A/N: This is the last chapter of this story, unless I decide to write a
short 'One week later' chapter. Enjoy! And once again, thanks for the
reviews! /mell
Chapter 14
"Giles, you have to listen-" Buffy started, when she heard footsteps behind her. Turning, she saw Marcus and his men running towards her. Behind her also Giles stared at the men approaching them.
"What's going on?" he screamed at his master. "This wasn't a part of the plan."
A loud shriek was heard from the demon, and everyone that could, covered his or her ears. The shriek soon transformed into an evil laugh that sent chills down the spines of the people gathered in the old house.
"The rulesss hasss changed," the voice said coldly. "Kill the Ssslayer."
Without hesitating even once the newly arrived Swedish men ran towards Buffy. At first it looked like Giles was to join them, but then he turned to his master instead.
"She wasn't to be killed! This wasn't a part of our deal!" he screamed at the demon. "I demand an explanation!"
Again the laughter was heard, this time even more evil.
"I have no more ussse for you, Watcher," it said. "If you want to live, help the othersss kill the Ssslayer. If you don't help, you'll be killed jussst asss the othersss."
As to underline that statement, a gun fired and the bullet hit the wall only inches from him. With eyes wide from shock, Giles staggered to the side and stared from his master to Buffy who was fighting for her life. He could see how she was trying not to hurt them seriously, but since they were all very skilled fighters she had problems just holding them off.
"She- I can't let her die! This is all for her! Have you lied to me all along?" he asked, almost crying now, only a shell of the Giles Buffy had known for years. He seemed very young and lost.
"You are no longer vital to me, Watcher," the voice said. "You've done your part, bringing the ssslayer here. But ssshe wasss never the one I wanted to sssuffer."
Giles looked around. Inside his master four of the people he cared for very much struggled to break free, and beside them Spike stood, looking like he was trapped in the same way.
"Spike, you have to help her! You have to help Buffy!" Dawn screamed at the top of her lungs.
He struggled with all the strength inside of him and watched every move Buffy made with tormented eyes. He looked like he was about to burst into tears.
"I can't!" he said weakly. "I can't save her. I've failed her again."
"Spike. It's weak now, if you just concentrate all you can on getting loose, I think it's possible," Willow said, still staying calm. "Just concentrate."
The vampire's expression was at first doubtful, but then it changed into the face of someone that was focus all his strength on one thing.
Giles looked away from him, and watched Buffy again. At that moment she had the upper hand, but it seemed to be changing fast. She had just pushed a tall brown-haired man into a wall, and he slowly fell to the floor, unconscious. But behind her it was still four men left, all with guns and swords. The mix of old-fashioned weapons and modern one's looked quite ridiculous, and at another time Giles would have been amused. But not now. Marcus took one step forward and pointed his gun at Buffy.
But at the same second as he was about to pull the trigger Spike finally broke free and her jumped at the man. But since Marcus was human the vampire doubled over in pain from the chip, and they both fell to the ground, shaking from the pain. Marcus was the first to recover, but luckily Buffy had now noticed him and she kicked him in the stomach, making him fall again.
"That's what you get for attacking my boyfriend," she exclaimed angrily, looking as shocked by her own words as Spike. "I mean-Spike," she quickly said, turning to the remaining men. Spike was about to help her when he was again trapped by the will of the demon.
"Bloody hell, not again!" he yelled in frustration. He concentrated hard on taking one step towards Buffy. But it was impossible. Then he tried moving in another direction, and to his surprise it worked. Again he tried to go to Buffy, and again he was trapped.
"What's happening?" he yelled at Giles.
Giles shook his head slowly, trying to think clearly. It seemed like the demons hold on him had loosened, but he knew it would never be completely cut.
"It's preventing you from helping her," he informed the vampire. "It's focusing its entire power on that."
Spike stepped closer to the watcher and grabbed him by the lapels of his shirt and lifted him from the ground.
"And why is he doing that?" Spike asked coldly, his eyes glowing with rage.
Giles shuddered at the hate evident in Spikes eyes, and looked down, suddenly overwhelmed with shame.
"He's trying to make you suffer," he whispered.
Spike dropped Giles in surprise.
"Me? Why me?" he asked, not a little startled.
"Because you are strong, and you can live forever. Your misery will live forever. And you love both Buffy and Dawn so much-- I know that now. It lives by the misery of strong beings." Giles paused to breathe, tears now streaming down his face. "I'm sorry, I didn't know. It tricked me, it told me that Buffy would die because of her friends, and the only way to prevent it was to kill them. And then it told me that it could make her into a normal girl again." He stopped again and looked at Spike pleadingly. "I only did what I thought was best!"
The vampire backed away, his feelings mixed between disgust and sympathy.
"And Dawn? You were just going to let it kill Dawn?" he asked angrily.
Giles slowly sat down on the floor, leaning against a wall beside the altar.
