The late afternoon sunlight filtered through the blinds, bathing her
bedroom in a rosy glow. He opened the door quietly, not sure if she was
asleep. Pausing in the doorway, he took an unneeded breath and stared at
her lovingly. She was leaning against the pillows he had put underneath her
back, propping her limp body into a slight sitting position that was
supported by the wooden headboard of her bed. The battle had taken its toll
on his golden goddess; her entire body was a tapestry of purplish yellow
bruises, angry red gashes, white gauze and taupe adhesive bandages. Despite
all her wounds, Spike thought that she had never looked more beautiful.
He crossed the room, perching gently on the edge of her bed, not wanting to disturb her fitful sleep. His fingers brushed an errant lock of blonde hair off her forehead; even in sleep she recognized his feather-light touch, and she let out a soft sigh of pleasure. Tears burned his eyes as he drank in the sight of his beloved, not believing that she was real. The last five days seemed like a lifetime ago and for the first time since the horrific battle with the First, Spike allowed himself to relax. He slipped his long fingers around her tiny hand, relishing the perfect fit of her palm against his, as he thought back over all that had happened.
***********
Black clouds filled the sky, ominous and foreboding, as the small army stood valiantly in front of the gaping gateway to Hell. Buffy stood at the front of the tattered band of heroes, her eyes filled with sympathy and determination. She knew that this was the final battle, the ultimate test, the only thing that mattered anymore. Her army lay before her, a patchwork quilt of fighters, the only allies she had against the First. Buffy took a deep breath, her eyes drifting over the people assembled before her, knowing that this would be the last time they were all together. She cleared her throat, knowing that they only had a few minutes before the First ascended, only a small sliver of time to tell all these people how much she loved them and how thankful she was to have them by her side.
Her eyes flitted from person to person; no amount of words could tell them what they already knew. She started with Giles, moving over to Willow, Xander and Anya. Biting back tears she offered a grim smile to Dawn before locking eyes with each of the potential slayers, starting with Kennedy and ending with the redhead whose name she could never remember. Her gaze shifted to her fellow Chosen One, Faith and a brief smile grazed her lips. Continuing to look over her army, she glanced quickly at Robin Wood who was standing next to the three demon fighters from LA, before staring into the eyes of her first love. A faint sadness flashed over her face before she turned to the man beside her. His blue eyes pierced through hers, an expression of pain and determination; he was ready to die for her cause, to save the world because she had asked him to help. "This is it," she said, addressing her entire army although her eyes never left his face.
Breaking the gaze for an instant, she stared at the people in front of her, memorizing every detail about them. "I know we might not all make it," she began, "but know that we're not going to lose this battle. We will defeat the First, I promise you that." Tossing her hair back defiantly, she continued, "I had a great speech prepared but it's worthless now. We're here to send this thing back to the depths of Hell and I'm not leaving until we do. Now get ready, we have a beast to kill." She turned away from the group, facing the Hellmouth and extended her hand to the man beside her. "I need you," she whispered, so softly that only he could hear her. Spike nodded, "I know. I'll be right there beside you Slayer." A ghost of a smile drifted over her gaunt face, "until the end of the world," she asked hopefully. He smirked, "made a promise to a lady, didn't I?" The Earth began to tremble beneath their feet, indicating the presence of the First Evil and its army of demonic warriors. "If we don't make it, I just wanted you to know.I had to tell you, I want to tell you," she said, her voice rising as the rumblings got worse, "I love you." He smiled broadly, the first real smile she had seen in months, his undead heart doing back flips at the simple declaration. "I love you too," he shouted, kissing her quickly before they turned to meet the impending apocalypse.
