Chapter Twenty-Seven

"'Bout bleeding time's right." Spike said from his place against the wall. "These slayer types think they're something special."

"You're not Spike." Buffy said.

"Isn't he?" Drusilla said, as she stepped out of the shadows. "Are you sure?"

"Yes." Buffy said as she raised her hand to Spike, "I'm sure." She fired off a powerful punch, expecting to go straight through the figure before her. Buffy's punch connected against Spike's face sending him flying into the wall.

"Told you so." Drusilla giggled like a schoolgirl. "It's so delicious."

"I don't, I don't understand." Buffy said.

"Well, let's have a lesson then." Spike said. "The big bad here's done some, remodeling one may call it."

"You're soul." Buffy said, her face hard.

"All gone." Spike said. "It's a wonderful feeling."

"My Spike's come back to me." Drusilla said, pressing herself against Spike.

Buffy turned as footsteps echoed in the basement. The new slayers flung themselves down the steps, followed quickly by the rest of the team.

"Spike." Angel practically snarled.

"Daddy." Drusilla squealed with delight.

"Yea, not even all soul having any more." Spike said. "All human and the like."

"Just like Grandmother was." Drusilla said. "Before I gave her a present."

Angel let a bolt fly from the crossbow, hitting Drusilla in the chest; she exploded in a cloud of dust as her body was pushed against the wall. Spike started to attack. Buffy punched him hard, sending him flying into Drusilla's ashes.

Buffy attacked Spike with fury, all the while screaming at him, "I trusted you! I let you into my home! I protected you! Helped you!" Buffy enunciated each word with a harsh punch, driving Spike further and further from the fray.

Faith shouted, "It must know our plan!"

The color washed out of Giles's face as the doors to the basement slammed shut, sealing the group inside. "No." He whispered.

"How easy it was to get you here." A voice called out. Jenny Calendar stood before the group.

"Jenny?" Giles said, his voice breaking.

"Oh, Rupert. How I missed you all these years." Jenny said, sliding her hands toward his face.

"You're not real." Giles said, as he pushed his hand threw Jenny's form.

Willow began chanting in the background. "Demon be gone from this place." She started.

"Give it up, little girl." Jenny said, moving toward Willow. "You can't stop me. You don't have that kind of power."

Willow tried to ignore Jenny's comments. She closed her eyes and chanted harder.

"You can't stop me now." Jenny said. "My babies are already flooding onto the streets. Once night falls, it'll be my playground. No slayers, no monster fighters, no warriors and champions of the people. Just me. Evil. True Evil in its purest form." Jenny cackled.

Willow began chanting louder and faster, her hair and eyes went black again. Xander reached out to touch her. "Stay away!" Willow screamed at Xander, sending him soaring through the air.

"Oh, I wasn't expecting that." Jenny said, moving to Willow's side. "Feel it, little girl. Feel me running through your every movement. Breathe me in. Be evil, give in to me."

"No!" Willow screamed. "Be gone from this place! Demon leave. Evil leave. Be gone!" Willow continued to chant, fire and lightening sparked on her fingers.

Jenny laughed.

Buffy and Faith watched in horror as Willow became more and more consumed by the magicks.

"Fight it, Willow." Buffy called, worried.

"No." Willow spat. "I'm not powerful enough to stop The First alone." Willow blinked, her eyes cleared of the darkness as a light settle beside her.

"You are strong." The light whispered. "You're my Willow, my Amazon. You don't need the darkness to fight evil. You need yourself."

"Tara?" Willow's voice cracked. "Baby?"

"I'm here." Tara said, her form becoming more visible in the light. "I'm always here."

"I can't." Willow said.

"You can." Tara said. She reached out and touched Willow. Willow's eyes and hair instantly turned to normal.

Willow began chanting again, Tara joined her, holding her hand. A blue light swirled from below, as the chanting grew stronger, louder.

Buffy watched in awe as the blue light covered Jenny's body and morphed it into a large demonic visage. The light swirled faster and faster.

Tears fell from Willow's eyes as Tara's body moved closer and closer to her. Tara whispered, "I'm always with you Willow, part of you. I will never leave you alone."

Willow nodded, tears flowing from her eyes. She grasped Tara's hand as she hand the first time they did a spell together. Flashed of their life together overwhelmed Willow as she began chanting a new spell. The blue light swirled faster around The First Evil.

Demons began pouring into the basement as if somehow sensing their master was in trouble. They attacked quickly, overtaking many of the group. Everyone struggled to get the upper hand.

"Stop!" The First commanded. The demons stopped fighting and moved away. Willow continued chanting, the blue light now flowing from her body and surrounding The First. "Everyone stops now, or the girl dies."

Buffy looked over and saw three large demons holding Dawn. One of the demons had his hands poised to break her neck in an instant. Tears fell from Dawn's eyes.

"Stop what you are doing now!" The First commanded. "Or else the girl dies."

Willow stopped chanting as looked as Dawn.

"No." Dawn called out. "Buffy!"

"Willow." Buffy said calmly. "Keep chanting."

"What?" Willow asked surprised. "Keep the spell going!"

"They'll kill Dawn!" Willow shouted back.

"You're hurting it." Buffy said. "Willow, please." Buffy's voice cracked as tears began falling from her eyes.

Willow inhaled, fighting back her own tears and continued the spell.

"Idiots!" The First cried as the demon moved to snap Dawn's neck.

A harsh sound echoed through the room.