"No," he said, with eyes full of shame. "I was going to kill her. And the others also. My master can't physically hurt anyone. It can only make others do as it wishes. And I guess I was only one of many that he controlled. I'm mortified that I didn't understand it sooner. I could have stopped all this. My master never had any plans of doing as we'd decided."
Spike turned from the watcher to Buffy, wanting to check that she was okay. But to his anguish she wasn't. The demon had moved so it was between Spike and Buffy, bringing Willow and the others with it. And through the darkness he saw Buffy lying on the ground, barely awake from a blow to her head. And there was nothing he could do. There was now three men-- including Marcus-- that was still standing. Marcus stood over Buffy, holding a gun to her head and looking like he was waiting for something, and the other two were slowly approaching the five figures inside the One.
"Sodding hell," Spike breathed out as he realized what they were about to do. "They're going to kill them all."
Again he tried to move towards his Slayer, and again it was impossible. There was nothing he could do to stop what was happening. He felt like someone had put a stake inside of him and pushed it as slow as possible towards his heart, but stopping just before it reached it, leaving him in the agony and pain.
He didn't notice that he was crying until something wet fell on the palm of his hand.
"You have to do something!" he yelled at Giles who looked like he might pass out at any second. "No matter what that thing has done to you, you can't have forgotten how much you love the slayer and the lil'bit. And Red, the Whelp and Anya. You can't just let them be killed like this. You can't!"
Giles didn't even look up at him. In desperation Spike pulled him up again so that they were standing face to face, and he hit the man in the jaw. They both fell to the ground in pain.
"You love them," Spike cried to Giles. "And you know I do, you just said it. You can't let them die, please!"
The man continued looking absent, but then he suddenly looked up.
"You have to kill me," he said seriously. "That's the only way. You have to kill me and the three others that are still left. The only power the One has is from it slaves, if all it's slaves are dead it has no power any longer."
Spike stared at him, taken aback. No matter what Giles had done, Spike couldn't stop thinking of him as the man he'd known for years, not always liking him but he had always held great respect for the man. And the soul inside of him screamed that it was wrong to take a human life, even if it was to save others.
"I-I can't. There has to be another way," he whispered, tormented by the image of Buffy lying on the ground, now totally unconscious, and two men standing only inches from Dawn, waiting for the signal from their master to kill them. "How'd you even know it'll work? How do you know that it doesn't have other slaves outside, just waiting to be called?"
"I'm sure we're the only ones left. You have to do it!" Giles pleaded with him, obviously not caring any longer for his own life, guilt the only feeling visible in his eyes.
Spike was to object one more time as he saw Marcus put the gun closer to Buffy, readying himself too shoot. With tears in his eyes he grabbed the gun that Giles had in his pocket, and put it against the man's forehead.
"I'm sorry," he whispered as he pulled the trigger.
The sound was more horrible then he could have ever imagined, and too his surprise not only Giles fell limp to the ground, but the three Swedish men as well. The scent of blood reached his nostrils, and his head filled with the excruciating pain from the chip. At the same moment as he saw a glowing Alex fall to the ground like she was in slow motion, everything turned black.
~*~
Buffy woke up to find a gun just inches from her eyes. With the superior speed of the Slayer she pushed it aside, but found that it made no difference, for the man that had held it suddenly fell to the ground. She tried to sit up, but her head hurt like hell and she felt blood running down her face from a wound over her eyebrow.
Repelling a sudden rush of nausea she dragged herself into a sitting position and felt for Marcus pulse. He had none. Turning slightly she saw Spike standing in the far end of the room holding a gun. In her still confused mind she couldn't remember the reason for why that would make her angry, but the sight of a blood covered Giles at his feet's made her memory return.
She was just about to scream and run over to her beloved watcher and the vampire that she had thought that she loved only minutes ago that had killed him. But then Spike fell to the ground, looking as dead as Marcus and Giles were. Half crawling and half walking she got to his side, and couldn't stop the tears from coming when she saw the gun in his hand. He had killed Giles; he had taken a gun and shot him in the head. Why?
For a moment he mind was blank, no taught except sorrow filled it, and she didn't hear her sister calling for her. Not until Dawn wrapped her arms around Buffy's shoulder and held her tight she even noticed that there were others in the room.
"He's dead," she cried into her sister hair. "Giles dead, Dawnie, and it was Spike that killed him!"
Dawn slowly rocked her back and forth to calm her, her own face covered in tears.
"He had no other choice, Buffy. I heard them talk. He had too do it, or else we all would be dead."
Buffy just continued crying as Willow, Xander and Anya reached them. Nils was sitting beside his dead brother with a blank expression that was pretty similar to the one Buffy had had only moments before.
The group of friends sat down next to the unconscious vampire and the dead watcher and cried.