The army of the First descended on them in waves, a sea of grayish brown beings that filled every inch of ground. A cacophony of battle sounds filled the air as the Scoobies met their attackers; agonized shrieks, the slapping noise of fist against flesh, anguished screams, the dull thud of metal against bone. Angel and Giles stood back to back, focusing on clearing a path for Buffy and Spike who were making their way towards the First. The potential slayers fought harder then they had known was possible, fueled by fear and adrenaline. Wood stabbed at the minions with his scabbard, staying close to the teenage girls, making sure that they stood a fighting chance. Dawn swung her axe cleanly through the demons, standing close to Anya as the demons kept coming closer. Xander kept his good eye trained on the monsters in front of him, keeping the creatures from disturbing Willow's protection spell. Faith kept up with the battle from her position behind the potentials, the First's army had formed a thick ring around the Scoobies and the enemy was coming out from all sides. Gunn and Wesley stood beside the brunette slayer, shielding Fred who was serving as Willow's magical anchor.
Buffy turned to Spike, "we need to get to the First," she shouted over the noise that surrounded them. He growled in agreement, unconsciously shifting into game face before turning back to the scaly creatures that stood in their way. Leaving Faith to protect the army, the blonde pair made their way through the throng of minions. Behind them, the Hellmouth roared in fury as it was slowly ripped open. Buffy slashed dozens of the ugly creatures with her sword, relishing the ease with which the blade ripped through the air. She watched in horror as the high school exploded once again, revealing the entrance to Hell; Giles had told all of them that the only way to defeat the First was to send it through the gateway. A feral roar tore through the air, bringing her back to the closed fist blows she was raining upon the demon in front of her. Spike alternated snapping necks and stabbing the demons with a heavy dagger, concentrating on bloodlust that was adding to his anger.
The skies darkened even more, plunging the high school parking lot into almost total darkness. In the back of her mind, Buffy was hoping that Willow knew a spell to illuminate the battlefield, so her warriors knew what they were fighting. A jeering laughter sliced through the sounds of combat, the First appeared in front of Buffy, a taunting smile on its face. "You can't defeat me little girl," it taunted, taking on the form of Joyce Summers, a halo of blonde hair framing her cold eyes. Buffy grimaced, "wrong answer," she snapped before charging at the beast, her sword raised. The First dodged her blows easily and Buffy poured every ounce of herself into the fight, her stabs more aggressive then ever before. She was so focused on her battle that she failed to notice the chilling déjà vu of having a sword fight in front of the entrance to Hell. Slowly, the chaos around her faded away until it was Buffy and the First squared off against each other. Joyce's face contorted into an evil sneer, "I told you it was useless to fight me. You and your little band of misfits don't stand a chance."
Buffy was caught off-guard, it was hard to continue assaulting something that looked and sounded so much like her mother. The First used her momentary falter to gain the upper hand, launching herself onto Buffy and knocking her to the ground. For the first time in her life, Buffy couldn't muster the strength to fight back; she was tired beyond the point of exhaustion. An evil glint flickered in Joyce's eyes, her hands wrapping securely around Buffy's slender neck and choking the air out of her. Buffy's eyes rolled back in her head as the iron fingers clenched her throat; she could feel the welcoming blackness of unconsciousness closing in around her. A blur of black and brown crossed Buffy's field of vision, relieving the pressure on her airway and knocking the First to the ground. Gasping for air, she propped herself up on one arm, coughing violently. She looked around, trying to find out who had saved her.
To her surprise, it was Faith who was raining punches down on the First, who had taken the form of a tall brunette that had to be the rogue Slayer's mother. They had moved closer to the fiery portal, each blow moving Buffy couldn't move from her spot on the ground and she watched helplessly as Faith tackled the First. Their combined momentum sent the two hurtling into the Hellmouth, Faith's chocolate eyes locking with Buffy's before she fell. The younger Slayer's voice echoed in her mind, "my turn to do something heroic." Tears spilled over Buffy's cheeks as she stared at the swirling red vortex that had enveloped Faith and the First. All around her, the demon army vanished into thin air, leaving the bewildered Scoobies standing amidst piles of rubble. As the eerie ruby light faded, moonlight bathed the ruined high school, illuminating those who survived and those who had fallen.
Slowly they began to move, converging in a tight circle around the spot where Faith had repaired the balance between good and evil by destroying the First. For a moment it seemed too simple, but in their hearts they knew that making the ultimate sacrifice is never an easy decision. Buffy tried to stand up but her aching muscles refused to comply. Sensing her distress, Spike appeared at her side, concerned etched over his face. "You alright pet," he asked, trying not to wince at the blood that was pouring out of a gash in her forehead. "Five by five," she whispered, before slumping over in a dead faint.
