Hugs to Sigma for beta this for me! You are the best!!!!!!!!!!!!
Chapter 13
Buffy woke to rolling waves of agony. She ached everywhere, and it felt like a rib or two were broken.
It was dark where she was staying, and it took only a second to remember what had happened. She remembered fighting with Angelus and running away from him--and the old lady who tried to help her...she moaned in pain and regret as she remembered him snapping the old lady's neck.
"Oh, god...it was my fault..."
"Buffy?"
She turned her head toward the voice, wincing at the new pain. Someone was there, their faint whisper sounding broken.
"S-Spike? Is that you?" She asked hesitantly, not quite sure what might be lurking in the darkness.
"Yes, luv, it's me. Are you all right, considering...?"
"Yes, I think so. Where are we, Spike? Angelus...Did you see him? "
"Not yet, luv, but I've met his friends." He snorted, moving into the faint light, his bruises evident.
She gasped in surprise and shock as she got a good look at him. His face was swollen, with a black eye and bruised, puffy lips. Someone had roughed him up quite a bit.
"Buffy...?"
"What?" Was he saying something to her? Her mind felt blurred and confused; it was hard to think.
"I...We should try to get away from here before Angelus gets back."
"What happened Spike? How did you get here?"
"I don't remember, luv. Last thing I remember is stepping outside. I guess that's where he caught me...what about you?"
Buffy groaned slightly as her body began to throb. "I was looking for you; you weren't in the room. I went to look for you, and he was just there...waiting for me. I tried to fight him, but I couldn't...something is wrong Spike. He was stronger then ever, stronger then me. I couldn't beat him, so I ran for it. Someone opened the door for me--some old lady. She tried to help me, but Angelus persuaded her to let him in, then he..." She shook with painful sobs as she thought of the innocent life taken by his hands.
"It wasn't your fault, luv. Angelus always gets what he wants."
"I know." She whispered bitterly. "We need to get out of here--and fast--before he returns. Got any ideas?"
"Don't know. You're the slayer, luv; I'm only the side kick." He tried to lighten the moment, but the joke fell flat.
She couldn't even bring herself to smile as silent tears crept down her cheeks, and she turned slightly away from him. What would happen if they failed? Who will save her friends?
"Buffy, I have an idea..." Spike frantically thought of a plan and was rewarded as her hopeful eyes looked into his.
"What?"
"I think..."
The door suddenly burst open, and a dim light shone in from the hall. There was someone standing there with a flashlight. "Buffy...?"
Buffy gasped in surprise. "Xander!?" She asked hesitantly, afraid that her ears had deceived her.
"Yep, it's me." He hurried into the room, Willow and Dawn right behind.
Buffy sat in a daze as they quickly cut the ropes that had held her. She snapped back to reality as she realized that her sister stood in front of her--whole and healthy.
"Dawn!" She pulled her sister tight. "You're safe! They...how did you find her?"
Willow grinned at her. "It was no biggy. I did this locator spell, and found you here and Dawn as well. There were only two vamps guarding her, so it was a piece of cake. Well, not that it actually was cake, but it was easy..."
Buffy, letting go of Dawn, grabbed Willow in a strong hug. "Thank you!"
"Er...slayer...?" Spike shifted uncomfortably, still tied up.
"Sorry." Buffy mumbled sheepishly as she cut him loose.
As they left, a few vampire rushed them, but Buffy fought them easily, and the group headed outside as fast as they could.
"We took Angel's car." Willow explained as they piled into it.
"What now?" panted Xander, trying to catch his breath.
"Now," said Buffy as she fastened the seat belt and turned to him, "we hide. I need to find out what happened with Angelus, why he's so much stronger."
They drove as quickly as they could to the Hyperion, then Willow immediately did an un-invite spell to insure that Angelus wouldn't be able to come in.
"How are you, Dawnie?" Buffy stroked her sister's hair lovingly.
"'k, I guess. He didn't hurt me...like you said, he's after you. Buffy...I don't want to lose you."
"And I don't want to die. Don't worry, we'll work out a plan. We always do. Why don't you try to get some sleep?"
Dawn nodded and soon slipped off into dreamland. Buffy sighed heavily, watching her for a minute, before she joined the others.
They searched all night looking for something to use against the dangerous vampire, but they found nothing.
Exhaustion and stress broke through Buffy's defenses as she studied book after book. Finally, she fell asleep, her book still on her lap.
When she woke up the next morning, Spike was sitting next to her. Seeing that she was awake, he quickly jumped up and got her some freshly-brewed coffee.
"How are you holding up?" His vibrant blue eyes stared at her in concern.
"Fine, I guess. I was so tired. Spike...I'm afraid that we won't be able to stop Angelus...what if he kills all of us? What if...?"
"Slayer!" He cut her off sharply. "Don't give up now. You've always won in the end; why should this time be any different. Your sis is all right and with us. We're all safe as long as we stick together."
"Yes, but for how long, Spike? We can't just stay here forever! What if this is what he is counting on? His entire plan could be getting us to stay here while he rules over the un-guarded Sunnydale."
