Disclaimer: I claim no rights over the characters from Buffy the Vampire Slayer portrayed in the
piece of fiction. All rights of the series Buffy the Vampire Slayer is reserved by Mutant Enemy,
Sandollar, Kuzui Enterprises, Fox and(or) WB TV. This piece of fiction is not to be reproduced
anywhere or edited without the express consent of the author as named above.

Warning: This piece of literature contains scenes with violence, strong language and religious
references that may be considered offensive. Parental disgression should be applied.

Note: This story takes place just before Surprise during the 2nd
season of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. It represents an alternative storyline, which moves away
from the BtVS story arc as represented in the series for the purpose of the story I want to tell.

Chapter 7: The Choice

"Are you ready?", Giles asked for what seemed to Xander being the hundredth time. "Yes! Now
be quiet", Angel hissed and grasped his sword even harder. Xander looked around. Cordelia was
besides him. She had borrowed one of Giles' clubs and even though she probably couldn't use it,
she looked very impressive with that and a load of stakes and crosses.

Willow and Oz seemed like the perfect vampire hunters as well. Willow had armed herself with
stakes and a few bottles of holy water, while Oz had accessorized with a very light crossbow as
well. Jenny and Giles was equally attired in addition both had brought the light crossbows and
the quarrels.

Angel had only brought a few stakes and a very meanlooking sword from Giles' home armory,
while Wendy the Slayer had only brought stakes, but then again that was enough for her.

Xander sighed. All of them knew very well that this was most likely their last battle all together.
He couldn't shake a nagging sense that some of his friends or even himself wouldn't survive this.
They were crouching behind a dumpster and a few crates no more than hundred meters from the
warehouse.

"All right Angel and Wendy take the lead. Giles and Jenny provide the cover, and we guard the
rear", Willow said. Everyone nodded their agreement. "God I wish Buffy was here", Xander
couldn't help mumbling. Willow smiled at him sadly and nodded her head in agreement. "Go!",
Wendy yelled and began a wild charge at two vampires not far away.

The cloaked figure ran with inhuman speed toward the warehouse district. "I hope I'm not to
late", she thought and jumped over a car without blinking. Suddenly she felt something from an
alley, she was passing. The sword flashed in existence, and she landed in a battle stance. "Whoa
there. Relax Buffy. Don't attack", a unfamiliar voice spoke from within the shadows. But
somehow Buffy already knew.

"This gotta be a first", she said with a half-smile. "No actually it isn't. I was just passing by and
wanted to give you guys a greeting. Professional courtesy so too speak", the demon said. "I don't
have time for this. What is your decision? Does this satisfy your agenda?", Buffy asked. "No,
actually we have all pretty much agreed that the Empty must be defeated. But are you up to it? I
could help you... for a price of course", the creature suggested.

Buffy snorted in derision. "We don't need your help, but are satisfied that you won't try to
impeed us. The game goes on then", Buffy said suddenly overflowing with knowledge of the
most ancient war, the most ancient game and suddenly knew that it could and should never end.

"Gotta go, nice meeting ya Whistler", she yelled and ran away. Whistler slowly stepped out of
the alley and wiped sweat of his brow. "Damn, I hate meeting those things, one slip of the tongue
and it's over. No eternal torment, no returning to Hell, it's just over. But you gotta admire their
power and determination. I actually think that if they wanted too this could have been over many
aeons ago. Now that makes you wonder", he muttered and stalked away into the night. He still
had a lot of work to do.

"Watch out", Xander yelled as the vampire tipped over the crate. He was too late though. It fell
heavily on the girls. In his distraction he had missed the demon, which snuck up on him from
behind. Suddenly it jumped onto his back and started to claw at his face. They tumbled down
into an uneven fight.

Wendy and Angel were already inside, but the warehouse was a lot heavilier defended than they
had expected. Giles and Jenny still fought a desperate battle.

But Xander feared he was loosing his. The vampire pummeled him in the face. He felt the
darkness welcoming him. He was falling into unconciousness. Suddenly he tasted ashes in his
month and the punches abruptly stopped. Oz was standing over him. A deep gash above his right
eyebrow was sending a trickle of blood down his chin, but a part from that Oz seemed okay.
"The girls", Xander whispered and sat back. He felt very dizzy and numb. Oz hurried past him.
There were still other vampires to take care of.

Buffy rounded a corner. She could feel the evil spell all around her. It's harmonies filled the
aether with fear and despair. It was about to be completed. She only had minutes to finish what
she came for.

Suddenly she saw a strange scene before her. Giles sat caring for a wounded Jenny bleeding
from an ugly wound on her left arm. Willow and Cordelia were nowhere in sight. Xander was
sitting with his back to the warehouse and Oz was passed out next to a large crate.
A vampire came running at Giles, and he looked at it in utter resignation. They had no more left
to give. They were finished, waiting, defeated by their human frailty. Buffy didn't even bother to
draw her sword for this unworthy creature.