Spike ignored the piercing pain in his ribs as he bent over to pick up Buffy's limp body. He hissed in agony as one of the broken bones stabbed at his chest. A hand reached out to steady the slender vampire and Spike turned, expecting to see Giles or Xander; he was shocked to see the dark brooding eyes of his Grandsire. "Easy now," Angel said gruffly before helping Spike pick up Buffy. "She's looks so tiny," Spike commented as they made their way towards the others. Angel nodded, turning his attention to Giles who was trying to survey the damage. "What now," he asked, deferring authority to the Watcher, knowing that he and Spike had less then an hour until the sun rose. Giles rubbed his left shoulder, grimacing as he felt the jagged edge of bone under his fingers. "We go back to Buffy's house," he began and then stopped, not sure what they were all going to do now that the First had been defeated.
Looking around at the small group, tears filled Giles' eyes at how many they had lost; only a handful of his children remained. Willow was leaning heavily against Dawn, the pair gazing down forlornly at Kennedy's still body. Andrew was surrounded by the four remaining potential slayers crying over the wise-cracking geek who had treated them like they were some kind of mythical heroines instead of scared little girls. Fred was tying strips of her shirt around Gunn's upper arm, trying to stop some of the bleeding before they began the walk back to Revello Drive. Wesley was helping Xander get his bearings again; the construction worker's good eye was swollen to the size of an orange, rendering him temporarily blind while the Englishman tried to not put too much pressure on his broken ankle. Anya knelt beside Robin Wood, smiling forlornly as she reached over to close his unseeing eyes. It was Dawn who broke the silence, "did we win? Can we go home," she asked, her voice cracking under the strain. Giles nodded, "we won," he said with more conviction then he felt. Despite the overwhelming fatigue that swept through his body, he slipped his arm around Willow's shoulder, supporting the redhead and wrapping his other arm around Dawn. Taking one last look at the battlefield Giles murmured, "let's go home."
***********
Spike shook his head, trying to clear the troubling images of their battle with the First from his mind. It had been five days since Faith had saved the world and in those few days, Revello Drive had become less of a command center and more of a home. Buffy had been in and out of consciousness since the battle but no one dared to suggest that she should go to a hospital. Spike cleared his throat and began to talk to her again, hoping that the sound of his voice would persuade her to come back to the world of the living. "Well pet, the last of the potentials left this morning, said she was going back to Cleveland and to tell you she said thanks for everything. Angel's people took her to the airport and then they drove back to LA. But you need to wake up ducks, because Peaches said he won't leave without saying a proper goodbye. And I can't deal with him in this house anymore; even the Nibblet thinks he's moody." Spike paused to chuckle at the irony of a hormonal teenage girl telling the soulful Angel that he had mood swings.
When he looked back over at Buffy, she was staring at him, her green eyes wide at the sight of him sitting in front of her, a soft smile dancing lightly over her face. "Hey," she murmured, squeezing his hand affectionately. Spike's smile stretched across his face, a genuine smile that lit up his blue eyes like twinkling stars. "Hey yourself luv," he said, "how're you feeling?" She screwed up her face, "like I got hit by a bus," eliciting another chuckle from Spike. "How'd we do," she asked, her tone turning serious. Spike looked away, not ready to answer her questions about the battle. Noticing his reluctance, Buffy sighed heavily; she didn't really want to know all the grisly details but felt that it was her duty as commander to ask. "Come here," she ordered gently, patting the spot on the bed next to her. Spike raised his scarred eyebrow and she swatted his chest gently, "I just want to lean against you, listen to you talk. For a minute I didn't think I'd ever see you again." She leaned against his body, mindful of her still tender muscles, relaxing in his protective embrace. "Takes a lot more then that to get rid of me pet," he quipped. Buffy snuggled her head into the crook of his neck, "good," she murmured before drifting off to sleep.
