A/N: Sorry about the shortness of yesterday's update. Midterms and work are kicking my ass. Thanks for all the feedback.

Chapter Thirty-Nine

Buffy fought with everything she had. Punch, kick, block, roundhouse, punch; it was like her body was working separately from her mind. She wasn't thinking about the fight. She was just fighting.

Faith was to Buffy's right; she barely registered the fact that she was tired and injured from previous battles. Faith moved quickly, she threw punch after punch, knocking The First back. The First retaliated with a brutal punch to her face, sending Faith soaring on to the ground. She lifted her arms to block any further blows, but none came. Faith looked up.

Angel grabbed The First and wrenched its arm behind its back and turned him around towards Buffy who kicked The First with everything she could muster. Both Angel and The First flew back a few feet. Angel kicked up and rose from the ground, but The First was too quick. The First jumped on top of Angel, knocking him back to the ground. The First began punched Angel. Blood poured from various wounds as Angel fought back.

"Get off of him!" Faith yelled as she kicked out with her foot. It connected squarely with The First's jaw. Its head snapped to the side. Faith leaned down and punched it in the mouth. Angel's arm shot up and hit The First under the chin, knocking it onto the floor and off of Angel. Faith grabbed Angel's hand and pulled him up.

Buffy stood ready for The First. As it slid across the floor, Buffy pounced. She landed a flurry of punches and kicks, working The First back to a corner.

Angel and Faith rejoined Buffy and the three continued to fight.

Buffy pulled a sword from her bag and spun it in her hand. Without any further flourish, she plunged the sword deep into The First's body. Dark blood poured from the wound.

"No!" The First shouted, clutching the wound on its side. "You!" Its eyes turned bright red, "You die now!" The First's fist shot out quickly and knocked Buffy into the basement wall. The impact caused Buffy to land in a pile of rubble as loosened bricks and stone poured out on to Buffy.

Angel heard Buffy whimper as she hit the floor. His inner-demon took over. Angel rushed The First and began attacking without thought.

Faith leapt into the fray, knocking The First back with blow after blow. The two fought together.

"Wesley!" Faith shouted over the sounds of the battle. "Wes!"

-

Wesley was deep into battle with two fierce looking gray and black demons. They had him cornered, his sword a few feet away from where he now stood. Wesley's back was against the wall. He concentrated on getting out of this predicament. Wesley was completely immersed in the fight when he heard Faith scream for him.

"Giles!" Wesley called. Within moments, Giles was behind Wesley taking on one of the two demons. Wesley fought off the other and ran to where Buffy laid on the ground.

"What happened?" Giles said as he rushed to Wesley's side. He looked at his slayer, bloody and beaten.

"She's pretty bad." Wesley said. "She probably needs a doctor."

"No time." Buffy whispered.

"We have to get out of here." Giles said.

-

The First was weakening. It was barely fighting back against Faith and Angel's attack.

"You're gonna pay for that!" Faith screamed, accentuating her words with vicious punches.

Faith kicked The First in the head, knocking it back into Angel, who grabbed its head and yanked. The snap echoed through the entire basement.

The First's body fell to the ground with a giant thud.

"Willow, now!" Giles called.

Lorne dropped the last piece of bloodroot onto the floor as Willow began to chant.

Willow stood tall and called out "Violence restrained, demons disarmed, For mortal within these walls, no harm. Protection and safety this charm doth endow, To make this shelter a sanctuary now!"

With a flash, the room became protected. The Slayers, with out Buffy, continued to fight as anything that was even part demon was rendered helpless.

"Connor!" Angel yelled. "Help me!"

Connor rushed to his father's side and helped to lift Buffy, the two men, followed by the two watchers, carried Buffy from the basement. As they exited the basement, the sun was glistening on the horizon.

"We've got it." Giles said, taking Buffy from Angel.

"Connor, keep them safe." Angel said.

Connor nodded and left with Wesley and Giles.

Angel blocked the doors as demons began to emerge from the basement. Vampires, demons, even The Bringers ran quickly fleeing the force below. Kennedy was the first to emerge after the demons, followed by Rona, Vi and Molly. The four girls followed the demons with weapons at the ready.

Oz and Gunn exited next, with Dawn in tow. Her face and arms were cut and bleeding. Despite the girl's apparent injuries, her first thought was her sister.

"Where's Buffy?" She asked.

-

Rondell sat in the wooden chair in front of the basement door. The other boys were scattered in the kitchen talking, eating and relaxing.

The backdoor shattered open with a splinter. "The Vampire." Wood growled. "Get out of my way." Wood rushed Rondell and knocked him down. Rondell stood and hit Wood in the face. "Stop protecting that demon!" Wood shouted. "He dies now!"