Giles sighed. He had no more stakes, and no one else was in any condition to fight. He only
hoped that Angel and Wendy were more succesful inside. The vampire looked around and
smiled widely with his demonic visage. "You there", he said and pointed at Giles. "You'll die f...
AAAARRRRRGGHHHH", suddenly the vampire screamed in the most pained tone Giles had
even heard in his life. The vampire struggled and his legs bowed out from under him, but he
didn't fall.

Then Giles noticed. Behind the dying vampire the Messenger stood. It held the vampire's spine
in it's right hands vampiric blood still dripping from it, while it's left hand was clasped around
the demon's neck. With a carefree flick of it's arm it threw the demon down the alley as if it was
a speck of dust. The Messenger walked purposefully towards the entrance.

"Wait", Giles staggered into it's way. "I can't let you pass", he said. He had read the prophecies,
he knew that the Messenger meant no good to the Slayer. He would stop it here. "Why are you
standing in my way?", it asked in a girl's voice.

"The voice. It's so familiar", Giles thought and shivered. "Because I know you seek to destroy
the Slayer and I can't let that happen. I'll stop you", he said and tried to make himself look
bigger.

"I'm really sorry about this. But you have never been able to take me", the Messenger said. Giles
thought he could detect a slight tone of amusement in it. Suddenly it dawned on him, but his
reason, his logic screamed to him that it couldn't be.

Buffy decked him with one punch and stepped over his prone body. Xander was lying besides
the door unable to stand for his concussion. "What are you going to do?", he asked the cloaked
creature. "I'm gonna go in there and slay them. Like I always do, Xander", a familiar voice from
the past said.

"Oh, my god", Xander said and struggled to stand. "It can't be", he whispered and followed her
with his eyes as she went inside. He crawled towards Giles wincing at every move he made.
"Come on G-Man, you got to wake up. This is no time to sleep", he said and began shaking the
unconcious librarian.

Buffy heard the sound of battle. Slowly she stalked inside. The dark corners of the warehouse
suited her fine, until she found her prey. Her replacement lay unconcious very close to the huge
blood colored symbol which was drawn upon the warehouse floor.

Angel was struggling with the last two of Spike's bodyguards. But he was already badly
wounded and even fresh he would be hardpressed to fight those two and Spike. Buffy looked
around for him. He was standing at the center of the symbol finishing the incantations of the
spell. She had to stop him.

Suddenly Angel roared in triumph. He had kicked one of the vampires into a crate and a lucky
wooden plank had staked the demon. Angel slammed his last stake into the other very surprised
vampire. Spike stopped chanting and looked at Angel in annoyance. "Listen could you step
outside for a moment. I'm in the middle of negotiating a very important contract", he said and
laid the book down carefully.

Angel reached down and picked up his sword. "Uh a toothpick. Well, I had hoped to save this for
that cloaked bitch, but then there is... another target now", Spike looked at a table in one corner.
A sword flew to him. "You see my dear friends the Empty are very eager to leave their prison, so
they gave me a few gifts, when I first contacted them", Spike swung the sword heavily at Angel.

Angel parried with skill, but the sheer force of the blow shattered the sword easily. Buffy wanted
so badly to move, but she knew now wasn't the time. It was still too early. Spike swung another
lightning fast blow. Angel screamed in agony and fell to his knees. He had a huge wound across
his abdomen and blood trickled out.

"I think I'm gonna let you watch while I curse this entire world to eternal darkness", Spike said
and walked back towards the center to pick up his chanting again. Buffy knew. Now was the
time.

Spike cantered over to the book. Just a few more words a few more lines and this world would be
his. Somewhere deep within a old voice seemed to say: "Why are you doing this? You didn't
want to destroy humanity before Creation Night, why now", but Spike put it off. He was sure. He
was in control, no one else.

"Hey Spike, wait a minute this ain't over yet", a voice said behind him. He spun on his heels. A
small creature dressed in a large black cloak with a cowl, which hid her face in unnatural
darkness stood just outside the symbol. It was his hated enemy the one they had dubbed the One.
Spike looked down at his sword then back at his enemy.

"You want a fight. Sure. But you know I actually like you a little bit, so I'm gonna make it quick
and painless. This won't hurt", he said and advanced on the seemingly unarmed girl. "Actually
Spike this is gonna hurt a lot", she answered. A sudden sense of Deja Vu overcame Spike, where
had he heard that before. With a roar he lunged at her.

Spike swung his sword down. Her sword flashed out and parried with a swift stroke. Spike
growled and swung again even harder. The girl just parried low and kicked him in the side. Spike
gasped in pain. He could feel her hit, eventhough he was many times stronger, than he had been
before. Now it was her turn to attack.

She rained blow after blow upon Spike. Each time he parried, her sword darted away and came
back just as fast again. She slowly painstackingly pressed him back. She was faster. He was
stronger. They both fought like masters. For minutes the mighty battle continued. Strike. Parry.
Feint. Counterfeint. They were evenly matched.