The digital clock on Buffy's nightstand read 10:43 when she opened her eyes, her face pillowed against Spike's chest. "Mmm, this is nice," she whispered sleepily, loving the way their bodies fit together, "a girl could get used to this." Spike dropped a gentle kiss on her blonde curls, "could probably arrange something luv." She stretched languidly, reaching up to capture Spike's lips in a passionate kiss.
He crossed the room, perching gently on the edge of her bed, not wanting to disturb her fitful sleep. His fingers brushed an errant lock of blonde hair off her forehead; even in sleep she recognized his feather-light touch, and she let out a soft sigh of pleasure. Tears burned his eyes as he drank in the sight of his beloved, not believing that she was real. The last five days seemed like a lifetime ago and for the first time since the horrific battle with the First, Spike allowed himself to relax. He slipped his long fingers around her tiny hand, relishing the perfect fit of her palm against his, as he thought back over all that had happened.
***********
Black clouds filled the sky, ominous and foreboding, as the small army stood valiantly in front of the gaping gateway to Hell. Buffy stood at the front of the tattered band of heroes, her eyes filled with sympathy and determination. She knew that this was the final battle, the ultimate test, the only thing that mattered anymore. Her army lay before her, a patchwork quilt of fighters, the only allies she had against the First. Buffy took a deep breath, her eyes drifting over the people assembled before her, knowing that this would be the last time they were all together. She cleared her throat, knowing that they only had a few minutes before the First ascended, only a small sliver of time to tell all these people how much she loved them and how thankful she was to have them by her side.
Her eyes flitted from person to person; no amount of words could tell them what they already knew. She started with Giles, moving over to Willow, Xander and Anya. Biting back tears she offered a grim smile to Dawn before locking eyes with each of the potential slayers, starting with Kennedy and ending with the redhead whose name she could never remember. Her gaze shifted to her fellow Chosen One, Faith and a brief smile grazed her lips. Continuing to look over her army, she glanced quickly at Robin Wood who was standing next to the three demon fighters from LA, before staring into the eyes of her first love. A faint sadness flashed over her face before she turned to the man beside her. His blue eyes pierced through hers, an expression of pain and determination; he was ready to die for her cause, to save the world because she had asked him to help. "This is it," she said, addressing her entire army although her eyes never left his face.
Breaking the gaze for an instant, she stared at the people in front of her, memorizing every detail about them. "I know we might not all make it," she began, "but know that we're not going to lose this battle. We will defeat the First, I promise you that." Tossing her hair back defiantly, she continued, "I had a great speech prepared but it's worthless now. We're here to send this thing back to the depths of Hell and I'm not leaving until we do. Now get ready, we have a beast to kill." She turned away from the group, facing the Hellmouth and extended her hand to the man beside her. "I need you," she whispered, so softly that only he could hear her. Spike nodded, "I know. I'll be right there beside you Slayer." A ghost of a smile drifted over her gaunt face, "until the end of the world," she asked hopefully. He smirked, "made a promise to a lady, didn't I?" The Earth began to tremble beneath their feet, indicating the presence of the First Evil and its army of demonic warriors. "If we don't make it, I just wanted you to know.I had to tell you, I want to tell you," she said, her voice rising as the rumblings got worse, "I love you." He smiled broadly, the first real smile she had seen in months, his undead heart doing back flips at the simple declaration. "I love you too," he shouted, kissing her quickly before they turned to meet the impending apocalypse.
The army of the First descended on them in waves, a sea of grayish brown beings that filled every inch of ground. A cacophony of battle sounds filled the air as the Scoobies met their attackers; agonized shrieks, the slapping noise of fist against flesh, anguished screams, the dull thud of metal against bone. Angel and Giles stood back to back, focusing on clearing a path for Buffy and Spike who were making their way towards the First. The potential slayers fought harder then they had known was possible, fueled by fear and adrenaline. Wood stabbed at the minions with his scabbard, staying close to the teenage girls, making sure that they stood a fighting chance. Dawn swung her axe cleanly through the demons, standing close to Anya as the demons kept coming closer. Xander kept his good eye trained on the monsters in front of him, keeping the creatures from disturbing Willow's protection spell. Faith kept up with the battle from her position behind the potentials, the First's army had formed a thick ring around the Scoobies and the enemy was coming out from all sides. Gunn and Wesley stood beside the brunette slayer, shielding Fred who was serving as Willow's magical anchor.
