Disclaimer: Everything Buffy belongs to Joss and the angry lawyers that
protect him from evil fanfic writers
Rating: R
All that's left
Buffy and Faith snapped demons and vampires necks with a surprising ease. They didn't have the time to fight them, so it was all about the easy kill. Willow's spell had helped back some of the vampires off, though the demons that were still loyal to Amy were regrouping.
"We have to get to the library, NOW!" Buffy yelled to Faith, who was engaged in a quick battle with a large Kiyer demon. Buffy sensed that they had a brief window of opportunity to get there before the vampires recovered.
"No shit B!" Faith replied, delivering a fatal blow to the demon with her dagger. It's now or never. "We need to make this push count B!"
"On three," Buffy shouted back.
"Three," Faith replied and sped off, dodging demon blows the whole way. Why does she always do that, Buffy wondered, before following after her.
***********************************************
"It is time," Amy said.
"Yes my mistress," Tara responded and brought Dawn over to the circle. Tara could feel the tingle of energy as soon as she entered it. She moaned aloud, both of ecstasy at the power, and sadness that she wouldn't be around to see it used.
"I know this is hard for you my love," Amy soothed her unspoken pain, "but it will be well worth the pain. I will bring this world to its knees and they will know your sacrifice."
"Thank you, my mistress," Tara responded, the words not quite able to quell her growing doubts.
"Position the key here," Amy said, pointing to a smaller semi-circle within the larger one.
"Yes mistress." Tara did as she was commanded.
"You, my pet, stand here," she said, pointing at a star shaped emblem beside the semi-circle.
Tara hesitated. Something inside of her was breaking free. She was immortal and she wanted to stay that way.
"M-m-istress. I w-w-ant t-to live," Tara stammered. It was the first time she had truly stuttered since she was turned. And she had good reason to fear.
"Tara, you will do this. I have a destiny to meet, and I will not have your will to live ruin that for me!"
Tara tried to move away from her, but Amy grabbed her and shoved her in place.
"P-p-lease, I want to live. You, you s-said you l-loved me," Tara pleaded.
Amy smiled at the vampire. "I do. You are my favorite childe. If I could spare you, I would," Tara smiled at her. "But you are necessary for the ritual."
"B-but, I want to be with you in the new world. I want to embrace immortality."
"Tara, I love you, I really do, but I DON'T HAVE TIME FOR THIS!" Amy's smile disappeared and her demon face slipped into visage. "Now get in the star and start drinking!"
"N-no, you'll have to kill me," Tara said in defiance. She can't kill me. I know it. We'll be happy together when this is over, Tara thought.
"You stupid bitch!" Amy screamed. "You will drink the blood of the key and I will drink from you."
"But," Tara was reeling from the shock. She was free of Amy's mind control, but she was truly in love with her mistress. And she had thought Amy felt the same. But all Amy wanted was power. Just like Willow. It's all any woman ever wanted from her, power.
Amy grabbed Tara's head and twisted it towards Dawn's neck. Tara tried to release her hold on Dawn's arm and allow her to fall away, but Amy's other hand shot out to prevent this.
"Now, drink. You will die either way so if you love me, you'll drink," Amy cooed the last part at her. Tara knew she was dead either way. And, despite her newfound anger with Amy, she couldn't let her death be in vain.
"Yes, my mistress," Tara said, tears sparkling her eyes. Her gameface came on, and Tara bent in to obey her mistress' last wish.
***********************************************
Xander watched Angelus pace back and forth. He wanted to take a go at him, clear the way for Buffy and Faith. But he couldn't, and he knew it.
"I could go after him," the gypsy offered, seeming to read Xander's thoughts.
"No, you've risked enough," Xander assured him. "Two slayers can take him."
As he spoke the words, Buffy and Faith charged up the steps.
"See, they've got the taking thing down," Xander joked, trying to calm himself down. The hour was at hand and even though he was the last hope, he felt helpless and powerless.
He watched as Buffy arrived, swinging wildly at Angelus, while Faith tried to take his knees out. He recognized the move from his earlier training with the two slayers. They made a good team.
***********************************************
"Duck," Faith cried as she swept Angelus' legs out from under him, only to have him throw his arms around Buffy's neck. Buffy tried to follow Faith's advice, but Angelus was too quick and they tumbled to the ground together.
"Always knew you liked it on top," he growled at her. He threw her away and rolled to face Faith. "How 'bout you? Want to take a spin? I know for a fact I'm a better fuck than Spike."
This enraged Faith, who began to send a furry of punches and kicks at Angelus. Buffy wanted to help her, but Faith's limbs were a tornado of movement.
"Go, stop the ritual!" Faith commanded. Buffy took half a beat to watch Faith connect with an upper cut to Angelus' jaw then ran into the library.
Buffy was greeted by six of Amy's minions. "I do not have time for this," she said impatiently. Unsheathing a sword she'd brought along, she swung it across the air, effectively decapitating all six vamps. "That's the race that wants to rule the world. They're really aren't that bright." With that, Buffy sprinted towards the circle in the middle of the room, where Tara was about to plunge her fangs into Dawn.
***********************************************
Tara bit into Dawn's neck. She could feel the power in her blood. It was so intoxicating that she completely lost herself in the drink, forgetting her own life would be over in a matter of moments. She didn't even feel Amy's bite, something that had once sent her over the edge of physical ecstasy.
Amy greedily drank Tara's blood. It was hot and strong. It flowed inside her veins and she felt like she might explode. And in truth, she was about to. Her form was changing, transforming. The power of the hellmouth flowed into the key, through Tara, and into Amy. But Amy received pure power, untainted by humanity. Her body was ready for the change. She was the vessel.
Buffy charged at them the moment she entered the room. Once Amy bit into Tara's neck, however, a blue energy force surrounded them. Buffy slammed into it and was sent flying backwards. She landed on her backside, hard. Buffy could do nothing but stare at the force field. The blue energy that surrounded them started to grow into a red shade, and Buffy was sure she could see the energy literally flowing into Amy.
Buffy stood up slowly, and steadied herself. Xander may be the only one who can kill her now, but I can sure as hell slow her down, she thought.
***********************************************
Faith lost herself in anger. No one would dare to talk about William, HER WILLIAM, that way. She let loose all her rage, her fear, her fury. And Angelus was the best target. He was strong and fast, but nowhere near a match for a pissed off slayer. Angelus was a bloody pulp of his former self, lying on the ground not even trying to protect himself from the blows.
And Faith didn't care. She would make sure he paid for his words. The world could crumble around her and she wouldn't have cared.
"Faith," a voice said softly behind her, and very carefully placed a pair of arms on her shoulders.
Faith spun around to find Xander standing there.
"What the fuck are you doing?" she demanded.
"I could ask you the same thing," he said gently.
"He was in the way," she said coldly.
"And now he's about as threatening as a neutered bunny."
His words hit home. She knew why she was still fighting Angelus. As soon as he was down she should have run into the library to help Buffy. But she didn't. She kept beating him. And it wasn't all out of anger. She was scared. Scared to do the right thing, scared to sacrifice, scared to lose.
"Go, I'll keep an eye on him," Xander said, with no trace of anger.
"Thanks," Faith shrugged it off and ran into the library. There she found Buffy staring at a red circle of energy, with Dawn, Tara and Amy inside.
"B, snap out of it," Faith said, sure she was in a trance.
"It's a force field," Buffy said quietly. "We're too late to stop her."
"Shit," Faith said. Her eyes hit the floor and she kicked an imaginary foe. They were too late and now they would all die, she cursed inside.
"We have to do as much damage as we can, slow her down so Xander can deliver the kill," Buffy said calmly. She has spent the last few minutes gathering her thoughts. If she died, she'd go to heaven, of that she was certain. This time she'd stay there. And soon enough, Xander would join her and she wouldn't be alone. Her last gift to this world would be to save it, again.
But Buffy hadn't lost sight of why she cared about the world so much, like she had with Glory. Then, only saving Dawn had mattered. This time, she would go proud and happy. It was for the human race, so they would have a chance to know the happiness she had experienced, even if it had only lasted a brief, shinning moment.
"Buffy," Faith said.
"Yeah Faith," Buffy smiled, finally at peace with her life.
"You may be ready to die, but I'm not," Faith took a deep breath, "So let's bury this bitch."
"We can't. But we'll do what we can."
"Not the greatest pep talk you've ever given sweetheart," Xander said from the doorway.
"You're supposed to be in hiding," Buffy replied, not angry or surprised at Xander's actions. They made him who he was, who she loved.
"Yeah, and you're supposed to be the spiritual leader of the group. Looks like we're taking a break from those roles," Xander smiled at her. Buffy returned the smile.
"But, that'll have to wait. I believe I have a dance on Amy's dust party scheduled for an hour from now," he said, with a goofy lopsided grin. His fears were gone. If he let his fear take control, he could never save Buffy, his Buffy- finally after all these years- from death. And, he thought, I owe her at least one more act of White Knighthood. Always figured that's how I'd go out anyways, I guess I can save the world while I'm at it.
***********************************************
Amy could hear Tara's cries. They didn't matter. Dawn had been drained dry a little while ago, but the power still coursed through Tara, and Amy needed it all. She felt the last trickles of blood drip down her throat. Suddenly, the world blanked out on Amy. She was floating somewhere. Then, she found herself transported through the hellmouth surrounded by creatures of darkness and great evil. All eyes were on her, examining and judging her.
Amy's surroundings became more substantial. She was standing on a dark hill, devoid of grass. To her left was a forest so dark she could see could make nothing out, even with her vampire vision. The breeze that emanated from it chilled her to the core.
To her right, was a raging river, not of water- but of lava. It flowed orange and red and with speed unlike anything Amy had ever seen. She knew that it would melt everything it touched. She was drawn to its' power. But there was power in the forest as well. In the forest was the power of death, ultimate and unyielding.
"This is what lays inside you," a deep and dark voice boomed around Amy. "If you are deemed worthy."