~*~
Willow watched Buffy's face with concern. The blond had gone from total numbness to utter grief in seconds, and now it was like she couldn't stop crying. And the others around them were in pretty much the same state. But even though Willow was grieving too, something was nagging on her mind. Something important.
"How did the others die?" she suddenly asked to no one in particular. Xander looked up at her in surprise, his eyes red from tears.
"What do you mean? They died, can't you just be happy about it?" he asked, his voice sharp from the pain.
Willow looked around, not wanting to meet his eyes, and then she saw her.
"Alex!" she screamed, quickly getting up and running to the witch that lay on the floor.
The blond Swedish girl didn't move when she reached her, but her eyes slowly opened.
"Hey, you," she whispered softly. "Everyone okay?"
Willow couldn't answer as she stared into Alex eyes. They looked so tired.
"Yes," she lied silently and put on a fake smile. "Everyone's okay."
Alex sighed in relief, still not moving.
"Good. I did my best to stop it, I did. I don't think I have much time left- " she whispered, barely hearable.
Willow felt tears fall down her cheeks again and she took the witch's hand in hers.
"What are you talking about? You're going to be just fine. You just need to rest, that's all," she said, trying to sound confident.
Alex chuckled slightly, only making more of her strength leave her.
"Don't lie to me. I can feel it." She paused and breathed in deeply. "I killed them. I took my last strength and I killed them. I heard what Giles said, and I know Spike wouldn't have time to stop them all, so I gathered up the last of my power and killed them. With magic." Again she stopped, and this time her breath was so shallow that it didn't do her any good. "I'm so tired," she whispered, just before her eyes fell shut for the last time.
"No!" Willow screamed, and at the same time, the shadow started fading and the demon let out its death cry. It was enough to make the whole house tremble, and the floor gave off a sound that couldn't be good.
"Oh no," Dawn said in panic and dragged her sister of from where she was sitting on the floor. "Eh, guys? I think we should get out of here, and fast!" she called out to the others.
Both Willow and Buffy seemed to be totally absent, barely noticing the shakes the house did, so the others had to try to get them out.
Dawn put her sister's arm around her and helped her up. Then she looked at Xander, motioning for him to pick up Spike. To her surprise he didn't object, and he pulled up all of his remaining strength to be able to lift up the vampire and put him over his shoulder. Luckily, Spike wasn't that heavy. Behind them, Anya helped Willow up and Nils soon followed the group.
The old house continued to tremble dangerously and it was a close call that they got out through the front door before it collapsed, trapping the bodies of those that had died.
~*~
Spike woke up with the feeling that everyone was watching him. Opening his eyes, he found that the situation was pretty much so. Beside him Dawn sat, giving him a sad smile, her face looking several years older all of a sudden. And beside her sat Xander with Anya leaning against him, none of them looking like they were even aware of it. In the far end of the room, that he recognized as Giles hotel room; sat Willow with her face rested in her hands. She looked like she was crying, but her hands prevented him to really see.
His mind wasn't really clear, and he had a very dim memory of what had happened earlier. But he knew it was bad by seeing the looks on the people he'd started to think of as friend's faces.
"Where's Buffy?" he asked with concern written all over him, after noticing that she wasn't present. "Is she okay?"
Everyone but Dawn avoided his gaze, and he decided to concentrate all of his attention to the teen only, his head still hurting and his eyes were blurry.
"She's not hurt," Dawn said avoiding. "But she's not-she's not okay, either. You don't remember, do you?"
Spike looked around in confusion. The last thing he remembered was someone- Marcus-standing over Buffy with a gun, and Giles asking him to-
"Oh no!" he said, suddenly remembering it all. "I-I killed him. I took a gun and I-"
He wasn't able to continue, his soul flooded him with emotions of sorrow and guilt and pain. He had killed a human being. He had killed Giles. Yes, he had killed before, quite a lot actually, but that was different. Now he had a soul, and the other murders he'd been able to push away with the thought that he hadn't had one then, he hadn't known better. But now.
"Yes, you killed him," Buffy's suddenly said from the door opening. "You killed Giles. And I loved you!" she screamed, her face deformed by sorrow. "I loved you, and look what you've done. I trusted you, I thought you were good now, but you aren't. You're still the monster you've always been!" After that she stormed out, still crying.
Spike felt as though something inside him broke, and tears he didn't know were there fell from his eyes. He shut his eyes, hoping that it would get rid of the memories, but it only made it worse. And her words rang in his ears.
"I loved you. I trusted you. Your still a monster!"
He didn't see how Dawn, Xander and Anya exchanged concerned looks, and he didn't see how Willow stopped crying and looked up, just as shocked by Buffy's outburst as the others. And he didn't see Buffy standing outside the door, wishing she hadn't said all that, but too filled with grief to tell him. And he was so filled with sorrow and guilt that he didn't feel Dawn slipping her arm behind her back and holding him as he cried. All he saw was Buffys face filled with pain and the way Giles had looked when he had shot him. And he cried.
