WOAH! Thank you to everyone that sent me feedback on the last part that I just sent out. Thanks!!!!! Special thanks to Hannah, niway, Taylor, Ryan, Sara-lee, and many others. Just like last time, I feel so happy now!

Mistakes are purely my fault...I'm not the world's greatest typist.
Disclaimer in part 1!
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Finding Herself (4/?)
By *~Rachel*~


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When Buffy and Angel rounded the corner, they spotted Glory, standing in front of two of her scabby-demon minions. Angel silently walked up behind Buffy, motioning her to stop from walking out any further. Together, the two of them searched the caves with their eyes, looking for Buffy's sister.

"Where is she?" Buffy whispered to Angel. The lights were dim in the caves. Apparently Glory had set up everything in preparation for the key. Several candles and odds and ends were scattered around the room; evidently, Glory was very prepared. Torches lit the walls of the caves, lighting the walls of the room with an eerie glow. Glory obviously expected that Buffy would give the key up in order to get Dawn back.

"Buffy..." Angel whispered back as he nudged her shoulder. He pointed over to a rock on the other side of where the couple stood. Tied to the boulder with thick ropes tied around her body, was Dawn. A very frightened, scared, but apparently unharmed Dawn.

"Oh Dawn..." Buffy whispered, looking over where she was. "Angel...what do we do?"

Angel thought for several seconds. He knew that if they did anything wrong here, Dawn AND Buffy may very well loose their lives. Angel couldn't let that happen. All they needed was a way to get Dawn out of her safely and then follow out behind her. However, both of them had to keep in mind her two minions that stood at her left-hand side.

"Where IS she, Jinx?" Glory demanded. "You told me that if we kidnapped her baby sister over here, she would give us THE KEY!"

"And...and I'm sure she will, your most Glorificus Glory." Jinx replied. "We...we just need to-"

"To give her some time," Murk replied. "The...the Slayer is probably searching for you *right now* your most highest upon high one."

"Can you believe those creeps?" Buffy whispered down to Angel. "Sucking up to get bonus points with Glory."

Angel couldn't help but smile. At least with all of this she was at least trying to keep her spirits high. "All right...here's what we can do." He began talking to her. "You create a distraction with Glory. Go and fight with her...just don't get killed. I'll go rescue Dawn and get her out of here." Buffy nodded. She was following so far. "When you see Dawn get out of here, get out also. Do you think that works?"

Buffy nodded. "Sounds good to me." Both of them started moving towards their points. "Angel...be careful." Buffy whispered to him, "get her out of her as fast as possible. And...Angel?" Buffy looked over at him with nothing but love reflecting in her eyes. Angel nodded before gently kissing her lightly on the lips.

"I know, Buffy...I know." Angel replied, before moving away, blending into the darkness as he made his way over to Dawn.
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Buffy made her way over to Glory. All right...I can do this. I can fight her. NO ONE picks on my sister but me. she thought, trying to remain calm. The only problem was...she could distinctly remember 3 other times where she had faced Glory and gotten her ass kicked. What would make this fight any different?

"Where IS she Jinx?" Glory demanded. "I DON'T have all the time in the world. I WANT MY KEY! WHERE is she, HUH? I WANT HER HERE NOW!"

"Geez, you're going to blow someone's ear drums shouting like that." Buffy said, stepping out of the shadows. She glanced behind Glory and saw Angel continue making his way over to Dawn.

"BUFFY!" Dawn shouted.

Glory turned slightly, facing Buffy. "Well, well, well. Look who it is. The Slayer. You got my key?"

"You know I'm going to say no, so why even ask?" Buffy replied. She saw Angel approach Dawn and begin to untie the ropes. Maybe there was some way how she wouldn't have to involve anyone but herself.

"UGG! Vampire Slayers! Who needs them?" Glory asked, throwing her hands up in the air. "I mean, all you prissy little girls do is go around-"

Buffy rolled her eyes. More in love with her own voice than the Mayor. she thought. Finally loosing her patience, Buffy charged.
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Several feet away, Angel was still trying to get the ropes undone. "Hurry..." Dawn whispered to him. "They're gonna see you."

"No they won't." Angel replied. "I'm...almost...." He heard a crack and saw Buffy go flying backwards and crash into the wall of the caves. Buffy! he thought, resisting the urge to go help her. He watched as she slowly picked herself up off the ground and return with a kick in Glory's side and punch in her side.