"How must I prove myself?" she asked, dropping to her knees in reverence.
"The time for worship has passed. You have been judged."
Amy stood up. "If I am already judged why did you say 'if deemed worthy'?"
"You were brought before those you would take power over and judged. Now, you must be deemed worthy."
"What the fuck does that mean?"
"You have prepared yourself as the vessel. The power is in you, the ritual complete. But you must be worthy of it to gain its use."
"How was I judged?" Amy demanded.
"They accept you as the vessel," the voice boomed.
"So why am I not worthy?" She emphasized the word worthy, tired of it's incredible overuse.
"Are you?"
"I am," she replied with an icy steadiness that implied there was a great fire beneath it.
"Then take what is yours. Only then are you worthy."
Suddenly, Amy understood. She reached her arms out, stretching them as far as she could towards her surrounds. She found her arms no longer obeyed physical laws. They would reach as far as she would push them. They arrived at the forest and the river at the same moment. She simultaneously reached into the river and the forest. The lava burned, but the forest quelled the fire. The breeze and lava flowed into her, existing inside her, together.
"Go. You are the vessel. Bring balance to the world," the voice told her. Amy blinked.
When she opened her eyes she was back in the circle, holding Tara's prone form. She released her grip on the former vampire and Tara and Dawn fell to the ground. Amy turned to find both slayers and the boy waiting for her. She understood everything now. And now, the world would be hers and her destiny would be complete.
"Follow," she said in a voice that scarcely resembled her own. It was scratchy and loud. It told of her power. It would have sent fear into any being. However, Amy could only sense fear from one of those before her, the brunette slayer. Amy could see precisely what she feared, her weakness. She would expose it.
***********************************************
After Willow's spell blasted the charging vampires away, Giles and William had begun picking on the demons that still fought with Amy. Cordelia was handling herself better than expected, using the flamethrower to keep demons away from her, and she even helped William in clearing a path for Buffy and Faith.
Giles was pushing them forward, trying to take out as many demons as possible, do as much damage as they could. And they were. They may have still been on the fringe of the fighting, but that didn't mean they weren't killing demons.
"Mate, do you want to move with the girls?" William asked, carefully moving his flame away from Were Oz, who had managed to stay rather close to the group, mostly to avoid being toasted if mistaken for the enemy.
"No, I think we should stay," Giles began.
He was cut off when they heard a voice echo, "Follow," throughout the structure.
Suddenly the demons, including Oz, stopped what they were doing and turned to face the library, where the voice had originated. They stared, unable to do anything but await their commands.
"Damn," Giles said nearly unable to believe what was transpiring before him.
"The bloody bitch pulled it off," William said, his voice a mixture of awe and incredible anguish.
"What's going on?" Cordelia demanded.
"Cordelia, Amy's got command of all the demons. She must have completed the ritual," Giles told her.
"Oh," she said softly. "Should we go help them?"
"I suppose it couldn't hurt," Giles said.
"Uh, I hate to be the stick in the mud of this whole let's get the British men killed scheme, but Amy can have all the demons kill us."
"That's not what she wants," Willow coughed out from behind the three, leaning heavily on Dawn for support.
"How do you know?" Cordy asked.
"She doesn't care about us. She wants Xander and the demons are just here to keep him from escaping. She might actually want us to watch her win, she gets off on the demoralization," Willow replied. The four just stared at her. "What, I was her captive and under her spell for like two days, I know how she thinks."
"Well, let's give the lady what she wants," William said. "And just maybe we can take her with us."
***********************************************
Buffy, Faith and Xander watched Amy drop Tara's body, emerge from the circle and call out her command. Buffy and Xander had managed not to give into their fear when they heard her command "Follow." They had each found an inner peace to draw strength from.
Faith, on the other hand, was a wreck. She didn't want to lose. Not her life, not her William, not her anything. This is why a slayer is alone, she thought. This is why I was how I was, no attachments, just living my own life and looking after myself. I was better off, she thought. Then she saw William in her mind and knew she hadn't been.
"So, this is the great power?" Buffy asked with raised eyebrows.
"Nifty trick. I hear the traveling show needs a ventriloquist, you'd fit right in," Xander told her, stepping next to Buffy.
"You are unwise not to fear me," Amy's voice echoed through the ruins.
"I have to agree with the lunatic," William said as he, Giles, Cordelia, Willow and Dawn arrived.
"You will watch your friends parish," she said.
"Look, are we going to get to the fighting anytime soon or what?" Buffy asked. "Because I have a dentist appointment that I'm going to be late for."
"Your taunts will not work on me slayer."
"How about my stake then," Buffy said. She gripped her stake and ran at Amy. Amy didn't move away. In fact, she didn't react at all. She didn't try to get out of the way or even fight back. She allowed Buffy to charge her and slam the stake home. Buffy rarely missed the heart, and she wasn't about to start now.
Buffy backed away and stared at Amy. The stake was there, sticking out of her chest. And Amy was not a pile of dust. Buffy decided to attempt a spin kick and drive the stake deeper into Amy. Amy allowed her to do this.
"That's it baby, you know I like it rough," Amy cooed. Catching Willow's eyes she said, "I know Tara did."
Willow knew no amount of magic was going to slow Amy down now, so she could do nothing but glare at her. Amy removed the stake and slowly began moving towards the group. Buffy stood in her path, blocking the way. Amy smirked a bit, then grabbed Buffy by the shoulder's, which made Buffy cry out in pain and then threw her aside like a pillow. Buffy slammed into the wall, shaking the building's structure.
Xander knew he had to make a move and, drawing his stake out, stepped towards her.
"Not yet," Amy told him. "I think Spike needs to be reminded of who he is." She smiled at the watcher and moved towards him.
"The hell he does bitch," Faith shot back. She pulled her dagger out and charged at Amy.
"Did we learn nothing?" Amy laughed as Faith slashed her throat with the weapon. The wound healed immediately. "Guess not." She lunged out for Faith, who was expecting the move and ducked delivering a kick to Amy's stomach. Faith thought she had just kicked a steel wall, there was no give to Amy at all. Faith's shock allowed Amy to backhand her across the face, sending her spilling into Xander.
"That's my woman you're messing with," William yelled. He turned the flame-thrower on her and let loose. He couldn't see her through the flames. All he could hear was her laughter, dark and malicious echoing in his ears. It spurred him to keep the flames on.
Until Amy reached him, wrapped her hand around the weapons mouth and squeezed. He released the trigger as soon as he realized what she was doing, to avoid blowing up. William was about to drop the weapon and fight her hand to hand, but he found Amy's strong hands around his neck, lifting him off the ground.
"Want to see a neat trick?" She taunted.
"I think that'd be fun," Giles replied, sticking a cross in her face. She didn't flinch, nor did the cross burn her skin. Amy used her free hand to knock the weapon away and grab Giles by the neck as well.
"Foolish watchers. Didn't you read the prophecy? I would have expected better than that from you. I no longer fall under the faults of the vampire race. I am complete, all their strengths, none of their weaknesses. I am the vessel."
Suddenly she spun Giles around to intercept an arrow Xander had fired at her. It entered Giles left calf.
"That wasn't even close to her bloody heart!" He screamed at Xander.
"I'm doing the best I can here," Xander muttered and reloaded the crossbow. "Besides, have you noticed you're about three feet in the air?"
"Right you are," Giles conceded, struggling for air.
"Faith," Amy called. Faith, who was standing beside Xander working on a new attack plan, looked at her. "Would you still love William if he became Spike?"
"I'm not going to find out," she replied. Faith saw everything spiraling out of control. She knew she had only two choices. Let her paralyzing fear do just that to her, or she could do what she had been called to do and save the world. Faith took a deep breath. On the inhale, her thoughts were everything good in her life. Her friends, her redemption, her William. On the exhale, she thought of what the right thing was and what it meant giving up. But, if she failed to do the right thing, she could never have the good things in her life.
As she saw Amy's vamp face appear, Faith launched herself into a leap that rivaled anything Luke Skywalker could have hoped for. She flew into Amy and tumbled to the ground, unconscious. Amy stood exactly where she had been, still holding both watchers, her fangs sinking into William's neck.
He tried to scream but he couldn't. Buffy had recovered now and was next to Xander, watching in horror as William's face instantaneously morphed into his vampire visage.
"Neat trick, huh?" Amy asked, pulling her red mouth from his neck.
"Well I'll be fucked," was all Spike said as Amy released him to the floor.
"And the vessel will make an army to control the earth," Giles muttered, remembering the prophecy.
"Give the watcher a prize. What can I give you? How about immortality?"
Xander fired another arrow at Amy. Again, she moved Giles in a position to intercept it, this time in the chest. That is until Spike stuck his arm in the arrow's path.
"Bloody hell, that hurt a lot more than I thought it was going to," Spike said, shaking his arm in pain.
"What was that?" Amy demanded.
"I think you'll recall ever since I met these blokes I haven't exactly been a big bad ass," Spike shrugged, pulling the arrow from his arm and squealing in pain.
"Stop," Amy commanded. Spike did. At this point Faith stirred and looked up into Spike's face,
"Hey luv," he smiled at her.
"William," was all she managed.
"Kill her," Amy commanded.
Those two words ended the stalemate between Amy and the scoobies and all hell erupted. Spike, against his will, began to move for Faith. It was as if a force had control of his body, taking decisions away from his mind. Amy brought Giles' neck towards her lips, only to have Willow use a spell and fling the watcher out of her grasp. Unfortunately Giles was sent into a wall hard enough to shake the ruins and he was out for the count.
The spell also weakened an already drained Willow, who would have collapsed if Dawn and Cordelia hadn't been there to hold her. Buffy and Xander ran at Amy the moment she began to move towards Giles and reached her as Willow's spell took effect. Buffy swung a left cross at Amy, who absorbed the blow and grabbed Buffy's hand. Buffy pulled it away, but not before receiving a scolding burn.