~*~
The next day the group was getting ready to leave. Spike hadn't spoken a word since the day before, and Buffy wasn't much better. They hadn't even looked at each other, but for different reasons.
Buffy was ashamed of what she had said to him, but she didn't know what to say to make it right again. Her grief had been so strong that she hadn't known what she'd been doing, and the words had just come out of her. She wanted to walk up to him and kiss him and tell him that it would all be all right, that she loved him and that she knew that he'd done the only thing he could have done, or else they all would have died. But she couldn't bring herself to do it.
Spike's mind went back and forth between when he'd killed Giles and the things Buffy had said the day before, and all he could think about was how he wanted it all to end. Thinking that she hated him and blaming himself for the death of a human, totally forgetting the part of it being the only way to save the rest of the humans on the planet from a future of being slaves to a demon. The only thing keeping him from walking out to meet the sun was Dawn. The teenager had been keeping a close eye on him since he'd woken up, and she made sure no suicide attempts could be made. She also made sure he ate before she helped him change clothes and get cleaned up.
"Spike," she said gently. "Please answer me. I know it's tough, and I know your upset, but please. Buffy didn't mean what she said; she was just so totally messed up from loosing Giles that she didn't know what she was saying."
But Spike just continued looking straight ahead, like he hadn't heard her.
Dawn sighed and packed the few things he had brought with him when they'd started this trip. It wasn't much, and when she was finished she found herself sitting by his side for a long time, just holding his hand. Oh, how she wished she could get trough to him.
In a room further down the corridor, Willow made sure she hadn't forgotten anything. Her thought jumped back and forth between the present and what had happened the night before. Pictures of Giles and Alex visible for her every time she opened her eyes.
Even though she'd only known Alex for a week or so, she felt as if she'd known her for much longer. During their time together they'd fought, laughed and battled the forces of darkness. They had grown very close, and for a moment Willow had been able to forget about Tara. But now they were both gone.
Xander and Anya had gone to the airport and bought tickets home for all of them. The ex-couple was saying goodbye to Nils at the moment, and without thinking about it, they were holding hands. None of them wanted to be apart from the other.
Neither of the Scoobies was hungry when it was time for lunch, and they just sat in the cafeteria, talking only in whispers and careful not to say anything that would upset Buffy or Spike further. The former lovers sat as far away from each other as they could, but when no one was looking, Buffy shot Spike a hopeful glance. But he continued staring straight ahead.
"I want to go home," she said weakly to her friends. "When are we leaving?"
Xander and Anya exchanged looks of relief to hear her sounding calm.
"Soon," Anya told her gently. "Our plane leaves in two hours."
Buffy nodded and looked down at her hands. She looked exhausted.
"Yes, we're going home," Dawn said, watching Spike with concern. "And everything will be okay, Spike."
He didn't answer.
~*~
One hour and ten minutes later the group sat in the waiting room at the airport, when Spike suddenly got up.
"Where are you going?" Dawn asked worriedly. And for the first time that day he spoke.
"I-I need to think. I'll be back before the plane leaves, okay?" he said, his voice sounding older then ever before.
Dawn nodded, but didn't take her eyes off of him as he walked away and seated himself by the bar in the far end of the room. At first she thought that he was going to order something to drink, but then she saw him taking up a piece of paper and a pen from his bag and started writing.
"What's he doing?" Xander asked, actually sounding concerned for the vampire. It seemed like his opinions of Spike had drastically changed during the last 24 hours.
"I don't know," Dawn said slowly. "He's writing something."
Xander watched him for a while as well, before turning to Buffy.
"You okay, Buff?"
She shrugged and gave him a weak smile.
"Yeah," she answered, not very convincing. "Considering."
Xander smiled, and gave her a quick hug.
"Yeah, considering," he repeated silently. After that they all stayed quiet.
~*~
A voice spoke and said that it was time to get into the plane. Spike hadn't returned yet, and Dawn looked to where he'd been sitting. But he wasn't there. Surprised and worried of what might have happened to him she turned around, trying to detect his whereabouts. But she couldn't find him. But on the sofa next to her was two pieces of paper, one with her name on it. On the other 'Buffy' was written in old-fashioned handwriting.
She took both papers in her hand and started reading the one that was for her.
'Dear Dawnie. I'm sorry to do this, but it's what's best for everyone. I'm not coming with you back to ol' Sunny-D, don't think Buffy would be that happy seeing me every day. I don't know where I'll go, but I figure something out. I always do. I want you to know that I love you, niblet, and that you shouldn't worry about me. I'll be fine. Luv Spike'
It was with tears in her eyes that she got onboard the plane back home.
