Part 15
They were within ten feet of the room they knew Spike would be in,
when Doyle heard the demons behind them. "Trouble comin'," he said,
as he turned. He was tackled to the ground by a vampire, and heard
Cordelia yell, "Hey!" as the demon above him crumbled to dust. "Teach
him to mess with my man," Cordelia grinned as she helped him up.
"Thanks, Darlin'," Doyle said, kissing her quickly.
Angel dusted two vampires quickly, and Xander got the last one.
"Is it just me, or was that too easy?" Xander asked, looking around
nervously as no further vampires attacked them.
"I don't think the real problem will be Spike's minions," Giles
replied. "The real problem is Spike."
"I agree," Buffy said. "But we've got a secret weapon. Well, let's do
this," she said. She walked into the room, followed by the others.
Angel stayed behind, in the tunnel.
Buffy looked around. Four vampires with Spike, and Drusilla and
another female were in a side room. "I'm kind of disappointed Spike,"
she said. "Is this all the muscle the 'Big Bad' could come up with.
"You know what I won't miss?" Spike asked as he approached her. "The
sound of your voice. I am really surprised Angel puts up with it." He
looked around, but didn't see Angel, "Oh, is he still feeling under
the weather?" he taunted. "Shame, really."
"Shut up and fight," Buffy sighed, as she dropped into fighting
stance.
"My pleasure," he grinned, and slipped into game face. He charged at
her, and she dodged his punch to the face, countering with a punch to
his gut. He doubled over, and she continued with another uppercut to
the jaw. He stumbled back, but kept his footing.
Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a vampire go flying into the
side room. She spared a glance at Willow, he shrugged at her and
helped Oz up off the floor. "Don't piss off the witch," Buffy mused,
before turning back to Spike. "I'm sorry, where were we?"
"I was kicking your ass, Slayer," Spike growled.
"Oh, is that what you call that?" Buffy returned with a
smirk. "Because the lack of my bleeding kind of confused me." He'd
moved close enough, and she kicked his legs out from under him,
laughing. "You're really scary, ya know?"
"HEY!" she yelled, as arms appeared from behind, pinning her arms to
her side. "What the--" She then sighed in relief as the vampire
turned to dust.
"You're welcome," she heard Giles' voice behind her.
"Thanks, Giles," she said, but kept her eyes on Spike who had gotten
to his feet. "What? How'd you--" Buffy looked in confusion at the axe
he held in his hand.
"Vampire speed, Slayer," Spike explained. "My minions are good for
something. Now as I said, I was going to kick your ass."
"Let me go! I wanna watch my Spike kill the Slayer!" Both Spike and
Buffy turned to see Drusilla fighting with her "keeper," and she
snapped the vampires' neck and walked over to stand behind Spike.
"Stay put, Dru," Spike warned. "I don't want anything to happen to
you."
"I just want to see all the blood," she said with a smile.
*This is not good* Buffy thought for a moment. "Buffy!" she looked
behind her as Giles threw her an axe of her own. "That's more of a
fair fight," she said, as she caught it.
Several more minions came from side tunnels then, and charged at
Xander, Anya, Giles, Willow, and Oz. Buffy could hear fighting from
behind her, obviously Angel, Doyle, and Cordelia were being kept busy
in that tunnel. Everyone appeared to be okay though, so she turned
back to Spike.
She heard Spike roar, and turned back to him just as he charged her.
They parried blows for a few moments, neither getting a strike in on
the other. Then Buffy saw, out of the corner of her eye, a flurry of
movement, followed by a shout from Willow. She turned her head to see
Oz, lying unconscious on the floor, and Drusilla having pinned Willow
against the wall, draining her blood. "Willow!" Buffy yelled in
panic, as she realized everyone was otherwise occupied with their own
demons. Spike took advantage of her distraction to land a blow to her
arm, and shescreamed as she dropped the axe.
"DRUSILLA!"
Buffy shivered as she heard his voice. If she hadn't known better,
she would've sworn it was Angelus. It worked, though, Drusilla
dropped Willow and turned to him.
"Angel?" Drusilla asked, confusion on her face.
"Come here, Drusilla," Angel ordered, hoping Drusilla would buy it.
He could tell by the thrilled look on her face that she did. He
glanced at Willow and saw that the girl was still breathing. He
hadn't been too late. The surprise worked to give the others the
advantage as well, surprised fledglings were turning to dust all over
the room. He glanced over at Buffy. He was relieved to see that
though she was hurt, it didn't appear to be a deep cut.