"Play with fire, expect to get burned," Amy taunted and went for Xander.
They struggled for a moment, the body armor protecting him from her sun- like touch. Buffy came in from behind and tried to pry Amy's shoulders from Xander. But Buffy got too close and Amy knocked her to the ground using the back of her head. Xander used the change in their momentum to push forward and stagger Amy back a few steps. But that was all he could manage before she recovered and finally gained the upper hand, slamming him to the structure's ground, which was rapidly becoming unstable.
"Say goodbye, Xander," she whispered and reached down to snap Xander's neck. Suddenly, she felt something hit her in the back and all her muscles tensed. She stiffened, fighting the full body cramp. This allowed Xander to drive the armor's metal claws into her arms and roll out from under her. As Xander quickly got back to his feet her turned to see the gypsy boy preparing to launch another vile of magic at Amy.
Amy, however, had recovered from the first blow much faster than the boy had expected. She was up and charging him before he had the vile out of his hand. She dodged it and continued on her path, only to have Buffy do a roll and take her legs out from her.
"Go, save her," Buffy told the boy as she sprung to her feet.
"But," he began.
"Do what you came here for, and I'll do the rest," Xander reassured him and ran to Buffy's aid. "I'd want it that way."
The boy didn't hesitate after that comment and ran to Dawn.
Amy was incredibly angry. She had kept the demons back to have the pleasure of ending the slayers and the boy herself. But the battle had raged far too long and she was ready for it to be over.
Meanwhile, Faith and Spike battled each other as half-hearted as they could. Spike could feel his body make a move and would warn Faith. "Left cross," he muttered, giving Faith a chance to dodge the blow and push him away.
"Sorry," she told him.
Spike sighed and said, "Right roundhouse kick. I'm getting tired of this."
"Me too," she replied, kneeing him in the stomach. "Really sorry."
"Me too. Falling to the ground in pain," he coughed.
Amy circled around Buffy and allowed the slayer to make the first move. This time, Amy wasn't playing. Buffy went in for a blow to the head, which Amy easily ducked, then tried a sweep kick, which Amy leapt over. When Buffy went in for her next attack, a roundhouse kick, Amy grabbed her leg. Buffy tried to pry herself free, but Amy simply lifted her off the ground by the one foot and spun her in the air.
Xander wanted to move in and deliver the last blow, but he was afraid Amy would use Buffy as a human weapon. So Xander decided to use the armor's weapons system. He positioned his wrist so it was aimed at Amy's feet, just in case she tried to use Buffy as a shield, and twitched his pinky finger to trigger the system. Razor sharp disks flew from his wrist, inserting themselves in Amy's lower calves.
"And you, I should have dealt with a long time ago," Amy said in a deadly tone. She brought Buffy down to the ground as hard as she could. Xander could hear the bones popping and cracking under the blow and he cringed for her. Amy grabbed her by the arm, a sick sizzling sound coming from her touch, and yanked Buffy to her feet.
It took all Buffy's willpower to keep from passing out. I have to save Xander, she told herself over and over. That's when Amy broke the arm she was holding. It snapped in two and Xander could see the bones protruding slightly from the new wound. Amy then threw Buffy away into a heap by Giles. She was crying, which tore at Xander's heart. At least, until she landed and the crying stopped, which Xander knew was worse.
While Buffy was in flight Amy noticed the song and dance Faith and Spike were playing. "I want her dead. NOW!"
Faith, who just finished rolling away from a kick, noticed the change in Spike immediately. He was moving with new determination and purpose. His jaw was set, and Faith knew he couldn't hold back or help her anymore. His true feelings were clear in his eyes, but that was all that was left of what had been Spike/William.
The gypsy boy cradled Dawn's lifeless body to his chest. He watched everything taking place around him, wondering if he was doing the right thing by leaving them now. He had wanted to help, now that his cover had been blow to bits, but Buffy and Xander had told him to save Dawn. His heart panged when he thought of Buffy. She was everything they had described and more.
He sighed and prepared to open the portal and return to his own dimension, hoping the scoobies could find a way to stop Amy. He was just about to open the portal when he heard a whimper. He looked around to see if it was coming from one of the fallen freedom fighters, but he couldn't find the source. Then, he heard it louder and clearer, and recognized it. Without further thought he laid his love down and ran.
"That was my girlfriend," Xander told Amy. She shrugged.
"I've been waiting for this. My childe stay mine, forever. But you'll learn. Let's see what you've got."
Xander circled slowly, moving them closer to the edge of the entrance. He tried to keep Buffy's cries from his mind, knowing it would only cause him to be sloppy. Still, her voice, her pain, was etched in his mind. "Bring it on."
Amy leapt for him. Xander was ready for her, sidestepping her and plunged his metal claws into her stomach. When he yanked the claws from her, the wounds stayed. "Looks like I can hurt you," he said.
"Looks like. But I can hurt you too," she said, spinning on her heel and driving her foot into Xander's armor, dropping him to the ground. He rolled back to his feet, slower than he wanted but fast enough to avoid Amy's foot, which crashed through the floor. While she was pulling her limb from the surface, he administered another blow with his claws. He struck close to her heart but was unable to get it.
Faith was unable to go full out against Spike, even though he had no choice but to go full at her. He swept kicked her legs out, punched her across the face and smashed her to the ground. He straddled her, his vampire face towering over hers. But the eyes, Faith thought, they still belonged to William.
Dawn had Willow propped up against the library's doorway watching in horror as Spike bared down on Faith while Amy pushed Xander off her and, despite her bleeding wounds, moved on him like she was at full strength. Cordelia stood with them, unsure what to do to help.
"Willow," she urged, "Willow please. You have to get up. We have to do something."
"I, I can't," Willow whispered back. She wanted to. Wanted to blast Amy like she had Glory, exact revenge for Tara. She owed her that much. But, her body wouldn't go along with her heart.
"Willow," the boy cried, racing through the raging battle to reach her.
"I know you," Dawn said, recognizing the presence from her attempt at finding other Dawn.
"I know," he stopped, admiring her beauty. I miss her so much already, if I lose her oh God, he thought. Focus, he reminded himself. "But I need Willow. She's calling for you."
"Who?" Willow asked, her voice barely audible above the battle around them.
"Tara," he said.
Buffy slowly and hazily returned to consciousness. She also returned to the blinding pain that almost overcame her again. Xander, she thought, using her good arm, which was also broken somewhere, to prop herself up. She tried to stand on wobbly legs before realizing that Amy's spin move probably dislocated her kneecap and she tumbled to the ground. Buffy bit her lip as pain raced through her body crying for attention. She saw Giles lying nearby, peacefully oblivious to everything. That was when the damn broke loose for Buffy. Everyone I love dies, she sobbed to herself, the act causing more pain to splinter through her body.
"That the best you got," she heard Xander gasp out, although to Buffy it was the greatest sound she had ever heard. He's still alive, she thought, and redoubled her efforts to find some way to help him.
After Amy had freed herself from Xander's claws, she began her assault on his chest, attempting to knock the armor through him. Xander tried to use the claws again, but Amy had already learned, and grabbed them when he brought his right hand around. She squeezed her hands together and they bent to her like clay. Xander made a weak move with his to catch her off guard by using his left hand to claw into her back. Amy sensed the moved before he even made it and took his right arm, which she still held, around and slung him over her shoulder.
Xander gasped for air, but Amy brought her foot down into his stomach to knock all the wind out of him. She snapped his other set of claws, and then did the same to the claws positioned on the armor's shin plates. Before Xander knew what was happening, Amy bent over him and ripped the armor apart, starting with the arms where the weapons system was. She had little trouble peeling it away from his chest and was about to do the same to his legs when Xander regained a shred of energy and kicked her in the face. It was much, but it caught her off guard. He limped up and pulled out the hidden stake and dagger stashed in the armor's legs. He shook his head, trying to stop the ringing and regroup.
Dawn helped Willow across the battle. Past Faith, who was barely able to stop Spike from turning her. Past Xander, who was gimping around while Amy looked to be in perfect health, just really pissed off. Past Buffy, who had managed to stand, albeit with the assistance of the wall, but could do nothing but watch the battle. All the way to the semi-circle where her other and what had once been Tara were.
"Willow." Dawn could hear it. It wasn't much more than a whistle or a mumble, but it was still distinguishable.
"Tara," Willow sobbed and threw her arm off of Dawn and tumbled to join her lover.
"Careful Willow, it could be a trick," Dawn warned.
"It's not," the boy said softly. "Tara drained all of Dawn's powers, but she was the filter for her humanity. Amy sucked Tara's demonic energy as well, leaving Tara with a little of Dawn's, my Dawn's, humanity."
"So," Dawn said, in awe of the boy's knowledge, "I'm, she's, dead, but Tara's alive?"
"No," he said sadly. "Tara's body is too far gone to sustain the humanity for long. And there is magic, in my dimension, to undo whatever happens in another."
Dawn was relieved that her other might live, but suddenly, as she glanced down at Willow stroking Tara's hair and sobbing, she was very angry.
"So, Willow just gets her for a minute, then she's gone again, forever?"
"I just figured she needed to say goodbye, have some closure. If that were Xander, I'd know I'd want that chance."
Dawn nodded, barely aware of the tears streaming down her face.
Buffy was unaware of any of this. The only thing that mattered to her was Xander. She watched him. He was fighting valiantly, but ultimately loosing the battle. She too, was crying and didn't even notice. Buffy knew she was out of the fight and that killed her more than anything else. Dying she was prepared for. Even Xander dying she had prepared herself for. But never, in her wildest fears, did she imagine a scenario when she would have to watch Xander die and stand by unable to even fight. If he lost, and it was almost inevitable that he would, she would die, not fighting, but as a broken and battered shell of her former self.
Cordelia rushed in, flame-thrower blazing, to buy Xander a few minutes to recover. The flames didn't bother Amy, who ripped the weapon off Cordelia's back and threw it against the wall, shaking the structure and sending flames shooting up the wall.
