rather than to him. He shook his head and looked down, giving out a sigh as he realised the truth in her statement. Buffy had lost her way with guys, she'd been so focussed on fighting and beating and surviving - keeping everyone alive, keeping Dawn safe, keeping the house, paying for things. That guys weren't given that much thought in her mind anymore, and Angel's being here was only reminding her of how much mess needed sorting in her mind before real society started up again.

"The guy thing, Angel. I don't know, it's lost on me, since we broke up it's only gotten worse. Riley left and Spike, well last year he was giving me bruises." She stopped at his abrupt 'I'll kill him' look. "Look, it's not important, just I'm cookie dough." She said slowly, and he blinked twice and stared as his brain tried to figure out this latest piece of Buffy logic. "I'm not done baking. I'm not finished becoming fully me yet. And the guy thing will come in time, when I've fought all the things I'm going to fight, and I realise I'm ready, I'll be cookies." She paused to check he was still following. Which he kind of was, but it was Buffy, there was no logic. "And maybe at that time there'll be a guy who wants to enjoy a warm, cookie me."

Angel smiled at her, she could be so broken, the evil draining her of all the energy for personality, for her kindness and compassion. But she wasn't, she was still Buffy underneath all the leather of slayerness. She may have a hard crunchy outside, but she was still gooey in the middle. Still Buffy Buffy underneath it all, her chocolate chips had remained intact - if slightly melted. He chuckled a little because she still had that ridiculous side to her that loved peanut butter and chocolate and cookie analogies. He loved her for that.

Handing her the amulet and giving out a final sigh, because he'd accepted that she'd be ready when she was ready and that it might not be him she ends up happy with. And a part of him was ok with that, a part of him had already said goodbye. "I'll be workin' on that second front. Take care Buffy."

"Angel?" She called quietly as he walked away through the darkness. He turned back to her, eyes beaming. "Sometimes, I do think that far ahead. But don't wait for me. If there's someone else, go for it." There was a tear in her eye but she meant it, she wanted him to have a happiness, because he might be waiting all his life.

Buffy had sent everyone to bed with the word that this was their last night of freedom. Willow and Tara were busying themselves with research and everyone else seemed to be playing board games in the dining room through the night. Nobody could sleep except Anya who was out cold next to Xander on the couch, their heads touching as they each made quiet snores into the room. Everyone knew what they were doing the next day and how much they would need each other. It was just getting through the night, the last night before everything changed. Buffy didn't dare think of what might happen if the spell actually worked, she couldn't, not for the countless lives she'd lose.

Having had to forego her bedroom to Faith, and slightly unwilling to share with the woman who sleeps all spread out like a starfish, she was curled in next to Spike in the basement. She'd given him the amulet in the end, maybe he could prove himself a champion yet? She trusted in his soul. It was funny that this was supposed to be her last night of freedom and she was here with Spike as she had been the night before when she came back from the graveyard.

The First came to her that night, dressed in Caleb's own skin. His deadness spreading through the room as she stood in her pyjamas. He'd told her she was alone and useless and all the other psych rubbish because he was dead, he had nothing. In the end, it was the thing that gave her the idea in the end. Him talking about overwhelming armies - it was the only thing she didn't have, she had potential, but not the inheritance. Real power. The First told her she was alone, and it was the truth, she was alone, she was always alone, always would be but then she thought of it. Magic, she had the tools at her disposal. She'd told Spike that they would win and they would, because the idea that came to her was so brilliant that she hoped to death it would work. She had to use her resources.

She wasn't alone because she had her friends, she had Xander's sturdy backing, Anya's sarcastic comments weren't totally useful but sometimes appreciated. And she had Willow, and Tara, the most powerful witches she'd ever met, Willow had so much willpower, so much strength, Tara had a purity that was matched by no one. And together they were at their strongest, they could do this. Buffy leant back into Spike's room temperature body and reached for the comforter again even though it was May and she really didn't need it; she wanted the comfort. She turned over again, sleep not coming to her because there would still be slaughter, there would still be loss.

She took Spike's hand and pressed it over her heart, he could feel her beating then, feel how alive she was. She remembered how Angel's heart had beat once under her fingertips. Then it was gone, a false memory, she must've been making it up, must've mixed up a memory with Riley or something. Spike mumbled something in his sleep and snuggled into her, his bleached head leaning into her shoulder as she kissed his forehead. She cared for him, that was enough for now.

The sunlight beamed through the cavern, vampires fading to simple dust as Spike stood at the entrance with the amulet boasting out of his chest. The Hellmouth was collapsing, the battle won and everyone was leaving - they were so close to the end, to winning it all. Buffy ran up to him gasping slightly, the wound through her stomach was gaping blood but it was nothing at that moment. Spike was giving his life, or death, for the whole world, he was a champion - a true champion and he would die for good. She couldn't be happier with her choice to trust him, she saw his face delighted and happy, he deserved to be remembered for this.

Her face was strewn with blood and tears as she gripped his hand. The skin was smoking, hot fire burning them as they stood close, tears dripping from her eyes as she said it. The words he'd pulled from her from the start. She thought she owed him that, if he was going to die, he deserved it hear it just once. "I love you." She said in calm way as if she were cradling his head and smoothing the hair over his forehead. Like he was dying a natural way. Everyone was running, Faith shouting after her as they fled. The surprise on his face as he watched the rest of the cave crumble. He told her to go, to leave him to win this thing, and she would. But she needed to say it.

He wanted to believe her but now wasn't the time for lies. "No, you don't." He said sadly, knowing she said with true care, she loved him truly for the support and fight he gave her. He loved her like he loved Xander, and she always would, his memory wouldn't be the sour soulless bastard who bruised her, he would be Spike, the champion, the hero, the saver of worlds, defender of the apocalypse. And his soul would be remembered. "But thanks for sayin' it." It was the last of his cockney she would hear for a long time and she savoured it. The sound of his words in her mind as she left his side and the cave ruptured. The school building on top exploding as Buffy ran through the ruins. Spike facing the sun as his body scorched into a thousand ashes. His memory never forgotten, but his soul caught in the crystal of the amulet. As it fell on the floor of the cave it fell into the ruins, he was trapped, but not conscious.