Drusilla took a step toward Angel.
"BLOODY HELL, DRU! DON'T! IT'S NOT--" Spike was cut off as Buffy
landed a punch to his jaw, knocking him to the ground. He jumped to
his feet again, but had abandoned his axe. "It's not him, Dru," Spike
growled.
"What do you mean, Spike?" Drusilla asked, bewildered, halfway
between Spike and Angel. "It's our daddy--"
"NO!" He yelled, he was doing his best to block Buffy's punches, but
not throwing many of his own. He tried to force himself to
concentrate, but he couldn't think of much except protecting his
Drusilla.
"Drusilla, get OVER HERE NOW!" Angel yelled.
The vampiress flinched, then ran over to Angel. She sidled up to
Angel's left side, and licked his cheek. He tried not to visibly show
his revlusion.
"STAY AWAY FROM HER, YOU BASTARD!" Spike yelled, but Buffy
effectively fought him back, keeping him away from Angel.
"Why are you so mad, Spike?" Drusilla questioned. "Daddy's here, it's
all over now."
"You're right, Dru. It is over," Angel said as he quickly removed his
right hand from his duster pocket and plunged the stake into her
heart. "Rest in peace," he said as she dissolved into dust.
NO!!!!!" Spike screamed, and Buffy jumped back slightly at the sound.
He stood as if rooted to the spot though, looking around though not
really seeing anything. As Buffy met his tormented gaze, she felt a
moment of sympathy for him. She too knew what it was like to see
someone who you loved disappear before your eyes. *He did really love
her,* she realized. *Now I _know_ I need a vacation if I'm feeling
sorry for a soulless murderer.*
"That's what I get for trying to use a cursed ring," he said
tonelessly.
Buffy blinked and he was gone. "What? Where?"
"Look at the floor in front of you," Giles said.
Buffy did so, and knelt to pick up the ring. She handed it to Giles
for safe-keeping. "Okay, so he left, but didn't take the ring. What
does that mean?"
"I think it means he's done now," Angel said, walking over to
her. "Are you okay?"
She looked down at her arm, which was still bleeding. "I was a little
busy to notice it hurt," she said. "But now I think it does." She
turned to the others. She saw Oz lift Willow in his arms, and
asked, "Is she okay?"
"I'm taking her to the hospital, but I'm sure she'll be fine," Oz
replied.
"I'll go with you," Giles offered. Xander and Anya agreed, as did
Cordelia.
"You guys go ahead," Buffy said. "Angel and I will find Spike," she
looked at him for confirmation.
"Are you sure you don't need to go to the hospital too?" Angel asked,
a worried look on his face.
"Later," she replied. "Can we just finish this first?"
"Yeah. I know where he is," Angel replied. "Come on."
Buffy and Angel separated from the rest. Angel led her up to the
street, and she realized dawn would be approaching within a half
hour. Angel hadn't said a word to her in the ten minutes it took to
exit the sewers, and she kept stealing glances at him. She was
worried about him. She knew he'd said he would be okay, but she also
knew _him_, and he was not okay at the moment. He started walking
down the street, and she soon realized where they were going: the old
warehouse that had been Spike and Drusilla's 'home' two years
earlier. "Angel, there's only about twenty minutes left before
sunrise. That place is hardly going to be enough protection for
Spike."
"It's not supposed to be," Angel said, "I think he just wanted to go
to the last place where they were somewhat happy." He gestured
behind her, and Buffy turned to look. Spike was sitting on a park
bench to the north of the warehouse, facing east.
"Oh," was all Buffy could say as she realized what Spike was
planning. She and Angel walked closer.
"I can hear and smell you, ya know," Spike said with a sigh, not
looking behind himself at them. "So dust me or go away."
"Just like that?" Buffy asked.
"You think I give a damn about anything now that she's gone?" Spike
replied softly.
Buffy looked at Angel, her eyes asking him the question.
"We can go," Angel said, nodding. "It's over."
She nodded, and took his hand, and they walked away. She looked up at
him, when they were about a block away. The sun was rising.
"Angel?"
"I'm okay," he said, turning to face her. He cradled her face gently
in his hands, searching her eyes, willing her to believe her. "I am,
Buffy," he insisted. "I'm free," he whispered, as he bent to kiss
her.