"Cordy, go," Xander shouted.
"No," Cordelia pulled out her stake but Amy just knocked it away. She then used her foot to catapult Cordelia into Dawn and the gypsy.
"Tara," Willow sobbed over and over.
"Willow," Tara smiled at her, but the effort weakened her.
"Don't talk Tara, save your strength," Willow pleaded.
"No, I don't have much time," she whispered back.
"Don't talk like that," Willow screamed, not at Tara but at the world.
"Sshh, sweetie," Tara said, calming her love. "I forgive everything. None of this is your fault, or Dawn's or anyone's, not even mine. It happened, it was out of our control. But I want you to know I understand what you've sacrificed for me, the magic. I'm so p-proud o-of you. And I want you t-to g-go on. I-I'll a-always love y-you, but your light is too bright to kept hidden f-f-from the w-world. I'll b-be t-taken c-care of. M-m-my d-demon p-punished, a-and m-my h-h-heart healed. Yours will heal, w- w-w-when you l-let s-someone in. I love you, Willow."
"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" Willow half screamed half sobbed. "I love you Tara, please God no." Willow just cried, stroking Tara's hair, not caring that the world was about to end around her.
Cordy, Dawn and the boy recovered as quickly as they could from Amy's last strike. The gypsy was up first, knowing he had to help stop Amy. Faith's scream snapped Dawn and Cordy back as well. The pair turned to see Spike get in for a bite, then be tossed off him as Faith cried out.
The boy didn't have the magic needed to stop Amy. He racked his brain for spells he knew by heart, when he noticed Willow's magic book. He recognized it, his uncle had one at home. And he knew a certain spell in it that might bring another player to the mix.
Xander slashed wildly with the dagger, just trying to keep Amy from having an easy path. His body wanted to quit. He was battered and broken. He knew he had several broken ribs and possibly a rather high chance that some internal organs had been ruptured. But his mind just wouldn't let his body rest. One word kept him moving: Buffy.
Amy was growing tired of the battle. She had won. Buffy had been too aggressive. Faith had been too faithful, (she was quite proud of the pun) and the others far too weak. And the boy. He had heart she had to give him that. And he made her come to him, which had helped prolong the fight, but it was about to end. She kicked out with her leg, knocking the knife from his grip. She slapped him across the face, burning his cheek and he rolled away.
The boy found the spell he wanted. He wasn't powerful enough to do it, but Dawn would be. "Dawn, I need you to trust me. You have the power in you, just believe it. Go to Angelus, and read the words, focus not on the words but the result. It should bring Angel and Angelus together again, reversing O'Leary's exorcism and bring him here. I don't have the power, but you do. Okay?"
A million thoughts ran through her mind, but she didn't have time for them. "Okay." She took the spell and ran for the exit.
Amy saw all this, grabbed Xander's discarded armor and flung it at Dawn. Cordelia, on instincts alone, threw her body in the armor's path and was dropped to the ground, barley clearing Dawn. Amy tried another piece of armor and the gypsy boy did as Cordelia had. She was about to try the third piece of armor when Xander shoved a flaming piece of wood in her face. It didn't burn, but it did distract her, allowing Dawn to advance across the battlefield.
Xander tried to use the wood, which he'd caught on fire from the flaming wall, to keep Amy at bay, but Amy just ripped it from his hands and tossed it behind her back at Dawn. The beam landed in front of the girl, stopping her short just in front of the exit but right next to Spike and Faith, who were still grappling for position. This is as close as I'm getting, Dawn thought and began the spell.
"So," Amy began, knowing her opponents were finished. "No more lightsaber. No more armor. No more friends. What's left?"
The flames crackled behind Amy, dancing across the cracks in the floor where Amy's foot had created a hole. Xander watched the flames for a second, noticing the pattern they made. His time on the construction site registered a problem right away. He knew exactly what he had to do. Xander gripped his stake, the last weapon he had. He looked over to Buffy. Their eyes met. He implored her to understand what he was about to do.
Dawn finished the incantation, but she could still see Angelus' prone form through the smoke that now clouded her vision. I don't think I read the words right, Dawn thought.
Cordelia and the gypsy slowly got up, each fighting the concussions that threatened to take over.
Willow, still sobbing, turned to see Amy and Xander squaring off.
Spike finally pinned Faith. She wouldn't cry. She refused to meet death in tears. She heard Dawn's spell and hoped something good would come of it. But Faith was far too jaded to actually believe that.
Buffy met his eyes. She was trying not to fall apart, feeling so helpless against the world. There was something different about his look. He wanted her to see something. She could almost hear his voice in her ears, telling her he loved her and it would be okay. Then, somehow, she understood. The tears came now, but she gave him the briefest of nods before closing her eyes unable to look.
All this took place in the span of a second. Then, Xander turned his eyes back to Amy and said. "I guess, all that's left, is me."
Xander ran towards her, but surprised her by stopping a good ten feet from her and jumping. He had to time this just right and land perfectly, but he knew he would. Somehow, somewhere inside, he just knew. And he was right. Xander's body landed about three feet from Amy, directly where three huge cracks in the floor that ran from the wall to the hole in the floor met. The beating the structure had taken during the fight, coupled with the force of Xander's body, was too much for the surface to handle. The cracks widened and without warning the floor gave out along the three major cracks, taking Amy and Xander with it.
Spike couldn't stop his body from obeying. He tried as hard as he could, but it was out of his control. He looked at Faith, willing her to do the right thing. William was gone. Literally. Only Spike remained, but once Amy won Spike knew he would revert to the Spike of old. Killing raping torturing. It was his nature. But there had always been more William in him then he wanted to admit. William often lost their internal battles, much as Spike had once the situation had been reversed. But they had always existed together. Now, somewhere during the fight, William had left their body permanently. The memories remained, but the heart, what had allowed him to love and even go against his true nature so much, that was gone.
Except for Faith. The memories of her were almost enough to make him feel. His eyes still held the special glow that he had just for her. And as he was about to kill her, they began to water. Then he stopped. The pain was sharp and intense, and at first Spike thought and hoped the chip was working again. Until he realized the pain was coming from his chest.
He looked down to see a stake sticking out and Faith holding it. Her gaze told her heart. She was determined and there was steel behind that. But there was also softness and a sorrow that ran deeper than he thought possible. This was his slayer. He had forged her. He was her watcher and lover.
And as Spike began to crumble his eyes watered. Not of sadness, grief or betrayal. But pride.
Faith coughed up the dust, determined not to grieve until Amy was dead. She sat up and her eyes immediately gravitated to the same place that held Buffy, Dawn, Willow, Cordelia and the gypsy's stares. The gapping hole in the wall and floor where Xander and Amy should have been.
It took Faith a moment to find her voice. "Everyone else okay?" That was a dumb question Faith, she thought, refusing to even think about the fact that she had just been forced to kill the love of her life while her slaying partner had been forced to watch her soulmate give up his life.
Faith pulled herself to her feet and looked at the others. There was only one way to describe them, shell-shocked. Faith had been too busy with her own battle to see Xander and Amy's, but judging by Buffy's sobbing, the other's blanks stares and the hole, it didn't take a rocket scientist to figure out Xander had caused the structure to collapse taking them both out. Faith just hoped that would constitute a death blow, because if Xander had died and Amy survived, it was over.
"I," she couldn't bring herself to say the words and just walked around the hole and down the steps to the pile of rubble. The demons still stood at attention. That worried Faith.
She saw Xander's prone form and looked away quickly. She reached the rubble and began to kick the rocks away from him, praying that Amy's neck had snapped during the fall.
"Clever, don't you think?"
Faith froze and turned slowly to see Amy standing in front of her massive army of the night.
"He thought that a two story fall would kill me. I guess he thought I'd break my neck or something. Points for creativity though."
"It'll be dawn soon," Faith reminded her. Maybe she'll retreat and we can try to organize something for tonight, she thought. I didn't just kill William to lose to her.
Amy snapped her fingers and the vampires and sun sensitive demons were gone. "I am life and death. I no longer fall under the same rules as my kind once did. I am the river of lava and the forest of death all at once. And I am TIRED of little whelps standing in my way. But that's over now. Join me Faith and live. Don't and, well you'll live and for a long time too, just as my torture pet."
"Talk is cheap," Faith spat out and charged her, Amy stopped her with a kick to the head.
"Stupid bitch," Amy chuckled and pulled Faith up by the hair. Faith swung her head around and slammed the palms of her hands against Amy's chest, then twisted them up against Amy's wrist and freed her hair. Faith let go. Her fist hammered away at Amy's face.
It was hopeless though, and she knew it. Xander was dead, their only shot at stopping the unkillable vampire. She was nearly impossible to fight with her touch like the sun. And she'd have her numbers replenished within days if a mere bite was all it took to turn someone. Amy had toyed with them, and it was obvious. She had an army of demons at her command but she wanted the pleasure of destroying her only competition first hand. Amy truly would swing the balance from good to evil.
Faith fought as best she could, not caring about the hits Amy scored which scorched her skin. She wanted William's death to mean something, anything. But she was tired and Amy just didn't slow down. Finally the vessel pinned Faith against the wall.
"Should have joined me when you had the chance," Amy told her.
"It's not over," Faith replied.
"Yes, of course Faith. You and you little band had your fun, but now it's over. Now, I win. Humanity will be my slaves. My destiny is complete."
"Maybe we failed, but others won't," Faith retorted, desperate to keep the conversation going and find a way to escape.
"Feel that sun Faith?" she asked. "Because I can. That's how powerful I am now. What on the face of the earth can possibly stop me now?"
"Death."
Before either one had a chance to respond to the new third party, Faith looked down to see a stake come through Amy's chest from behind. Amy's face feel, as did the rest of her.
"And me," Xander finished, holding his stake over her dust.