Buffy turned to Spike, "we need to get to the First," she shouted over the noise that surrounded them. He growled in agreement, unconsciously shifting into game face before turning back to the scaly creatures that stood in their way. Leaving Faith to protect the army, the blonde pair made their way through the throng of minions. Behind them, the Hellmouth roared in fury as it was slowly ripped open. Buffy slashed dozens of the ugly creatures with her sword, relishing the ease with which the blade ripped through the air. She watched in horror as the high school exploded once again, revealing the entrance to Hell; Giles had told all of them that the only way to defeat the First was to send it through the gateway. A feral roar tore through the air, bringing her back to the closed fist blows she was raining upon the demon in front of her. Spike alternated snapping necks and stabbing the demons with a heavy dagger, concentrating on bloodlust that was adding to his anger.
The skies darkened even more, plunging the high school parking lot into almost total darkness. In the back of her mind, Buffy was hoping that Willow knew a spell to illuminate the battlefield, so her warriors knew what they were fighting. A jeering laughter sliced through the sounds of combat, the First appeared in front of Buffy, a taunting smile on its face. "You can't defeat me little girl," it taunted, taking on the form of Joyce Summers, a halo of blonde hair framing her cold eyes. Buffy grimaced, "wrong answer," she snapped before charging at the beast, her sword raised. The First dodged her blows easily and Buffy poured every ounce of herself into the fight, her stabs more aggressive then ever before. She was so focused on her battle that she failed to notice the chilling déjà vu of having a sword fight in front of the entrance to Hell. Slowly, the chaos around her faded away until it was Buffy and the First squared off against each other. Joyce's face contorted into an evil sneer, "I told you it was useless to fight me. You and your little band of misfits don't stand a chance."
Buffy was caught off-guard, it was hard to continue assaulting something that looked and sounded so much like her mother. The First used her momentary falter to gain the upper hand, launching herself onto Buffy and knocking her to the ground. For the first time in her life, Buffy couldn't muster the strength to fight back; she was tired beyond the point of exhaustion. An evil glint flickered in Joyce's eyes, her hands wrapping securely around Buffy's slender neck and choking the air out of her. Buffy's eyes rolled back in her head as the iron fingers clenched her throat; she could feel the welcoming blackness of unconsciousness closing in around her. A blur of black and brown crossed Buffy's field of vision, relieving the pressure on her airway and knocking the First to the ground. Gasping for air, she propped herself up on one arm, coughing violently. She looked around, trying to find out who had saved her.
To her surprise, it was Faith who was raining punches down on the First, who had taken the form of a tall brunette that had to be the rogue Slayer's mother. They had moved closer to the fiery portal, each blow moving Buffy couldn't move from her spot on the ground and she watched helplessly as Faith tackled the First. Their combined momentum sent the two hurtling into the Hellmouth, Faith's chocolate eyes locking with Buffy's before she fell. The younger Slayer's voice echoed in her mind, "my turn to do something heroic." Tears spilled over Buffy's cheeks as she stared at the swirling red vortex that had enveloped Faith and the First. All around her, the demon army vanished into thin air, leaving the bewildered Scoobies standing amidst piles of rubble. As the eerie ruby light faded, moonlight bathed the ruined high school, illuminating those who survived and those who had fallen.
Slowly they began to move, converging in a tight circle around the spot where Faith had repaired the balance between good and evil by destroying the First. For a moment it seemed too simple, but in their hearts they knew that making the ultimate sacrifice is never an easy decision. Buffy tried to stand up but her aching muscles refused to comply. Sensing her distress, Spike appeared at her side, concerned etched over his face. "You alright pet," he asked, trying not to wince at the blood that was pouring out of a gash in her forehead. "Five by five," she whispered, before slumping over in a dead faint.