"Look what YOU DID!" Glory shouted. "YOU ripped my dress!" And she picked Buffy up and threw her against another rock.

"Angel..." Dawn whispered. "Is Buffy-"

"Buffy's going to be fine." Angel commanded. Finally, with a final twist, the ropes came undone and fell to the floor. Dawn rose to her feet and began heading out of the caves. "Dawn, get out of here. Run and don't stop until you get to Giles's."

"But...you and Buffy-" the girl started.

"We'll follow along in a minute, okay?" Angel told her comfortingly. Dawn gave one more glance to her sister before running out of the caves as fast as her lets could carry her.
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As Buffy pulled herself back onto her feet again, slower this time. Already she felt as though this might be it...the battle that the Slayer would loose. Her legs, chest, ribs, arms...everything was killing her. She glanced over at Dawn and saw her running out of the caves. Good...she's safe. Buffy thought. That's all that matters now.

Glory, on the other hand, stood victoriously over Buffy with an evil smile on her face. "Slayer, you never learn, do you? Oh-" she looked down at Buffy. "Hey, I like your shoes. Maybe I'll pry them off your dead body."

No, I don't think so! Buffy thought, jumping back up to her feet and standing her full height. She punched Glory in the stomach, over and over, letting her rage of the past 48 hours do the fighting for her. She kneed her in the side, kicked her in the chest, and punched her in the mouth...any place that she could get a clear shot in. All she needed was one second to get free.
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Angel was at the back of the caves, looking Buffy fight Glory. She had to upper hand of the battle so far, although, he could tell that Glory wasn't affected at all. Angel was nervous...more nervous than he ever thought he could be about someone. Buffy....come on, get out of there. NOW. Angel thought.

Suddenly, two pairs of scabby hands grabbed his arms, and before he could react, Jinx and Murk were dragging him out.
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Buffy was exhausted. Her kicks, punches, and hits were becoming weaker by the second. She wanted a break. She wanted this to be done with. Finally, Glory got her hands free and shoved Buffy back. She went flying and landed hard on her back of the rock caves. Buffy moved to sit up and coughed up blood. She knew that she couldn't take much more. Her body couldn't handle much more. Glory walked over to Buffy on her red, high-heeled pumps. "Time's up, Slayer." She said.

Suddenly, her lackeys came up behind and her interrupted her. "My most magnificent one, highest of all that is high." Jinx started. "We think we may have found something...better."

Buffy groaned and looked up to see what her minion was talking about. Her breathing stopped, her heart literally stopped, she couldn't move a muscle. "Angel." She mouthed, unable to talk. Oh god, oh God, oh God. They have him.

"Oooh, a new toy." Glory said, walking up to Angel. Angel struggled to get free, but her inferiors held onto him tightly. "This could be fun."

Buffy let out another groan and climbed to her feet slowly. Her body felt as though it wouldn't respond to anything that her mind told it to do. "No...let him...go." Buffy said. She looked at Angel, who stood there defiantly. Say something, Angel! She inwardly begged. Get out of here!

Instantly, Glory's arm snaked out and grabbed a hold of Buffy's neck, squeezing the air out of her. Angel struggled more, his attempts useless. God, I'm watching Glory basically kill her. Angel thought. Oh God, my love. he thought. "Tell me Slayer, what's your little friend doing here? Is he connected TO MY KEY?!"

"We believe, you're most magnificent one, that HE is her helper." Murk said. "He...he helped Dawn escape."

Glory looked as though she was going to explode before she shrugged. "Oh well. I guess that the kid sister wasn't such good blackmail." And in another flash, Glory had her arm wrapped tightly around Buffy's neck. "Okay, tell me *friend*, Do YOU know about my key?" Angel looked down at Buffy before returning his concentration to Glory. "Tell me, or I pop the Slayer's head off like *that*." Glory said, shaking her arms back and forth. "WHERE. IS. IT?" She demanded. With each word, she only tightened her grip around Buffy's neck.

Buffy looked wide-eyed at Angel. Please...please don't say anything stupid. Angel!

"It's me!" Angel shouted to Glory unexpectedly. "The key...it's me!"
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TBC.....
What do you think so far? What do you think is gonna happen?