Buffy ran. She ran as fast as she could towards the Initiative caves. Willow and Xander could barely keep up with the slayer. She was on a mission for life and even her friends were no match for her determination.

Willow had suggested a locator spell right after they left but Buffy had turned the idea down. She said she could find him on her own. She didn't know why, but she could sense him calling to her. She could hear his screams.

***

The blue demons sat in a semicircle in front of Spike. Lit candles sat in small wooden bowls on the ground in front of them. Each demon held a lit black candle. Chants echoed through the caves and the red glow that filled the cave before was now growing brighter.

Oh, great spirit of power,
come to us, hear our plea.
grant us our desire, live inside us
our bodies we give to thee.

The ground started to shake as the demons chanted louder. The time was near and they must not fail!

***

Buffy ran. Everything else began to fade away until only the sound of her fast beating heart thumped in her ear. Flashes of Spike and her together blew through her mind like a whirlwind. Suddenly it seemed as if her and her friends were moving in slow motion. The caves now seemed so far away. Buffy ran faster.

***

Spike screamed in pain as the knife cut through his cold flesh like a hot knife through butter. The knife burned as it sliced through flesh and muscle and scraped against his ribs. From side to side the knife slowly slashed. Blood poured from his wound like a slow flowing waterfall and seeped down his naked abdomen.

***

Buffy ran into the caves. Spike's screams rang in the air and echoed inside her head. She couldn't be too late, not this time! She had found what Spike was looking for and she had to show him. He couldn't die! She had searched so long and so hard for it, she couldn't let him down again.

***

Tears flowed freely down Spike's face as his screams continued to echo through the air. Again and again the merciless knife sliced into his skin, his muscle. It burned like a fire within him. Blood covered his arms, chest and abdomen covering his cold flesh as Row'thsa forced the knife through over and over.

The ground still shook and made ripples in the pool of blood now growing around the vampire's feet.

Spike whimpered wearily. He felt faint as the unlife slowly drained from his veins. Save me.

***

Buffy ran as fast as she could back and forth, in and out. She could hear Spike's screams but they seemed to bounce off the stone walls and fill the air around her. She couldn't make out where the screams were coming from.

Panic filled Buffy and she realized she couldn't find Spike like this. She had to stop and catch her bearings. Buffy stopped as the cave forked off into two directions. Which one? Right or left? I don't know which way!

Before panic overtook her completely, Buffy closed her eyes and forced herself to concentrate on the sound of her fast beating heart and quick breaths. Spike, talk to me. Tell me where you are--please!

***

Spike forced his eyes open halfway. Buffy? Pain burned through his body in scorching waves and he felt too weak to even breathe. Buffy? Buffy, save me! He could hear her voice--he knew he could! Or was he just hallucinating? His head hurt. Buffy, help me!

***

Buffy threw down her weapons and ran. The whispers in her head grew stronger but the screams had stopped. Please be alive! The ground shook fiercely and rocks had begun to fall around Buffy's head. Turning a corner she gasped and abruptly stopped. Ahead of her, a massive pile of boulders and rubble blocked the path deeper into the cave. Moonlight shone through a large hole in the ceiling of the cave above the pile. No! Spike!

***

Spike hung limp in his chains. Unbearable pain flooded his nearly blood exhausted body. The vampire tried to whisper Buffy's name once more but didn't have enough energy to force the word through his lips.

Suddenly an icy cool rush flowed within Spike. He tried a scream but none came. The relentless knife ceased from cutting through him again and Spike heard Row'thsa hiss, Yes! Power come to us!

Spike let out a whimper as the icy feelings welled up inside him and started beating at his flesh trying to find a way out of his body. Spike was filled with sharp pains like hot pokers being driven through him from the inside out. Again he tried to scream.

Buffy gasped as she saw the sight before her. She ignored the pain in her hands from cuts and gashes. She had removed every boulder and pebble that stood in her way, by hand.

Hearing the slayer's voice, Spike tried to open his eyes. His strength was completely gone, he didn't even have enough to lift his eyelids. He felt himself slowly fading away.

You're too late, slayer! Row'thsa grinned. We have begun to receive the power! The Source has been sacrificed!

Buffy shouted in denial. No, he can't be dead--I love him! Buffy began to sob.

Spike gathered up the last tiny bit of hope he had inside him and whispered her name with his last painful sigh.

Buffy ignored the blue demons and Row'thsa as she ran to the vampire. Tears melded as her lips met his in drastic desperation. With the hot passion of every last kiss on earth, the slayer kissed the vampire deeply.

Thunder rolled louder and lightning flashed brighter inside the cave. Row'thsa screamed and was followed by the others' screams.

Buffy held Spike's bloody face in her hands as she kissed him with all the love inside her.

The blue demons' eyes glowed a bright green as their screams swirled around the cave.

She kissed him for her mother.

Lightning struck the blue demons.

She kissed him for Dawn.

Light encircled the demons and deafening thunder shrouded their screams.

She kissed him for her.

Blue flashes of light erupted around the demons.

She loved him!

With a finale of screams, blue flashes, and thunder, the demons exploded. Their blue parts disintegrated into blue dust. A thick beam of blue, green, and white light hovered where they had stood, like a giant snake moving above the ground.

The caves shook fiercely and the ground shifted and cracked below the slayer's feet, pulling her from Spike and knocking her to the ground. Spike glowed green and Buffy stared at him unable to move.

Without warning, the thick bolt of multicolored light struck out towards Spike who hung limp once more. Buffy sprang to her feet and flung herself between the light and the vampire. Stay away from him! she cried.

The light lunged and Buffy stood rooted as the bolt of light struck her in the chest. An icy rush went through Buffy and her breath left her as the light passed through her chest and entered the fallen vampire behind her.

Spike's eyes opened with a jolt. His eyes became glowing emeralds of green as his head flung back. His screams filled the cave once more. The multicolored light inside him made his skin glow brightly. Lightning struck him and thunder rolled in the cave until Buffy's head pounded. The ground shook violently and rocks came down around Buffy who quickly moved towards Spike.

Suddenly everything stopped.