***********
End of 15
They were within ten feet of the room they knew Spike would be in,
when Doyle heard the demons behind them. "Trouble comin'," he said,
as he turned. He was tackled to the ground by a vampire, and heard
Cordelia yell, "Hey!" as the demon above him crumbled to dust. "Teach
him to mess with my man," Cordelia grinned as she helped him up.
"Thanks, Darlin'," Doyle said, kissing her quickly.
Angel dusted two vampires quickly, and Xander got the last one.
"Is it just me, or was that too easy?" Xander asked, looking around
nervously as no further vampires attacked them.
"I don't think the real problem will be Spike's minions," Giles
replied. "The real problem is Spike."
"I agree," Buffy said. "But we've got a secret weapon. Well, let's do
this," she said. She walked into the room, followed by the others.
Angel stayed behind, in the tunnel.
Buffy looked around. Four vampires with Spike, and Drusilla and
another female were in a side room. "I'm kind of disappointed Spike,"
she said. "Is this all the muscle the 'Big Bad' could come up with.
"You know what I won't miss?" Spike asked as he approached her. "The
sound of your voice. I am really surprised Angel puts up with it." He
looked around, but didn't see Angel, "Oh, is he still feeling under
the weather?" he taunted. "Shame, really."
"Shut up and fight," Buffy sighed, as she dropped into fighting
stance.
"My pleasure," he grinned, and slipped into game face. He charged at
her, and she dodged his punch to the face, countering with a punch to
his gut. He doubled over, and she continued with another uppercut to
the jaw. He stumbled back, but kept his footing.
Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a vampire go flying into the
side room. She spared a glance at Willow, he shrugged at her and
helped Oz up off the floor. "Don't piss off the witch," Buffy mused,
before turning back to Spike. "I'm sorry, where were we?"
"I was kicking your ass, Slayer," Spike growled.
"Oh, is that what you call that?" Buffy returned with a
smirk. "Because the lack of my bleeding kind of confused me." He'd
moved close enough, and she kicked his legs out from under him,
laughing. "You're really scary, ya know?"
"HEY!" she yelled, as arms appeared from behind, pinning her arms to
her side. "What the--" She then sighed in relief as the vampire
turned to dust.
"You're welcome," she heard Giles' voice behind her.
"Thanks, Giles," she said, but kept her eyes on Spike who had gotten
to his feet. "What? How'd you--" Buffy looked in confusion at the axe
he held in his hand.
"Vampire speed, Slayer," Spike explained. "My minions are good for
something. Now as I said, I was going to kick your ass."
"Let me go! I wanna watch my Spike kill the Slayer!" Both Spike and
Buffy turned to see Drusilla fighting with her "keeper," and she
snapped the vampires' neck and walked over to stand behind Spike.
"Stay put, Dru," Spike warned. "I don't want anything to happen to
you."
"I just want to see all the blood," she said with a smile.
*This is not good* Buffy thought for a moment. "Buffy!" she looked
behind her as Giles threw her an axe of her own. "That's more of a
fair fight," she said, as she caught it.
Several more minions came from side tunnels then, and charged at
Xander, Anya, Giles, Willow, and Oz. Buffy could hear fighting from
behind her, obviously Angel, Doyle, and Cordelia were being kept busy
in that tunnel. Everyone appeared to be okay though, so she turned
back to Spike.
She heard Spike roar, and turned back to him just as he charged her.
They parried blows for a few moments, neither getting a strike in on
the other. Then Buffy saw, out of the corner of her eye, a flurry of
movement, followed by a shout from Willow. She turned her head to see
Oz, lying unconscious on the floor, and Drusilla having pinned Willow
against the wall, draining her blood. "Willow!" Buffy yelled in
panic, as she realized everyone was otherwise occupied with their own
demons. Spike took advantage of her distraction to land a blow to her
arm, and shescreamed as she dropped the axe.
"DRUSILLA!"
Buffy shivered as she heard his voice. If she hadn't known better,
she would've sworn it was Angelus. It worked, though, Drusilla
dropped Willow and turned to him.
"Angel?" Drusilla asked, confusion on her face.
"Come here, Drusilla," Angel ordered, hoping Drusilla would buy it.
He could tell by the thrilled look on her face that she did. He
glanced at Willow and saw that the girl was still breathing. He
hadn't been too late. The surprise worked to give the others the
advantage as well, surprised fledglings were turning to dust all over
the room. He glanced over at Buffy. He was relieved to see that
though she was hurt, it didn't appear to be a deep cut.
