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Desperate for changing
Starving for truth
Closer where I started
Chasing after you

I'm living for the only thing I know
I'm running and not quite sure where to go
I don't know what I'm diving into
Just hanging by a moment here with you

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Willow peered through the opening. She couldn't believe she had done it. Searching the inner recesses of the cave she  found Buffy and Jinx chained to a wall. Jacob was just staring at them in shock.

'Hmmm, don't mess with a witch there bucko."

She realized Spike was trying to rip the chains off Buffy's wrists  and feet , it wouldn't be long before Jacob saw what he was doing. Willow focused herself and tried to send a bolt of energy at Jacob. She knew it wasn't going to be  very effective, it was taking almost everything she had to keep herself levitated, but she couldn't stand on her broken legs. Hoping the jolt would keep him distracted for a little bit longer, Willow sent an arch of white light flowing towards him.

She hadn't counted on a wall of fire to spring up in front of him, so it was more than a shock when the energy meant for him bounced back and sent her crashing to the ground, snapping even more bones in her already mutilated legs.  This was not of the good.

Crawling to the edge of the entrance Willow watched in horror as Jacob  set up a ring of fire around Buffy and Jinx, trapping Spike against the wall with the girls. She could hear Buffy screaming for Spike as the inferno surrounding them started to creep closer.

What was up with that. Buffy was screaming and crying for…..Spike. The young witch shook her head deciding it was just the height of the moment.

Just as Willow was sure that Spike was about to become a torch, the flames suddenly disappeared.  Jacob was charging towards Spike with death on his face. She wasn't the only one who had heard Buffy screaming Spike's name.

Grabbing the back of Spike's  neck Jacob shoved Spike's face up against Jinx's. Willow could hear the fury streaming from his voice.

"This is Spike!! You brought Spike here. You conniving little slut. I turn my back for one second and you are whoring around with this vampire again. Why, baby? I could have given you the world. Why would you leave me for a filthy little nothing like this"

Willow could have told him that Spike didn't take to getting pushed around to well, or insulted for that matter,  unless it was Buffy.

She watched as Spike, in game face, reached around and caught Jacob's neck  slamming him against the wall. She could hear the venom radiating from Spike's voice.

"She doesn't want you mate, She never did. "

"What and she wants you, Your not good enough for her. Your beneath her."

Willow squeezed her eyes shut at the echo of Buffy's words coming from Jacob's mouth. This was not going to be pretty.

" She never seemed to mind too much when I was shagging her raw."

At Spike's words Willow's eyes popped open.

 'Oooh good one spike" she quietly congratulated. " Now get us the hell out of here"

Apparently Spike heard her cause he was driving his fists into Jacobs stomach and face. She started to wonder how he did that without the major migraine, until she realized that Jacob was probably like Jinx , human but with enough other stuff to confuse the chip. For his part Jacob was starting fires left,  right and center and she was pretty sure the roof was going to cave in any second.

A strong right cross had Jacob slumping down against the wall and Willow watched as Spike tried to remove Buffy's chains. It was with a growing sense of dread that had Willow calling out to them to hurry. The small fires Jacob had started  were turning into one big one and it was headed right for the struggling people against the wall. An idea  occurred to her, Jinx controlled water. Gathering up her breath Willow let loose her voice echoing loudly in the confines of the cave.

"You have to free Jinx she can stop the fire" Willow screamed

Willow stared worriedly at Spike and  a now unchained Buffy. Hurry up, Hurry up, she silently urged.  The fires were getting closer to them and rock was crashing down everywhere. They were having trouble getting the cuffs off Jinx  and she was just crying hysterically babbling about  how sorry she was. Willow wasn't sure who she was talking to but it might have been an unconscious Jacob. The girl was losing it. If she didn't do something soon they were going to be trapped.

Finally the bonds loosened and Jinx slumped to the floor. Willow could hear Buffy screaming at her and saw Spike  shaking the incoherent girl.

"Get up!! You have to do this. We are going to die if you don't. Get up you lazy bitch"

The bitch part seemed to work cause Jinx's head shot up and she was glaring at Buffy. Without altering her gaze Jinx waved her hand in the air and water poured down from the ceiling. The water seemed to cool the rage in Jinx. As soon as it hit her face, she started crying again. Willow strained to hear what she was saying.

"  I didn't mean for this to happen. You didn't know him before. He wasn't like this. This is my fault"

Willow watched in amazement as the girl she had thought was tough as nails crawled over to an unconscious Jacob and curled up in his lap crying.

A sense of dread crept over Willow when she saw Jacob's hand move to smooth back Jinx's hair. He had a demented look on his face and he had started to jabber.

"It's okay Baby. I'll make it all right. Just like always. We will be together forever."

Buffy and Spike had turned away from the display and started towards her. It was only Willow who saw Jinx clawing at Jacob's hands as he tried to choke the life from her.

"Buffy" Willow screamed pointing frantically behind them.

Turning they saw Jinx slip into unconsciousness. Within seconds Buffy was ripping Jinx from Jacob's grip and Spike had him by the throat.

"She's mine" Jacob shrieked "I'll never let her go"

Willow watched the undercurrent of emotions flowing between the slayer and vampire. They were staring at each other, silently trying to come to a decision. It took a minute for Willow to realize what was happening. The only way Jinx or the rest of them were going to be safe from Jacob was if he was dead. Buffy couldn't do it, he was still a human essentially.

Willow stared at Spike. What was he waiting for. He could kill this guy. There was blood and stuff. Why all the hesitation. Switching her gaze to Buffy, Willow discovered why. Spike was waiting for Buffy's to say something. 

Comprehension dawned slowly on the young witch.

'He's waiting for Buffy to say it's okay. Spike won't kill him if it will hurt Buffy. Maybe he really does love her. The old Spike never would have waited for her approval. If she let him do that it would be like giving him permission to just go off and kill anybody. Well maybe not anybody, the chip thing, but he could sure hurt someone. It would have to mean something if she let this happen. It would mean she trusts him. It would mean she lov…..No it wouldn't mean that……would it?'

Willows mental wander was broke off as the pair seemed to come a decision.  She saw the tiny nod of Buffy's head, before Spike sunk his fangs in and tore out Jacobs throat.

Ducking her head away from the sight Willow hoped to hell Buffy knew what she was doing. That decision was not going to be easy for any  of them to live with.

The next few moments  all seemed to happen in slow motion. She saw Jacobs lifeless body fall to the ground and saw Spike reach out to pull Buffy against him. She saw Jinx sink down next to Jacob and pull his head in her lap, crying and stroking his hair. She also saw the first big chunk of rock from the mini avalanche Jacob had set off come crashing to the ground.

Next thing she knew she was being hoisted into Spikes arms and they were rushing out of the swiftly collapsing tunnels. Buffy was dragging Jinx along behind them.  The sound of the girls sobbing was sending unwelcome shivers down her spine.

Spike didn't stop once they had reached the safety of the park the tunnels led out to, she heard him mutter something about a hospital. And it was with a sense of relief that she realized it was okay to pass out now, the pain in her body was excruciating. Glancing over her shoulder she searched out Buffy, but encountered Jinx instead. The girl was clinging to a boulder that had blocked the entrance to the tunnels and crying hysterically. Buffy was trying to pull her away but apparently slayer strength was no match for grief. Willow watched Buffy give up and follow after them, they were safe, for the moment. But the actions of today were going to haunt them all for a long time to come. It was that thought that followed her into unconsciousness.