Spike ignored the piercing pain in his ribs as he bent over to pick up Buffy's limp body. He hissed in agony as one of the broken bones stabbed at his chest. A hand reached out to steady the slender vampire and Spike turned, expecting to see Giles or Xander; he was shocked to see the dark brooding eyes of his Grandsire. "Easy now," Angel said gruffly before helping Spike pick up Buffy. "She's looks so tiny," Spike commented as they made their way towards the others. Angel nodded, turning his attention to Giles who was trying to survey the damage. "What now," he asked, deferring authority to the Watcher, knowing that he and Spike had less then an hour until the sun rose. Giles rubbed his left shoulder, grimacing as he felt the jagged edge of bone under his fingers. "We go back to Buffy's house," he began and then stopped, not sure what they were all going to do now that the First had been defeated.
Looking around at the small group, tears filled Giles' eyes at how many they had lost; only a handful of his children remained. Willow was leaning heavily against Dawn, the pair gazing down forlornly at Kennedy's still body. Andrew was surrounded by the four remaining potential slayers crying over the wise-cracking geek who had treated them like they were some kind of mythical heroines instead of scared little girls. Fred was tying strips of her shirt around Gunn's upper arm, trying to stop some of the bleeding before they began the walk back to Revello Drive. Wesley was helping Xander get his bearings again; the construction worker's good eye was swollen to the size of an orange, rendering him temporarily blind while the Englishman tried to not put too much pressure on his broken ankle. Anya knelt beside Robin Wood, smiling forlornly as she reached over to close his unseeing eyes. It was Dawn who broke the silence, "did we win? Can we go home," she asked, her voice cracking under the strain. Giles nodded, "we won," he said with more conviction then he felt. Despite the overwhelming fatigue that swept through his body, he slipped his arm around Willow's shoulder, supporting the redhead and wrapping his other arm around Dawn. Taking one last look at the battlefield Giles murmured, "let's go home."
***********
Spike shook his head, trying to clear the troubling images of their battle with the First from his mind. It had been five days since Faith had saved the world and in those few days, Revello Drive had become less of a command center and more of a home. Buffy had been in and out of consciousness since the battle but no one dared to suggest that she should go to a hospital. Spike cleared his throat and began to talk to her again, hoping that the sound of his voice would persuade her to come back to the world of the living. "Well pet, the last of the potentials left this morning, said she was going back to Cleveland and to tell you she said thanks for everything. Angel's people took her to the airport and then they drove back to LA. But you need to wake up ducks, because Peaches said he won't leave without saying a proper goodbye. And I can't deal with him in this house anymore; even the Nibblet thinks he's moody." Spike paused to chuckle at the irony of a hormonal teenage girl telling the soulful Angel that he had mood swings.
When he looked back over at Buffy, she was staring at him, her green eyes wide at the sight of him sitting in front of her, a soft smile dancing lightly over her face. "Hey," she murmured, squeezing his hand affectionately. Spike's smile stretched across his face, a genuine smile that lit up his blue eyes like twinkling stars. "Hey yourself luv," he said, "how're you feeling?" She screwed up her face, "like I got hit by a bus," eliciting another chuckle from Spike. "How'd we do," she asked, her tone turning serious. Spike looked away, not ready to answer her questions about the battle. Noticing his reluctance, Buffy sighed heavily; she didn't really want to know all the grisly details but felt that it was her duty as commander to ask. "Come here," she ordered gently, patting the spot on the bed next to her. Spike raised his scarred eyebrow and she swatted his chest gently, "I just want to lean against you, listen to you talk. For a minute I didn't think I'd ever see you again." She leaned against his body, mindful of her still tender muscles, relaxing in his protective embrace. "Takes a lot more then that to get rid of me pet," he quipped. Buffy snuggled her head into the crook of his neck, "good," she murmured before drifting off to sleep.
The digital clock on Buffy's nightstand read 10:43 when she opened her eyes, her face pillowed against Spike's chest. "Mmm, this is nice," she whispered sleepily, loving the way their bodies fit together, "a girl could get used to this." Spike dropped a gentle kiss on her blonde curls, "could probably arrange something luv." She stretched languidly, reaching up to capture Spike's lips in a passionate kiss.