To Be Concluded…. The aftermath
Please leave me feedback. Just a couple kind words or some constructive criticism or even a quick 1-10 rating, it all helps and fuels my fire to know people are reading my work.
Rating: R
All that's left
Buffy and Faith snapped demons and vampires necks with a surprising ease. They didn't have the time to fight them, so it was all about the easy kill. Willow's spell had helped back some of the vampires off, though the demons that were still loyal to Amy were regrouping.
"We have to get to the library, NOW!" Buffy yelled to Faith, who was engaged in a quick battle with a large Kiyer demon. Buffy sensed that they had a brief window of opportunity to get there before the vampires recovered.
"No shit B!" Faith replied, delivering a fatal blow to the demon with her dagger. It's now or never. "We need to make this push count B!"
"On three," Buffy shouted back.
"Three," Faith replied and sped off, dodging demon blows the whole way. Why does she always do that, Buffy wondered, before following after her.
***********************************************
"It is time," Amy said.
"Yes my mistress," Tara responded and brought Dawn over to the circle. Tara could feel the tingle of energy as soon as she entered it. She moaned aloud, both of ecstasy at the power, and sadness that she wouldn't be around to see it used.
"I know this is hard for you my love," Amy soothed her unspoken pain, "but it will be well worth the pain. I will bring this world to its knees and they will know your sacrifice."
"Thank you, my mistress," Tara responded, the words not quite able to quell her growing doubts.
"Position the key here," Amy said, pointing to a smaller semi-circle within the larger one.
"Yes mistress." Tara did as she was commanded.
"You, my pet, stand here," she said, pointing at a star shaped emblem beside the semi-circle.
Tara hesitated. Something inside of her was breaking free. She was immortal and she wanted to stay that way.
"M-m-istress. I w-w-ant t-to live," Tara stammered. It was the first time she had truly stuttered since she was turned. And she had good reason to fear.
"Tara, you will do this. I have a destiny to meet, and I will not have your will to live ruin that for me!"
Tara tried to move away from her, but Amy grabbed her and shoved her in place.
"P-p-lease, I want to live. You, you s-said you l-loved me," Tara pleaded.
Amy smiled at the vampire. "I do. You are my favorite childe. If I could spare you, I would," Tara smiled at her. "But you are necessary for the ritual."
"B-but, I want to be with you in the new world. I want to embrace immortality."
"Tara, I love you, I really do, but I DON'T HAVE TIME FOR THIS!" Amy's smile disappeared and her demon face slipped into visage. "Now get in the star and start drinking!"
"N-no, you'll have to kill me," Tara said in defiance. She can't kill me. I know it. We'll be happy together when this is over, Tara thought.
"You stupid bitch!" Amy screamed. "You will drink the blood of the key and I will drink from you."
"But," Tara was reeling from the shock. She was free of Amy's mind control, but she was truly in love with her mistress. And she had thought Amy felt the same. But all Amy wanted was power. Just like Willow. It's all any woman ever wanted from her, power.
Amy grabbed Tara's head and twisted it towards Dawn's neck. Tara tried to release her hold on Dawn's arm and allow her to fall away, but Amy's other hand shot out to prevent this.
"Now, drink. You will die either way so if you love me, you'll drink," Amy cooed the last part at her. Tara knew she was dead either way. And, despite her newfound anger with Amy, she couldn't let her death be in vain.
"Yes, my mistress," Tara said, tears sparkling her eyes. Her gameface came on, and Tara bent in to obey her mistress' last wish.
***********************************************
Xander watched Angelus pace back and forth. He wanted to take a go at him, clear the way for Buffy and Faith. But he couldn't, and he knew it.
"I could go after him," the gypsy offered, seeming to read Xander's thoughts.
"No, you've risked enough," Xander assured him. "Two slayers can take him."
As he spoke the words, Buffy and Faith charged up the steps.
"See, they've got the taking thing down," Xander joked, trying to calm himself down. The hour was at hand and even though he was the last hope, he felt helpless and powerless.
He watched as Buffy arrived, swinging wildly at Angelus, while Faith tried to take his knees out. He recognized the move from his earlier training with the two slayers. They made a good team.
***********************************************
"Duck," Faith cried as she swept Angelus' legs out from under him, only to have him throw his arms around Buffy's neck. Buffy tried to follow Faith's advice, but Angelus was too quick and they tumbled to the ground together.
"Always knew you liked it on top," he growled at her. He threw her away and rolled to face Faith. "How 'bout you? Want to take a spin? I know for a fact I'm a better fuck than Spike."
This enraged Faith, who began to send a furry of punches and kicks at Angelus. Buffy wanted to help her, but Faith's limbs were a tornado of movement.
"Go, stop the ritual!" Faith commanded. Buffy took half a beat to watch Faith connect with an upper cut to Angelus' jaw then ran into the library.
Buffy was greeted by six of Amy's minions. "I do not have time for this," she said impatiently. Unsheathing a sword she'd brought along, she swung it across the air, effectively decapitating all six vamps. "That's the race that wants to rule the world. They're really aren't that bright." With that, Buffy sprinted towards the circle in the middle of the room, where Tara was about to plunge her fangs into Dawn.
***********************************************
Tara bit into Dawn's neck. She could feel the power in her blood. It was so intoxicating that she completely lost herself in the drink, forgetting her own life would be over in a matter of moments. She didn't even feel Amy's bite, something that had once sent her over the edge of physical ecstasy.
Amy greedily drank Tara's blood. It was hot and strong. It flowed inside her veins and she felt like she might explode. And in truth, she was about to. Her form was changing, transforming. The power of the hellmouth flowed into the key, through Tara, and into Amy. But Amy received pure power, untainted by humanity. Her body was ready for the change. She was the vessel.
Buffy charged at them the moment she entered the room. Once Amy bit into Tara's neck, however, a blue energy force surrounded them. Buffy slammed into it and was sent flying backwards. She landed on her backside, hard. Buffy could do nothing but stare at the force field. The blue energy that surrounded them started to grow into a red shade, and Buffy was sure she could see the energy literally flowing into Amy.
Buffy stood up slowly, and steadied herself. Xander may be the only one who can kill her now, but I can sure as hell slow her down, she thought.
***********************************************
Faith lost herself in anger. No one would dare to talk about William, HER WILLIAM, that way. She let loose all her rage, her fear, her fury. And Angelus was the best target. He was strong and fast, but nowhere near a match for a pissed off slayer. Angelus was a bloody pulp of his former self, lying on the ground not even trying to protect himself from the blows.
And Faith didn't care. She would make sure he paid for his words. The world could crumble around her and she wouldn't have cared.
"Faith," a voice said softly behind her, and very carefully placed a pair of arms on her shoulders.
Faith spun around to find Xander standing there.
"What the fuck are you doing?" she demanded.
"I could ask you the same thing," he said gently.
"He was in the way," she said coldly.
"And now he's about as threatening as a neutered bunny."
His words hit home. She knew why she was still fighting Angelus. As soon as he was down she should have run into the library to help Buffy. But she didn't. She kept beating him. And it wasn't all out of anger. She was scared. Scared to do the right thing, scared to sacrifice, scared to lose.
"Go, I'll keep an eye on him," Xander said, with no trace of anger.
"Thanks," Faith shrugged it off and ran into the library. There she found Buffy staring at a red circle of energy, with Dawn, Tara and Amy inside.
"B, snap out of it," Faith said, sure she was in a trance.
"It's a force field," Buffy said quietly. "We're too late to stop her."
"Shit," Faith said. Her eyes hit the floor and she kicked an imaginary foe. They were too late and now they would all die, she cursed inside.
"We have to do as much damage as we can, slow her down so Xander can deliver the kill," Buffy said calmly. She has spent the last few minutes gathering her thoughts. If she died, she'd go to heaven, of that she was certain. This time she'd stay there. And soon enough, Xander would join her and she wouldn't be alone. Her last gift to this world would be to save it, again.
But Buffy hadn't lost sight of why she cared about the world so much, like she had with Glory. Then, only saving Dawn had mattered. This time, she would go proud and happy. It was for the human race, so they would have a chance to know the happiness she had experienced, even if it had only lasted a brief, shinning moment.
"Buffy," Faith said.
"Yeah Faith," Buffy smiled, finally at peace with her life.
"You may be ready to die, but I'm not," Faith took a deep breath, "So let's bury this bitch."
"We can't. But we'll do what we can."
"Not the greatest pep talk you've ever given sweetheart," Xander said from the doorway.
"You're supposed to be in hiding," Buffy replied, not angry or surprised at Xander's actions. They made him who he was, who she loved.
"Yeah, and you're supposed to be the spiritual leader of the group. Looks like we're taking a break from those roles," Xander smiled at her. Buffy returned the smile.
"But, that'll have to wait. I believe I have a dance on Amy's dust party scheduled for an hour from now," he said, with a goofy lopsided grin. His fears were gone. If he let his fear take control, he could never save Buffy, his Buffy- finally after all these years- from death. And, he thought, I owe her at least one more act of White Knighthood. Always figured that's how I'd go out anyways, I guess I can save the world while I'm at it.
***********************************************
Amy could hear Tara's cries. They didn't matter. Dawn had been drained dry a little while ago, but the power still coursed through Tara, and Amy needed it all. She felt the last trickles of blood drip down her throat. Suddenly, the world blanked out on Amy. She was floating somewhere. Then, she found herself transported through the hellmouth surrounded by creatures of darkness and great evil. All eyes were on her, examining and judging her.
Amy's surroundings became more substantial. She was standing on a dark hill, devoid of grass. To her left was a forest so dark she could see could make nothing out, even with her vampire vision. The breeze that emanated from it chilled her to the core.
To her right, was a raging river, not of water- but of lava. It flowed orange and red and with speed unlike anything Amy had ever seen. She knew that it would melt everything it touched. She was drawn to its' power. But there was power in the forest as well. In the forest was the power of death, ultimate and unyielding.