The end
A/N: That's it. I know, I know, it's kinda depressing, but I didn't feel a happy ending really suited this story. I still might write that 'later' story though, just to get it out of my system. But don't get your hopes up, no happiness there either. But 'til then, bye! /mell
Chapter 14
"Giles, you have to listen-" Buffy started, when she heard footsteps behind her. Turning, she saw Marcus and his men running towards her. Behind her also Giles stared at the men approaching them.
"What's going on?" he screamed at his master. "This wasn't a part of the plan."
A loud shriek was heard from the demon, and everyone that could, covered his or her ears. The shriek soon transformed into an evil laugh that sent chills down the spines of the people gathered in the old house.
"The rulesss hasss changed," the voice said coldly. "Kill the Ssslayer."
Without hesitating even once the newly arrived Swedish men ran towards Buffy. At first it looked like Giles was to join them, but then he turned to his master instead.
"She wasn't to be killed! This wasn't a part of our deal!" he screamed at the demon. "I demand an explanation!"
Again the laughter was heard, this time even more evil.
"I have no more ussse for you, Watcher," it said. "If you want to live, help the othersss kill the Ssslayer. If you don't help, you'll be killed jussst asss the othersss."
As to underline that statement, a gun fired and the bullet hit the wall only inches from him. With eyes wide from shock, Giles staggered to the side and stared from his master to Buffy who was fighting for her life. He could see how she was trying not to hurt them seriously, but since they were all very skilled fighters she had problems just holding them off.
"She- I can't let her die! This is all for her! Have you lied to me all along?" he asked, almost crying now, only a shell of the Giles Buffy had known for years. He seemed very young and lost.
"You are no longer vital to me, Watcher," the voice said. "You've done your part, bringing the ssslayer here. But ssshe wasss never the one I wanted to sssuffer."
Giles looked around. Inside his master four of the people he cared for very much struggled to break free, and beside them Spike stood, looking like he was trapped in the same way.
"Spike, you have to help her! You have to help Buffy!" Dawn screamed at the top of her lungs.
He struggled with all the strength inside of him and watched every move Buffy made with tormented eyes. He looked like he was about to burst into tears.
"I can't!" he said weakly. "I can't save her. I've failed her again."
"Spike. It's weak now, if you just concentrate all you can on getting loose, I think it's possible," Willow said, still staying calm. "Just concentrate."
The vampire's expression was at first doubtful, but then it changed into the face of someone that was focus all his strength on one thing.
Giles looked away from him, and watched Buffy again. At that moment she had the upper hand, but it seemed to be changing fast. She had just pushed a tall brown-haired man into a wall, and he slowly fell to the floor, unconscious. But behind her it was still four men left, all with guns and swords. The mix of old-fashioned weapons and modern one's looked quite ridiculous, and at another time Giles would have been amused. But not now. Marcus took one step forward and pointed his gun at Buffy.
But at the same second as he was about to pull the trigger Spike finally broke free and her jumped at the man. But since Marcus was human the vampire doubled over in pain from the chip, and they both fell to the ground, shaking from the pain. Marcus was the first to recover, but luckily Buffy had now noticed him and she kicked him in the stomach, making him fall again.
"That's what you get for attacking my boyfriend," she exclaimed angrily, looking as shocked by her own words as Spike. "I mean-Spike," she quickly said, turning to the remaining men. Spike was about to help her when he was again trapped by the will of the demon.
"Bloody hell, not again!" he yelled in frustration. He concentrated hard on taking one step towards Buffy. But it was impossible. Then he tried moving in another direction, and to his surprise it worked. Again he tried to go to Buffy, and again he was trapped.
"What's happening?" he yelled at Giles.
Giles shook his head slowly, trying to think clearly. It seemed like the demons hold on him had loosened, but he knew it would never be completely cut.
"It's preventing you from helping her," he informed the vampire. "It's focusing its entire power on that."
Spike stepped closer to the watcher and grabbed him by the lapels of his shirt and lifted him from the ground.
"And why is he doing that?" Spike asked coldly, his eyes glowing with rage.
Giles shuddered at the hate evident in Spikes eyes, and looked down, suddenly overwhelmed with shame.
"He's trying to make you suffer," he whispered.
Spike dropped Giles in surprise.
"Me? Why me?" he asked, not a little startled.
"Because you are strong, and you can live forever. Your misery will live forever. And you love both Buffy and Dawn so much-- I know that now. It lives by the misery of strong beings." Giles paused to breathe, tears now streaming down his face. "I'm sorry, I didn't know. It tricked me, it told me that Buffy would die because of her friends, and the only way to prevent it was to kill them. And then it told me that it could make her into a normal girl again." He stopped again and looked at Spike pleadingly. "I only did what I thought was best!"
The vampire backed away, his feelings mixed between disgust and sympathy.
"And Dawn? You were just going to let it kill Dawn?" he asked angrily.
Giles slowly sat down on the floor, leaning against a wall beside the altar.