Drusilla took a step toward Angel.
"BLOODY HELL, DRU! DON'T! IT'S NOT--" Spike was cut off as Buffy
landed a punch to his jaw, knocking him to the ground. He jumped to
his feet again, but had abandoned his axe. "It's not him, Dru," Spike
growled.
"What do you mean, Spike?" Drusilla asked, bewildered, halfway
between Spike and Angel. "It's our daddy--"
"NO!" He yelled, he was doing his best to block Buffy's punches, but
not throwing many of his own. He tried to force himself to
concentrate, but he couldn't think of much except protecting his
Drusilla.
"Drusilla, get OVER HERE NOW!" Angel yelled.
The vampiress flinched, then ran over to Angel. She sidled up to
Angel's left side, and licked his cheek. He tried not to visibly show
his revlusion.
"STAY AWAY FROM HER, YOU BASTARD!" Spike yelled, but Buffy
effectively fought him back, keeping him away from Angel.
"Why are you so mad, Spike?" Drusilla questioned. "Daddy's here, it's
all over now."
"You're right, Dru. It is over," Angel said as he quickly removed his
right hand from his duster pocket and plunged the stake into her
heart. "Rest in peace," he said as she dissolved into dust.
NO!!!!!" Spike screamed, and Buffy jumped back slightly at the sound.
He stood as if rooted to the spot though, looking around though not
really seeing anything. As Buffy met his tormented gaze, she felt a
moment of sympathy for him. She too knew what it was like to see
someone who you loved disappear before your eyes. *He did really love
her,* she realized. *Now I _know_ I need a vacation if I'm feeling
sorry for a soulless murderer.*
"That's what I get for trying to use a cursed ring," he said
tonelessly.
Buffy blinked and he was gone. "What? Where?"
"Look at the floor in front of you," Giles said.
Buffy did so, and knelt to pick up the ring. She handed it to Giles
for safe-keeping. "Okay, so he left, but didn't take the ring. What
does that mean?"
"I think it means he's done now," Angel said, walking over to
her. "Are you okay?"
She looked down at her arm, which was still bleeding. "I was a little
busy to notice it hurt," she said. "But now I think it does." She
turned to the others. She saw Oz lift Willow in his arms, and
asked, "Is she okay?"
"I'm taking her to the hospital, but I'm sure she'll be fine," Oz
replied.
"I'll go with you," Giles offered. Xander and Anya agreed, as did
Cordelia.
"You guys go ahead," Buffy said. "Angel and I will find Spike," she
looked at him for confirmation.
"Are you sure you don't need to go to the hospital too?" Angel asked,
a worried look on his face.
"Later," she replied. "Can we just finish this first?"
"Yeah. I know where he is," Angel replied. "Come on."
Buffy and Angel separated from the rest. Angel led her up to the
street, and she realized dawn would be approaching within a half
hour. Angel hadn't said a word to her in the ten minutes it took to
exit the sewers, and she kept stealing glances at him. She was
worried about him. She knew he'd said he would be okay, but she also
knew _him_, and he was not okay at the moment. He started walking
down the street, and she soon realized where they were going: the old
warehouse that had been Spike and Drusilla's 'home' two years
earlier. "Angel, there's only about twenty minutes left before
sunrise. That place is hardly going to be enough protection for
Spike."
"It's not supposed to be," Angel said, "I think he just wanted to go
to the last place where they were somewhat happy." He gestured
behind her, and Buffy turned to look. Spike was sitting on a park
bench to the north of the warehouse, facing east.
"Oh," was all Buffy could say as she realized what Spike was
planning. She and Angel walked closer.
"I can hear and smell you, ya know," Spike said with a sigh, not
looking behind himself at them. "So dust me or go away."
"Just like that?" Buffy asked.
"You think I give a damn about anything now that she's gone?" Spike
replied softly.
Buffy looked at Angel, her eyes asking him the question.
"We can go," Angel said, nodding. "It's over."
She nodded, and took his hand, and they walked away. She looked up at
him, when they were about a block away. The sun was rising.
"Angel?"
"I'm okay," he said, turning to face her. He cradled her face gently
in his hands, searching her eyes, willing her to believe her. "I am,
Buffy," he insisted. "I'm free," he whispered, as he bent to kiss
her.
***********
End of 15