"This is what lays inside you," a deep and dark voice boomed around Amy. "If you are deemed worthy."
"How must I prove myself?" she asked, dropping to her knees in reverence.
"The time for worship has passed. You have been judged."
Amy stood up. "If I am already judged why did you say 'if deemed worthy'?"
"You were brought before those you would take power over and judged. Now, you must be deemed worthy."
"What the fuck does that mean?"
"You have prepared yourself as the vessel. The power is in you, the ritual complete. But you must be worthy of it to gain its use."
"How was I judged?" Amy demanded.
"They accept you as the vessel," the voice boomed.
"So why am I not worthy?" She emphasized the word worthy, tired of it's incredible overuse.
"Are you?"
"I am," she replied with an icy steadiness that implied there was a great fire beneath it.
"Then take what is yours. Only then are you worthy."
Suddenly, Amy understood. She reached her arms out, stretching them as far as she could towards her surrounds. She found her arms no longer obeyed physical laws. They would reach as far as she would push them. They arrived at the forest and the river at the same moment. She simultaneously reached into the river and the forest. The lava burned, but the forest quelled the fire. The breeze and lava flowed into her, existing inside her, together.
"Go. You are the vessel. Bring balance to the world," the voice told her. Amy blinked.
When she opened her eyes she was back in the circle, holding Tara's prone form. She released her grip on the former vampire and Tara and Dawn fell to the ground. Amy turned to find both slayers and the boy waiting for her. She understood everything now. And now, the world would be hers and her destiny would be complete.
"Follow," she said in a voice that scarcely resembled her own. It was scratchy and loud. It told of her power. It would have sent fear into any being. However, Amy could only sense fear from one of those before her, the brunette slayer. Amy could see precisely what she feared, her weakness. She would expose it.
***********************************************
After Willow's spell blasted the charging vampires away, Giles and William had begun picking on the demons that still fought with Amy. Cordelia was handling herself better than expected, using the flamethrower to keep demons away from her, and she even helped William in clearing a path for Buffy and Faith.
Giles was pushing them forward, trying to take out as many demons as possible, do as much damage as they could. And they were. They may have still been on the fringe of the fighting, but that didn't mean they weren't killing demons.
"Mate, do you want to move with the girls?" William asked, carefully moving his flame away from Were Oz, who had managed to stay rather close to the group, mostly to avoid being toasted if mistaken for the enemy.
"No, I think we should stay," Giles began.
He was cut off when they heard a voice echo, "Follow," throughout the structure.
Suddenly the demons, including Oz, stopped what they were doing and turned to face the library, where the voice had originated. They stared, unable to do anything but await their commands.
"Damn," Giles said nearly unable to believe what was transpiring before him.
"The bloody bitch pulled it off," William said, his voice a mixture of awe and incredible anguish.
"What's going on?" Cordelia demanded.
"Cordelia, Amy's got command of all the demons. She must have completed the ritual," Giles told her.
"Oh," she said softly. "Should we go help them?"
"I suppose it couldn't hurt," Giles said.
"Uh, I hate to be the stick in the mud of this whole let's get the British men killed scheme, but Amy can have all the demons kill us."
"That's not what she wants," Willow coughed out from behind the three, leaning heavily on Dawn for support.
"How do you know?" Cordy asked.
"She doesn't care about us. She wants Xander and the demons are just here to keep him from escaping. She might actually want us to watch her win, she gets off on the demoralization," Willow replied. The four just stared at her. "What, I was her captive and under her spell for like two days, I know how she thinks."
"Well, let's give the lady what she wants," William said. "And just maybe we can take her with us."
***********************************************
Buffy, Faith and Xander watched Amy drop Tara's body, emerge from the circle and call out her command. Buffy and Xander had managed not to give into their fear when they heard her command "Follow." They had each found an inner peace to draw strength from.
Faith, on the other hand, was a wreck. She didn't want to lose. Not her life, not her William, not her anything. This is why a slayer is alone, she thought. This is why I was how I was, no attachments, just living my own life and looking after myself. I was better off, she thought. Then she saw William in her mind and knew she hadn't been.
"So, this is the great power?" Buffy asked with raised eyebrows.
"Nifty trick. I hear the traveling show needs a ventriloquist, you'd fit right in," Xander told her, stepping next to Buffy.
"You are unwise not to fear me," Amy's voice echoed through the ruins.
"I have to agree with the lunatic," William said as he, Giles, Cordelia, Willow and Dawn arrived.
"You will watch your friends parish," she said.
"Look, are we going to get to the fighting anytime soon or what?" Buffy asked. "Because I have a dentist appointment that I'm going to be late for."
"Your taunts will not work on me slayer."
"How about my stake then," Buffy said. She gripped her stake and ran at Amy. Amy didn't move away. In fact, she didn't react at all. She didn't try to get out of the way or even fight back. She allowed Buffy to charge her and slam the stake home. Buffy rarely missed the heart, and she wasn't about to start now.
Buffy backed away and stared at Amy. The stake was there, sticking out of her chest. And Amy was not a pile of dust. Buffy decided to attempt a spin kick and drive the stake deeper into Amy. Amy allowed her to do this.
"That's it baby, you know I like it rough," Amy cooed. Catching Willow's eyes she said, "I know Tara did."
Willow knew no amount of magic was going to slow Amy down now, so she could do nothing but glare at her. Amy removed the stake and slowly began moving towards the group. Buffy stood in her path, blocking the way. Amy smirked a bit, then grabbed Buffy by the shoulder's, which made Buffy cry out in pain and then threw her aside like a pillow. Buffy slammed into the wall, shaking the building's structure.
Xander knew he had to make a move and, drawing his stake out, stepped towards her.
"Not yet," Amy told him. "I think Spike needs to be reminded of who he is." She smiled at the watcher and moved towards him.
"The hell he does bitch," Faith shot back. She pulled her dagger out and charged at Amy.
"Did we learn nothing?" Amy laughed as Faith slashed her throat with the weapon. The wound healed immediately. "Guess not." She lunged out for Faith, who was expecting the move and ducked delivering a kick to Amy's stomach. Faith thought she had just kicked a steel wall, there was no give to Amy at all. Faith's shock allowed Amy to backhand her across the face, sending her spilling into Xander.
"That's my woman you're messing with," William yelled. He turned the flame-thrower on her and let loose. He couldn't see her through the flames. All he could hear was her laughter, dark and malicious echoing in his ears. It spurred him to keep the flames on.
Until Amy reached him, wrapped her hand around the weapons mouth and squeezed. He released the trigger as soon as he realized what she was doing, to avoid blowing up. William was about to drop the weapon and fight her hand to hand, but he found Amy's strong hands around his neck, lifting him off the ground.
"Want to see a neat trick?" She taunted.
"I think that'd be fun," Giles replied, sticking a cross in her face. She didn't flinch, nor did the cross burn her skin. Amy used her free hand to knock the weapon away and grab Giles by the neck as well.
"Foolish watchers. Didn't you read the prophecy? I would have expected better than that from you. I no longer fall under the faults of the vampire race. I am complete, all their strengths, none of their weaknesses. I am the vessel."
Suddenly she spun Giles around to intercept an arrow Xander had fired at her. It entered Giles left calf.
"That wasn't even close to her bloody heart!" He screamed at Xander.
"I'm doing the best I can here," Xander muttered and reloaded the crossbow. "Besides, have you noticed you're about three feet in the air?"
"Right you are," Giles conceded, struggling for air.
"Faith," Amy called. Faith, who was standing beside Xander working on a new attack plan, looked at her. "Would you still love William if he became Spike?"
"I'm not going to find out," she replied. Faith saw everything spiraling out of control. She knew she had only two choices. Let her paralyzing fear do just that to her, or she could do what she had been called to do and save the world. Faith took a deep breath. On the inhale, her thoughts were everything good in her life. Her friends, her redemption, her William. On the exhale, she thought of what the right thing was and what it meant giving up. But, if she failed to do the right thing, she could never have the good things in her life.
As she saw Amy's vamp face appear, Faith launched herself into a leap that rivaled anything Luke Skywalker could have hoped for. She flew into Amy and tumbled to the ground, unconscious. Amy stood exactly where she had been, still holding both watchers, her fangs sinking into William's neck.
He tried to scream but he couldn't. Buffy had recovered now and was next to Xander, watching in horror as William's face instantaneously morphed into his vampire visage.
"Neat trick, huh?" Amy asked, pulling her red mouth from his neck.
"Well I'll be fucked," was all Spike said as Amy released him to the floor.
"And the vessel will make an army to control the earth," Giles muttered, remembering the prophecy.
"Give the watcher a prize. What can I give you? How about immortality?"
Xander fired another arrow at Amy. Again, she moved Giles in a position to intercept it, this time in the chest. That is until Spike stuck his arm in the arrow's path.
"Bloody hell, that hurt a lot more than I thought it was going to," Spike said, shaking his arm in pain.
"What was that?" Amy demanded.
"I think you'll recall ever since I met these blokes I haven't exactly been a big bad ass," Spike shrugged, pulling the arrow from his arm and squealing in pain.
"Stop," Amy commanded. Spike did. At this point Faith stirred and looked up into Spike's face,
"Hey luv," he smiled at her.
"William," was all she managed.
"Kill her," Amy commanded.
Those two words ended the stalemate between Amy and the scoobies and all hell erupted. Spike, against his will, began to move for Faith. It was as if a force had control of his body, taking decisions away from his mind. Amy brought Giles' neck towards her lips, only to have Willow use a spell and fling the watcher out of her grasp. Unfortunately Giles was sent into a wall hard enough to shake the ruins and he was out for the count.
The spell also weakened an already drained Willow, who would have collapsed if Dawn and Cordelia hadn't been there to hold her. Buffy and Xander ran at Amy the moment she began to move towards Giles and reached her as Willow's spell took effect. Buffy swung a left cross at Amy, who absorbed the blow and grabbed Buffy's hand. Buffy pulled it away, but not before receiving a scolding burn.