"No," he said, with eyes full of shame. "I was going to kill her. And the others also. My master can't physically hurt anyone. It can only make others do as it wishes. And I guess I was only one of many that he controlled. I'm mortified that I didn't understand it sooner. I could have stopped all this. My master never had any plans of doing as we'd decided."
Spike turned from the watcher to Buffy, wanting to check that she was okay. But to his anguish she wasn't. The demon had moved so it was between Spike and Buffy, bringing Willow and the others with it. And through the darkness he saw Buffy lying on the ground, barely awake from a blow to her head. And there was nothing he could do. There was now three men-- including Marcus-- that was still standing. Marcus stood over Buffy, holding a gun to her head and looking like he was waiting for something, and the other two were slowly approaching the five figures inside the One.
"Sodding hell," Spike breathed out as he realized what they were about to do. "They're going to kill them all."
Again he tried to move towards his Slayer, and again it was impossible. There was nothing he could do to stop what was happening. He felt like someone had put a stake inside of him and pushed it as slow as possible towards his heart, but stopping just before it reached it, leaving him in the agony and pain.
He didn't notice that he was crying until something wet fell on the palm of his hand.
"You have to do something!" he yelled at Giles who looked like he might pass out at any second. "No matter what that thing has done to you, you can't have forgotten how much you love the slayer and the lil'bit. And Red, the Whelp and Anya. You can't just let them be killed like this. You can't!"
Giles didn't even look up at him. In desperation Spike pulled him up again so that they were standing face to face, and he hit the man in the jaw. They both fell to the ground in pain.
"You love them," Spike cried to Giles. "And you know I do, you just said it. You can't let them die, please!"
The man continued looking absent, but then he suddenly looked up.
"You have to kill me," he said seriously. "That's the only way. You have to kill me and the three others that are still left. The only power the One has is from it slaves, if all it's slaves are dead it has no power any longer."
Spike stared at him, taken aback. No matter what Giles had done, Spike couldn't stop thinking of him as the man he'd known for years, not always liking him but he had always held great respect for the man. And the soul inside of him screamed that it was wrong to take a human life, even if it was to save others.
"I-I can't. There has to be another way," he whispered, tormented by the image of Buffy lying on the ground, now totally unconscious, and two men standing only inches from Dawn, waiting for the signal from their master to kill them. "How'd you even know it'll work? How do you know that it doesn't have other slaves outside, just waiting to be called?"
"I'm sure we're the only ones left. You have to do it!" Giles pleaded with him, obviously not caring any longer for his own life, guilt the only feeling visible in his eyes.
Spike was to object one more time as he saw Marcus put the gun closer to Buffy, readying himself too shoot. With tears in his eyes he grabbed the gun that Giles had in his pocket, and put it against the man's forehead.
"I'm sorry," he whispered as he pulled the trigger.
The sound was more horrible then he could have ever imagined, and too his surprise not only Giles fell limp to the ground, but the three Swedish men as well. The scent of blood reached his nostrils, and his head filled with the excruciating pain from the chip. At the same moment as he saw a glowing Alex fall to the ground like she was in slow motion, everything turned black.
~*~
Buffy woke up to find a gun just inches from her eyes. With the superior speed of the Slayer she pushed it aside, but found that it made no difference, for the man that had held it suddenly fell to the ground. She tried to sit up, but her head hurt like hell and she felt blood running down her face from a wound over her eyebrow.
Repelling a sudden rush of nausea she dragged herself into a sitting position and felt for Marcus pulse. He had none. Turning slightly she saw Spike standing in the far end of the room holding a gun. In her still confused mind she couldn't remember the reason for why that would make her angry, but the sight of a blood covered Giles at his feet's made her memory return.
She was just about to scream and run over to her beloved watcher and the vampire that she had thought that she loved only minutes ago that had killed him. But then Spike fell to the ground, looking as dead as Marcus and Giles were. Half crawling and half walking she got to his side, and couldn't stop the tears from coming when she saw the gun in his hand. He had killed Giles; he had taken a gun and shot him in the head. Why?
For a moment he mind was blank, no taught except sorrow filled it, and she didn't hear her sister calling for her. Not until Dawn wrapped her arms around Buffy's shoulder and held her tight she even noticed that there were others in the room.
"He's dead," she cried into her sister hair. "Giles dead, Dawnie, and it was Spike that killed him!"
Dawn slowly rocked her back and forth to calm her, her own face covered in tears.
"He had no other choice, Buffy. I heard them talk. He had too do it, or else we all would be dead."
Buffy just continued crying as Willow, Xander and Anya reached them. Nils was sitting beside his dead brother with a blank expression that was pretty similar to the one Buffy had had only moments before.
The group of friends sat down next to the unconscious vampire and the dead watcher and cried.
~*~
Willow watched Buffy's face with concern. The blond had gone from total numbness to utter grief in seconds, and now it was like she couldn't stop crying. And the others around them were in pretty much the same state. But even though Willow was grieving too, something was nagging on her mind. Something important.