"This can't be. I was to be invincible, stronger than any demon on earth, stronger than any Slayer.
I can't lose", he thought and caught her blade with his guard. For a while they struggled their
blades locked. Suddenly Spike had an idea. Before the girl could react, he reached out grabbed
her cowl and ripped the cloak off her. While she was surprised, he kicked her in the stomach and
send her flying across the room and into a few crates.

He held her disguise in his hands. "Come out, so we can all see, who you really are", he yelled
triumphantly."Now you have made me really angry", the girl's voice said from within the mess.
She carelessly tossed the full crate aside and rose. Spike couldn't help gasping in surprise, "You.
But you're dead. Andrea killed you".

"I am dead, but that doesn't matter anymore. You have broken the rules of the Game, Spike, and
not even the lords of all Hells would stop me anymore. You are going to be no more", Buffy
said. She jumped into the air and swung the sword above her ready to strike a mighty blow.
Spike saw her glide through the air. Quickly he held up his sword and readied himself for a
mighty blow.

With a mighty crash the two swords met. For an observer the world seemed to stand still for a
moment. Then suddenly a sword clattered to the floor and a voice cried out in pain.
Spike fell to the floor desperately trying to keep his lungs inside his ribs. Buffy's mighty blow
had struck the sword from his hands and cut all the way down his chest from neck to stomach.
Buffy stood before him in triumph. Spike knew his head wouldn't grace his body for much
longer. Suddenly an idea came to him, and he quickly muttered a few words.

Buffy heard. "No!", she screamed and cleanly sheared the blond vampire's head off. He turned to
dust before she had even finished the move. Suddenly the ground began to rumble. Buffy could
see the sky turn red with mystic lightning as the spell began to assert itself. Spike had set it free.

Now nothing could stop the apocalypse.

"Buffy?", a voice spoke in utter disbelief. Angel sat on his knees out side the symbol. It slowly
began to glow an evil red. "Yes, my Angel. Shhh, don't move. I'll make it better", she said.
She should have been pacing the floor. She should have been desperate. Instead she only felt
calm and somehow detached again.

Giles and Xander staggered into the room. "Oh, my god. I was right", Xander said, when he saw
Buffy standing there. "But... but didn't you die?", Angel asked. "Yes, but they sent me back. I
still had something to do. Something only I could do", Buffy answered.

A strange red fog seemed to flow up from the symbol. Buffy knew what to do. If only she had
more time, but she knew it wasn't so. Giles and Xander had reached Angel. They were about to
enter the symbol. "No, stop. If you come in here, you'll become vessel for the Empty. Don't. I'm
safe from them. Listen Giles I don't have any time left. My mom will come to you in a few days.
Tell her everything. Make her understand. Don't let me be forgotten. Let everyone important
remember me like I really was. Please", she begged.

Buffy began to glow with a blue tinted white light. "Of course. What happens now?", he looked
at the girl, whom he would miss always. "I return to the Light, and you all please get on with
your lives. But first I must die... again", Buffy grabbed her sword and held high above her. Angel
rose from the ground and tried to stumble towards her, but both Giles and Xander held him back.

"Don't leave me", Angel cried, "I'll come with you". He got up and tried to run towards her.

"No, not yet", she said simply and he stopped held by a force mightier than he had ever felt
before. The light grew incredibly intense. The red light from the spell drowned in Buffy's light.

"I love you all", Buffy said. The evil spell was destroyed. There was a huge flash of white light.

Across town Joyce was driving around in utter despair. Suddenly a white light filled the dark
sky. Joyce felt a presence in the car and a warm kiss on her cheek. "Goodbye", Buffy´s voice
said from nowhere. Joyce stopped the car and bent over the wheel crying. "My baby, why you?",
she asked again and again, but there could be no answer.

Giles and Angel helped Jenny Calendar into the backseat of Giles' car, which she shared together
with Wendy. Willow and Cordelia filled the entire backseat of Cordelia's car, which Angel
would drive. His wounds was left untended for a while. It really didn't matter to him right now.

High above them the clouds started to disappear. The evil had been banished for now and
Sunnydale would survive to see at least another morning. A little later they drove off to the
Hospital.

Whistler stood in the shadows watching them go. In his hands lay an ancient leather bound tome,
which had once belonged to both the Master and Spike. Slowly he put it down and drew out a
match. "Here is to victory", he said and threw the lit match down onto the dry book. It easily
burst into flames and the last knowledge of the Empty went up into smoke.

Whistler looked towards the skies, then towards the warehouse. "Hmm, it seems that the other
side has stricker rules about leaving home than us. Once you're finished you have to go home.

Well not the happy ending I was hoping for, but then again maybe it's better this way", he mused.

Whistler grinned and went back into the night. There were other evils out there. All of which he
or his allies had to deal with. "But who knows maybe this isn't the last we'll see of the Seraphim.

Things are getting hot down here", he mumbled.