"Play with fire, expect to get burned," Amy taunted and went for Xander.
They struggled for a moment, the body armor protecting him from her sun- like touch. Buffy came in from behind and tried to pry Amy's shoulders from Xander. But Buffy got too close and Amy knocked her to the ground using the back of her head. Xander used the change in their momentum to push forward and stagger Amy back a few steps. But that was all he could manage before she recovered and finally gained the upper hand, slamming him to the structure's ground, which was rapidly becoming unstable.
"Say goodbye, Xander," she whispered and reached down to snap Xander's neck. Suddenly, she felt something hit her in the back and all her muscles tensed. She stiffened, fighting the full body cramp. This allowed Xander to drive the armor's metal claws into her arms and roll out from under her. As Xander quickly got back to his feet her turned to see the gypsy boy preparing to launch another vile of magic at Amy.
Amy, however, had recovered from the first blow much faster than the boy had expected. She was up and charging him before he had the vile out of his hand. She dodged it and continued on her path, only to have Buffy do a roll and take her legs out from her.
"Go, save her," Buffy told the boy as she sprung to her feet.
"But," he began.
"Do what you came here for, and I'll do the rest," Xander reassured him and ran to Buffy's aid. "I'd want it that way."
The boy didn't hesitate after that comment and ran to Dawn.
Amy was incredibly angry. She had kept the demons back to have the pleasure of ending the slayers and the boy herself. But the battle had raged far too long and she was ready for it to be over.
Meanwhile, Faith and Spike battled each other as half-hearted as they could. Spike could feel his body make a move and would warn Faith. "Left cross," he muttered, giving Faith a chance to dodge the blow and push him away.
"Sorry," she told him.
Spike sighed and said, "Right roundhouse kick. I'm getting tired of this."
"Me too," she replied, kneeing him in the stomach. "Really sorry."
"Me too. Falling to the ground in pain," he coughed.
Amy circled around Buffy and allowed the slayer to make the first move. This time, Amy wasn't playing. Buffy went in for a blow to the head, which Amy easily ducked, then tried a sweep kick, which Amy leapt over. When Buffy went in for her next attack, a roundhouse kick, Amy grabbed her leg. Buffy tried to pry herself free, but Amy simply lifted her off the ground by the one foot and spun her in the air.
Xander wanted to move in and deliver the last blow, but he was afraid Amy would use Buffy as a human weapon. So Xander decided to use the armor's weapons system. He positioned his wrist so it was aimed at Amy's feet, just in case she tried to use Buffy as a shield, and twitched his pinky finger to trigger the system. Razor sharp disks flew from his wrist, inserting themselves in Amy's lower calves.
"And you, I should have dealt with a long time ago," Amy said in a deadly tone. She brought Buffy down to the ground as hard as she could. Xander could hear the bones popping and cracking under the blow and he cringed for her. Amy grabbed her by the arm, a sick sizzling sound coming from her touch, and yanked Buffy to her feet.
It took all Buffy's willpower to keep from passing out. I have to save Xander, she told herself over and over. That's when Amy broke the arm she was holding. It snapped in two and Xander could see the bones protruding slightly from the new wound. Amy then threw Buffy away into a heap by Giles. She was crying, which tore at Xander's heart. At least, until she landed and the crying stopped, which Xander knew was worse.
While Buffy was in flight Amy noticed the song and dance Faith and Spike were playing. "I want her dead. NOW!"
Faith, who just finished rolling away from a kick, noticed the change in Spike immediately. He was moving with new determination and purpose. His jaw was set, and Faith knew he couldn't hold back or help her anymore. His true feelings were clear in his eyes, but that was all that was left of what had been Spike/William.
The gypsy boy cradled Dawn's lifeless body to his chest. He watched everything taking place around him, wondering if he was doing the right thing by leaving them now. He had wanted to help, now that his cover had been blow to bits, but Buffy and Xander had told him to save Dawn. His heart panged when he thought of Buffy. She was everything they had described and more.
He sighed and prepared to open the portal and return to his own dimension, hoping the scoobies could find a way to stop Amy. He was just about to open the portal when he heard a whimper. He looked around to see if it was coming from one of the fallen freedom fighters, but he couldn't find the source. Then, he heard it louder and clearer, and recognized it. Without further thought he laid his love down and ran.
"That was my girlfriend," Xander told Amy. She shrugged.
"I've been waiting for this. My childe stay mine, forever. But you'll learn. Let's see what you've got."
Xander circled slowly, moving them closer to the edge of the entrance. He tried to keep Buffy's cries from his mind, knowing it would only cause him to be sloppy. Still, her voice, her pain, was etched in his mind. "Bring it on."
Amy leapt for him. Xander was ready for her, sidestepping her and plunged his metal claws into her stomach. When he yanked the claws from her, the wounds stayed. "Looks like I can hurt you," he said.
"Looks like. But I can hurt you too," she said, spinning on her heel and driving her foot into Xander's armor, dropping him to the ground. He rolled back to his feet, slower than he wanted but fast enough to avoid Amy's foot, which crashed through the floor. While she was pulling her limb from the surface, he administered another blow with his claws. He struck close to her heart but was unable to get it.
Faith was unable to go full out against Spike, even though he had no choice but to go full at her. He swept kicked her legs out, punched her across the face and smashed her to the ground. He straddled her, his vampire face towering over hers. But the eyes, Faith thought, they still belonged to William.
Dawn had Willow propped up against the library's doorway watching in horror as Spike bared down on Faith while Amy pushed Xander off her and, despite her bleeding wounds, moved on him like she was at full strength. Cordelia stood with them, unsure what to do to help.
"Willow," she urged, "Willow please. You have to get up. We have to do something."
"I, I can't," Willow whispered back. She wanted to. Wanted to blast Amy like she had Glory, exact revenge for Tara. She owed her that much. But, her body wouldn't go along with her heart.
"Willow," the boy cried, racing through the raging battle to reach her.
"I know you," Dawn said, recognizing the presence from her attempt at finding other Dawn.
"I know," he stopped, admiring her beauty. I miss her so much already, if I lose her oh God, he thought. Focus, he reminded himself. "But I need Willow. She's calling for you."
"Who?" Willow asked, her voice barely audible above the battle around them.
"Tara," he said.
Buffy slowly and hazily returned to consciousness. She also returned to the blinding pain that almost overcame her again. Xander, she thought, using her good arm, which was also broken somewhere, to prop herself up. She tried to stand on wobbly legs before realizing that Amy's spin move probably dislocated her kneecap and she tumbled to the ground. Buffy bit her lip as pain raced through her body crying for attention. She saw Giles lying nearby, peacefully oblivious to everything. That was when the damn broke loose for Buffy. Everyone I love dies, she sobbed to herself, the act causing more pain to splinter through her body.
"That the best you got," she heard Xander gasp out, although to Buffy it was the greatest sound she had ever heard. He's still alive, she thought, and redoubled her efforts to find some way to help him.
After Amy had freed herself from Xander's claws, she began her assault on his chest, attempting to knock the armor through him. Xander tried to use the claws again, but Amy had already learned, and grabbed them when he brought his right hand around. She squeezed her hands together and they bent to her like clay. Xander made a weak move with his to catch her off guard by using his left hand to claw into her back. Amy sensed the moved before he even made it and took his right arm, which she still held, around and slung him over her shoulder.
Xander gasped for air, but Amy brought her foot down into his stomach to knock all the wind out of him. She snapped his other set of claws, and then did the same to the claws positioned on the armor's shin plates. Before Xander knew what was happening, Amy bent over him and ripped the armor apart, starting with the arms where the weapons system was. She had little trouble peeling it away from his chest and was about to do the same to his legs when Xander regained a shred of energy and kicked her in the face. It was much, but it caught her off guard. He limped up and pulled out the hidden stake and dagger stashed in the armor's legs. He shook his head, trying to stop the ringing and regroup.
Dawn helped Willow across the battle. Past Faith, who was barely able to stop Spike from turning her. Past Xander, who was gimping around while Amy looked to be in perfect health, just really pissed off. Past Buffy, who had managed to stand, albeit with the assistance of the wall, but could do nothing but watch the battle. All the way to the semi-circle where her other and what had once been Tara were.
"Willow." Dawn could hear it. It wasn't much more than a whistle or a mumble, but it was still distinguishable.
"Tara," Willow sobbed and threw her arm off of Dawn and tumbled to join her lover.
"Careful Willow, it could be a trick," Dawn warned.
"It's not," the boy said softly. "Tara drained all of Dawn's powers, but she was the filter for her humanity. Amy sucked Tara's demonic energy as well, leaving Tara with a little of Dawn's, my Dawn's, humanity."
"So," Dawn said, in awe of the boy's knowledge, "I'm, she's, dead, but Tara's alive?"
"No," he said sadly. "Tara's body is too far gone to sustain the humanity for long. And there is magic, in my dimension, to undo whatever happens in another."
Dawn was relieved that her other might live, but suddenly, as she glanced down at Willow stroking Tara's hair and sobbing, she was very angry.
"So, Willow just gets her for a minute, then she's gone again, forever?"
"I just figured she needed to say goodbye, have some closure. If that were Xander, I'd know I'd want that chance."
Dawn nodded, barely aware of the tears streaming down her face.
Buffy was unaware of any of this. The only thing that mattered to her was Xander. She watched him. He was fighting valiantly, but ultimately loosing the battle. She too, was crying and didn't even notice. Buffy knew she was out of the fight and that killed her more than anything else. Dying she was prepared for. Even Xander dying she had prepared herself for. But never, in her wildest fears, did she imagine a scenario when she would have to watch Xander die and stand by unable to even fight. If he lost, and it was almost inevitable that he would, she would die, not fighting, but as a broken and battered shell of her former self.
Cordelia rushed in, flame-thrower blazing, to buy Xander a few minutes to recover. The flames didn't bother Amy, who ripped the weapon off Cordelia's back and threw it against the wall, shaking the structure and sending flames shooting up the wall.