"How did the others die?" she suddenly asked to no one in particular. Xander looked up at her in surprise, his eyes red from tears.
"What do you mean? They died, can't you just be happy about it?" he asked, his voice sharp from the pain.
Willow looked around, not wanting to meet his eyes, and then she saw her.
"Alex!" she screamed, quickly getting up and running to the witch that lay on the floor.
The blond Swedish girl didn't move when she reached her, but her eyes slowly opened.
"Hey, you," she whispered softly. "Everyone okay?"
Willow couldn't answer as she stared into Alex eyes. They looked so tired.
"Yes," she lied silently and put on a fake smile. "Everyone's okay."
Alex sighed in relief, still not moving.
"Good. I did my best to stop it, I did. I don't think I have much time left- " she whispered, barely hearable.
Willow felt tears fall down her cheeks again and she took the witch's hand in hers.
"What are you talking about? You're going to be just fine. You just need to rest, that's all," she said, trying to sound confident.
Alex chuckled slightly, only making more of her strength leave her.
"Don't lie to me. I can feel it." She paused and breathed in deeply. "I killed them. I took my last strength and I killed them. I heard what Giles said, and I know Spike wouldn't have time to stop them all, so I gathered up the last of my power and killed them. With magic." Again she stopped, and this time her breath was so shallow that it didn't do her any good. "I'm so tired," she whispered, just before her eyes fell shut for the last time.
"No!" Willow screamed, and at the same time, the shadow started fading and the demon let out its death cry. It was enough to make the whole house tremble, and the floor gave off a sound that couldn't be good.
"Oh no," Dawn said in panic and dragged her sister of from where she was sitting on the floor. "Eh, guys? I think we should get out of here, and fast!" she called out to the others.
Both Willow and Buffy seemed to be totally absent, barely noticing the shakes the house did, so the others had to try to get them out.
Dawn put her sister's arm around her and helped her up. Then she looked at Xander, motioning for him to pick up Spike. To her surprise he didn't object, and he pulled up all of his remaining strength to be able to lift up the vampire and put him over his shoulder. Luckily, Spike wasn't that heavy. Behind them, Anya helped Willow up and Nils soon followed the group.
The old house continued to tremble dangerously and it was a close call that they got out through the front door before it collapsed, trapping the bodies of those that had died.
~*~
Spike woke up with the feeling that everyone was watching him. Opening his eyes, he found that the situation was pretty much so. Beside him Dawn sat, giving him a sad smile, her face looking several years older all of a sudden. And beside her sat Xander with Anya leaning against him, none of them looking like they were even aware of it. In the far end of the room, that he recognized as Giles hotel room; sat Willow with her face rested in her hands. She looked like she was crying, but her hands prevented him to really see.
His mind wasn't really clear, and he had a very dim memory of what had happened earlier. But he knew it was bad by seeing the looks on the people he'd started to think of as friend's faces.
"Where's Buffy?" he asked with concern written all over him, after noticing that she wasn't present. "Is she okay?"
Everyone but Dawn avoided his gaze, and he decided to concentrate all of his attention to the teen only, his head still hurting and his eyes were blurry.
"She's not hurt," Dawn said avoiding. "But she's not-she's not okay, either. You don't remember, do you?"
Spike looked around in confusion. The last thing he remembered was someone- Marcus-standing over Buffy with a gun, and Giles asking him to-
"Oh no!" he said, suddenly remembering it all. "I-I killed him. I took a gun and I-"
He wasn't able to continue, his soul flooded him with emotions of sorrow and guilt and pain. He had killed a human being. He had killed Giles. Yes, he had killed before, quite a lot actually, but that was different. Now he had a soul, and the other murders he'd been able to push away with the thought that he hadn't had one then, he hadn't known better. But now.
"Yes, you killed him," Buffy's suddenly said from the door opening. "You killed Giles. And I loved you!" she screamed, her face deformed by sorrow. "I loved you, and look what you've done. I trusted you, I thought you were good now, but you aren't. You're still the monster you've always been!" After that she stormed out, still crying.
Spike felt as though something inside him broke, and tears he didn't know were there fell from his eyes. He shut his eyes, hoping that it would get rid of the memories, but it only made it worse. And her words rang in his ears.
"I loved you. I trusted you. Your still a monster!"
He didn't see how Dawn, Xander and Anya exchanged concerned looks, and he didn't see how Willow stopped crying and looked up, just as shocked by Buffy's outburst as the others. And he didn't see Buffy standing outside the door, wishing she hadn't said all that, but too filled with grief to tell him. And he was so filled with sorrow and guilt that he didn't feel Dawn slipping her arm behind her back and holding him as he cried. All he saw was Buffys face filled with pain and the way Giles had looked when he had shot him. And he cried.