Spike didn't answer her.
Xander, just then, hurried back inside, carrying donuts. The group sat in uncomfortable silence, eating snack after snack and drinking gallons of coffee.
Buffy excused herself several times to go outside, taking Dawn with her sometimes.
They all dreaded the sunset, knowing all too well that Angelus would come to finish the battle with Buffy.
Unwanted, a thought crept into Buffy's mind. It was all too easy--the way they found Dawn and managed to escape Angelus and his minions. It wasn't like the vampire to leave a way out...not like him at all. However, she dismissed the thought, being too busy with planning and researching.
When the evening came, so did Angelus. He stood in front of the Hyperion's front door, enraged. "Buffy!!!!!!!!!!!" He roared. "Let me in!"
The gang faced him; Willow and Xander standing behind Spike, not noticing how they were unconciously seeking his protection. Dawn stood not too far away, her blue eyes filled fear. Buffy stood near the threshold, smirking slightly.
She snorted. "That is not gonna happen, Angelus. You'd better rethink your strategy."
Angelus smiled cockily. "Fine, Buff, whatever. I tried; don't say I didn't!" He cooly reached into his pocket and pulled out a cell phone. "Boys...burn the hotel."
"Wha..." Buffy gasped, not believing he would do such a thing. "What are you doing?"
"Hmm, where did all your bluster go?" He smirked, "It's very simple, Buffy: if you won't come out to finish our little...dispute, then my boys will burn the hotel down with everyone inside it."
"Really? And what about our fight?" She desperately tried to think of something--anything!--to stall him.
"Well, I was kinda hoping we wouldn't come to this, but if I have to win this way, then so be it."
She'd lost, and she knew it. Either way she was dead. The only difference was that with the first option, her friends would be safe. After all, he wanted her, not them. She was the Slayer; another would take her place when she died.
"All right." She sighed in defeat. "I'll come with you on one condition: your boys are leaving as well. We'll fight--just the two of us...unless you think that you can't take me without them!"
Angelus snarled at the challenge. "Fine. Boys...you can leave. I'll handle the slayer."
"Buffy, no!" Willow shook her head in denial. "Don't do this. We'll find a way!"
She turned to them sadly. "No, you won't, not in time. They will burn the hotel and all of us inside it. I have to do this."
The gang frantically continued to protest, but she stepped over the barrier and faced Angelus.
"You look lovely today, dear." He grinned evilly.
"Cut the bullshit, Angelus, and fight already!" She snapped, sick of his mind games.
"Ok, let's fight, bitch!"
Before he could move, she spin-kicked him, knocking him hard to the concrete. The two fought, using every skill they knew. Each time Buffy was losing, the gang cringed, wanting to run to her side; whenever she was kicking his ass--sometimes literally--they cheered.
Buffy had prepared herself for this fight all day. She knew she'd need every ounce of her strength to beat him, and she used it.
Angelus made one mistake: he was too confident, too sure of himself. After defeating her so easily during their last fight, he'd stopped worrying about losing. But, before long, Buffy sent him stumbling, and they both fell to the ground, Buffy pushing him down.
Yanking a stake from her pocket, she stabbed it into his heart. He gasped in shock and pain, staring in disbelief at her. She looked sadly at him, her eyes filled with tears as he turned into dust.
She fell onto the ground, shaking with sobs of pain and grief. "I'm so sorry, Angel; I'm so sorry! Forgive me my love..."
Her friends rushed to her side, comforting and congratulating her.
Spike pulled her into his arms, holding her close as she cried for her lost Angel. "Buffy, don't cry! I'm sorry, at least...it's over...we won...Buffy..."
She didn't hear him. She couldn't believe what she had done! Angel would never come back to her, never. She took a deep breath. Life had to go on. Spike was her family now, along with Dawn. They would make a good life for themselves. They would! Angel's death woudln't be in vain. He would have wanted her to live...to live a normal life, and she was determined to do just that.
They went inside, and she robotically followed Spike to bed, where she fell asleep. Waking, she felt him kissing her, his cold tongue lingering on her neck. She moaned, her eyes still closed, and grasped his short, blond hair that felt silky and thick. His tongue slid along her neck, and she shivered.
Something was very wrong, very strange. She tangled her one hand deeper into his hair, her other caressing his body, his broad strong chest.
It wasn't him!
She froze, and her eyes snapped open. Instead of meeting ice-blue eyes, she looked into chocolate-colored orbs. She shoved the vampire back, staring in shock at Angelus.
She was no longer in the Hyperion...
"Good, you're awake." The master vampire smirked.
She looked confused. She'd just dusted him! They'd won...hadn't they?
Then she realized what had happened. It was only a dream. Angelus hadn't left her with Spike, her friends hadn't found her. They hadn't won at all. It was just a dream, a terrible dream.
"Say, did I ever tell you how cute you look when you sleep? You've been asleep for about two days now. Guess I took too much of your blood, eh? Well, what shall we do now?" He licked his lips as his eyes trailed over her body.
To be continued?