"Cordy, go," Xander shouted.
"No," Cordelia pulled out her stake but Amy just knocked it away. She then used her foot to catapult Cordelia into Dawn and the gypsy.
"Tara," Willow sobbed over and over.
"Willow," Tara smiled at her, but the effort weakened her.
"Don't talk Tara, save your strength," Willow pleaded.
"No, I don't have much time," she whispered back.
"Don't talk like that," Willow screamed, not at Tara but at the world.
"Sshh, sweetie," Tara said, calming her love. "I forgive everything. None of this is your fault, or Dawn's or anyone's, not even mine. It happened, it was out of our control. But I want you to know I understand what you've sacrificed for me, the magic. I'm so p-proud o-of you. And I want you t-to g-go on. I-I'll a-always love y-you, but your light is too bright to kept hidden f-f-from the w-world. I'll b-be t-taken c-care of. M-m-my d-demon p-punished, a-and m-my h-h-heart healed. Yours will heal, w- w-w-when you l-let s-someone in. I love you, Willow."
"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" Willow half screamed half sobbed. "I love you Tara, please God no." Willow just cried, stroking Tara's hair, not caring that the world was about to end around her.
Cordy, Dawn and the boy recovered as quickly as they could from Amy's last strike. The gypsy was up first, knowing he had to help stop Amy. Faith's scream snapped Dawn and Cordy back as well. The pair turned to see Spike get in for a bite, then be tossed off him as Faith cried out.
The boy didn't have the magic needed to stop Amy. He racked his brain for spells he knew by heart, when he noticed Willow's magic book. He recognized it, his uncle had one at home. And he knew a certain spell in it that might bring another player to the mix.
Xander slashed wildly with the dagger, just trying to keep Amy from having an easy path. His body wanted to quit. He was battered and broken. He knew he had several broken ribs and possibly a rather high chance that some internal organs had been ruptured. But his mind just wouldn't let his body rest. One word kept him moving: Buffy.
Amy was growing tired of the battle. She had won. Buffy had been too aggressive. Faith had been too faithful, (she was quite proud of the pun) and the others far too weak. And the boy. He had heart she had to give him that. And he made her come to him, which had helped prolong the fight, but it was about to end. She kicked out with her leg, knocking the knife from his grip. She slapped him across the face, burning his cheek and he rolled away.
The boy found the spell he wanted. He wasn't powerful enough to do it, but Dawn would be. "Dawn, I need you to trust me. You have the power in you, just believe it. Go to Angelus, and read the words, focus not on the words but the result. It should bring Angel and Angelus together again, reversing O'Leary's exorcism and bring him here. I don't have the power, but you do. Okay?"
A million thoughts ran through her mind, but she didn't have time for them. "Okay." She took the spell and ran for the exit.
Amy saw all this, grabbed Xander's discarded armor and flung it at Dawn. Cordelia, on instincts alone, threw her body in the armor's path and was dropped to the ground, barley clearing Dawn. Amy tried another piece of armor and the gypsy boy did as Cordelia had. She was about to try the third piece of armor when Xander shoved a flaming piece of wood in her face. It didn't burn, but it did distract her, allowing Dawn to advance across the battlefield.
Xander tried to use the wood, which he'd caught on fire from the flaming wall, to keep Amy at bay, but Amy just ripped it from his hands and tossed it behind her back at Dawn. The beam landed in front of the girl, stopping her short just in front of the exit but right next to Spike and Faith, who were still grappling for position. This is as close as I'm getting, Dawn thought and began the spell.
"So," Amy began, knowing her opponents were finished. "No more lightsaber. No more armor. No more friends. What's left?"
The flames crackled behind Amy, dancing across the cracks in the floor where Amy's foot had created a hole. Xander watched the flames for a second, noticing the pattern they made. His time on the construction site registered a problem right away. He knew exactly what he had to do. Xander gripped his stake, the last weapon he had. He looked over to Buffy. Their eyes met. He implored her to understand what he was about to do.
Dawn finished the incantation, but she could still see Angelus' prone form through the smoke that now clouded her vision. I don't think I read the words right, Dawn thought.
Cordelia and the gypsy slowly got up, each fighting the concussions that threatened to take over.
Willow, still sobbing, turned to see Amy and Xander squaring off.
Spike finally pinned Faith. She wouldn't cry. She refused to meet death in tears. She heard Dawn's spell and hoped something good would come of it. But Faith was far too jaded to actually believe that.
Buffy met his eyes. She was trying not to fall apart, feeling so helpless against the world. There was something different about his look. He wanted her to see something. She could almost hear his voice in her ears, telling her he loved her and it would be okay. Then, somehow, she understood. The tears came now, but she gave him the briefest of nods before closing her eyes unable to look.
All this took place in the span of a second. Then, Xander turned his eyes back to Amy and said. "I guess, all that's left, is me."
Xander ran towards her, but surprised her by stopping a good ten feet from her and jumping. He had to time this just right and land perfectly, but he knew he would. Somehow, somewhere inside, he just knew. And he was right. Xander's body landed about three feet from Amy, directly where three huge cracks in the floor that ran from the wall to the hole in the floor met. The beating the structure had taken during the fight, coupled with the force of Xander's body, was too much for the surface to handle. The cracks widened and without warning the floor gave out along the three major cracks, taking Amy and Xander with it.
Spike couldn't stop his body from obeying. He tried as hard as he could, but it was out of his control. He looked at Faith, willing her to do the right thing. William was gone. Literally. Only Spike remained, but once Amy won Spike knew he would revert to the Spike of old. Killing raping torturing. It was his nature. But there had always been more William in him then he wanted to admit. William often lost their internal battles, much as Spike had once the situation had been reversed. But they had always existed together. Now, somewhere during the fight, William had left their body permanently. The memories remained, but the heart, what had allowed him to love and even go against his true nature so much, that was gone.
Except for Faith. The memories of her were almost enough to make him feel. His eyes still held the special glow that he had just for her. And as he was about to kill her, they began to water. Then he stopped. The pain was sharp and intense, and at first Spike thought and hoped the chip was working again. Until he realized the pain was coming from his chest.
He looked down to see a stake sticking out and Faith holding it. Her gaze told her heart. She was determined and there was steel behind that. But there was also softness and a sorrow that ran deeper than he thought possible. This was his slayer. He had forged her. He was her watcher and lover.
And as Spike began to crumble his eyes watered. Not of sadness, grief or betrayal. But pride.
Faith coughed up the dust, determined not to grieve until Amy was dead. She sat up and her eyes immediately gravitated to the same place that held Buffy, Dawn, Willow, Cordelia and the gypsy's stares. The gapping hole in the wall and floor where Xander and Amy should have been.
It took Faith a moment to find her voice. "Everyone else okay?" That was a dumb question Faith, she thought, refusing to even think about the fact that she had just been forced to kill the love of her life while her slaying partner had been forced to watch her soulmate give up his life.
Faith pulled herself to her feet and looked at the others. There was only one way to describe them, shell-shocked. Faith had been too busy with her own battle to see Xander and Amy's, but judging by Buffy's sobbing, the other's blanks stares and the hole, it didn't take a rocket scientist to figure out Xander had caused the structure to collapse taking them both out. Faith just hoped that would constitute a death blow, because if Xander had died and Amy survived, it was over.
"I," she couldn't bring herself to say the words and just walked around the hole and down the steps to the pile of rubble. The demons still stood at attention. That worried Faith.
She saw Xander's prone form and looked away quickly. She reached the rubble and began to kick the rocks away from him, praying that Amy's neck had snapped during the fall.
"Clever, don't you think?"
Faith froze and turned slowly to see Amy standing in front of her massive army of the night.
"He thought that a two story fall would kill me. I guess he thought I'd break my neck or something. Points for creativity though."
"It'll be dawn soon," Faith reminded her. Maybe she'll retreat and we can try to organize something for tonight, she thought. I didn't just kill William to lose to her.
Amy snapped her fingers and the vampires and sun sensitive demons were gone. "I am life and death. I no longer fall under the same rules as my kind once did. I am the river of lava and the forest of death all at once. And I am TIRED of little whelps standing in my way. But that's over now. Join me Faith and live. Don't and, well you'll live and for a long time too, just as my torture pet."
"Talk is cheap," Faith spat out and charged her, Amy stopped her with a kick to the head.
"Stupid bitch," Amy chuckled and pulled Faith up by the hair. Faith swung her head around and slammed the palms of her hands against Amy's chest, then twisted them up against Amy's wrist and freed her hair. Faith let go. Her fist hammered away at Amy's face.
It was hopeless though, and she knew it. Xander was dead, their only shot at stopping the unkillable vampire. She was nearly impossible to fight with her touch like the sun. And she'd have her numbers replenished within days if a mere bite was all it took to turn someone. Amy had toyed with them, and it was obvious. She had an army of demons at her command but she wanted the pleasure of destroying her only competition first hand. Amy truly would swing the balance from good to evil.
Faith fought as best she could, not caring about the hits Amy scored which scorched her skin. She wanted William's death to mean something, anything. But she was tired and Amy just didn't slow down. Finally the vessel pinned Faith against the wall.
"Should have joined me when you had the chance," Amy told her.
"It's not over," Faith replied.
"Yes, of course Faith. You and you little band had your fun, but now it's over. Now, I win. Humanity will be my slaves. My destiny is complete."
"Maybe we failed, but others won't," Faith retorted, desperate to keep the conversation going and find a way to escape.
"Feel that sun Faith?" she asked. "Because I can. That's how powerful I am now. What on the face of the earth can possibly stop me now?"
"Death."
Before either one had a chance to respond to the new third party, Faith looked down to see a stake come through Amy's chest from behind. Amy's face feel, as did the rest of her.
"And me," Xander finished, holding his stake over her dust.
To Be Concluded…. The aftermath
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