~*~
The next day the group was getting ready to leave. Spike hadn't spoken a word since the day before, and Buffy wasn't much better. They hadn't even looked at each other, but for different reasons.
Buffy was ashamed of what she had said to him, but she didn't know what to say to make it right again. Her grief had been so strong that she hadn't known what she'd been doing, and the words had just come out of her. She wanted to walk up to him and kiss him and tell him that it would all be all right, that she loved him and that she knew that he'd done the only thing he could have done, or else they all would have died. But she couldn't bring herself to do it.
Spike's mind went back and forth between when he'd killed Giles and the things Buffy had said the day before, and all he could think about was how he wanted it all to end. Thinking that she hated him and blaming himself for the death of a human, totally forgetting the part of it being the only way to save the rest of the humans on the planet from a future of being slaves to a demon. The only thing keeping him from walking out to meet the sun was Dawn. The teenager had been keeping a close eye on him since he'd woken up, and she made sure no suicide attempts could be made. She also made sure he ate before she helped him change clothes and get cleaned up.
"Spike," she said gently. "Please answer me. I know it's tough, and I know your upset, but please. Buffy didn't mean what she said; she was just so totally messed up from loosing Giles that she didn't know what she was saying."
But Spike just continued looking straight ahead, like he hadn't heard her.
Dawn sighed and packed the few things he had brought with him when they'd started this trip. It wasn't much, and when she was finished she found herself sitting by his side for a long time, just holding his hand. Oh, how she wished she could get trough to him.
In a room further down the corridor, Willow made sure she hadn't forgotten anything. Her thought jumped back and forth between the present and what had happened the night before. Pictures of Giles and Alex visible for her every time she opened her eyes.
Even though she'd only known Alex for a week or so, she felt as if she'd known her for much longer. During their time together they'd fought, laughed and battled the forces of darkness. They had grown very close, and for a moment Willow had been able to forget about Tara. But now they were both gone.
Xander and Anya had gone to the airport and bought tickets home for all of them. The ex-couple was saying goodbye to Nils at the moment, and without thinking about it, they were holding hands. None of them wanted to be apart from the other.
Neither of the Scoobies was hungry when it was time for lunch, and they just sat in the cafeteria, talking only in whispers and careful not to say anything that would upset Buffy or Spike further. The former lovers sat as far away from each other as they could, but when no one was looking, Buffy shot Spike a hopeful glance. But he continued staring straight ahead.
"I want to go home," she said weakly to her friends. "When are we leaving?"
Xander and Anya exchanged looks of relief to hear her sounding calm.
"Soon," Anya told her gently. "Our plane leaves in two hours."
Buffy nodded and looked down at her hands. She looked exhausted.
"Yes, we're going home," Dawn said, watching Spike with concern. "And everything will be okay, Spike."
He didn't answer.
~*~
One hour and ten minutes later the group sat in the waiting room at the airport, when Spike suddenly got up.
"Where are you going?" Dawn asked worriedly. And for the first time that day he spoke.
"I-I need to think. I'll be back before the plane leaves, okay?" he said, his voice sounding older then ever before.
Dawn nodded, but didn't take her eyes off of him as he walked away and seated himself by the bar in the far end of the room. At first she thought that he was going to order something to drink, but then she saw him taking up a piece of paper and a pen from his bag and started writing.
"What's he doing?" Xander asked, actually sounding concerned for the vampire. It seemed like his opinions of Spike had drastically changed during the last 24 hours.
"I don't know," Dawn said slowly. "He's writing something."
Xander watched him for a while as well, before turning to Buffy.
"You okay, Buff?"
She shrugged and gave him a weak smile.
"Yeah," she answered, not very convincing. "Considering."
Xander smiled, and gave her a quick hug.
"Yeah, considering," he repeated silently. After that they all stayed quiet.
~*~
A voice spoke and said that it was time to get into the plane. Spike hadn't returned yet, and Dawn looked to where he'd been sitting. But he wasn't there. Surprised and worried of what might have happened to him she turned around, trying to detect his whereabouts. But she couldn't find him. But on the sofa next to her was two pieces of paper, one with her name on it. On the other 'Buffy' was written in old-fashioned handwriting.
She took both papers in her hand and started reading the one that was for her.
'Dear Dawnie. I'm sorry to do this, but it's what's best for everyone. I'm not coming with you back to ol' Sunny-D, don't think Buffy would be that happy seeing me every day. I don't know where I'll go, but I figure something out. I always do. I want you to know that I love you, niblet, and that you shouldn't worry about me. I'll be fine. Luv Spike'
It was with tears in her eyes that she got onboard the plane back home.
The end
A/N: That's it. I know, I know, it's kinda depressing, but I didn't feel a happy ending really suited this story. I still might write that 'later' story though, just to get it out of my system. But don't get your hopes up, no happiness there either. But 'til then, bye! /mell