Chapter 8

After getting Spike, everyone was walking through the cemetery looking for Dawn. Alex was in the lead. "I can feel him, he's close by." She told everyone. They were walking for about an hour when Alex came across a cave entrance. "I think Dawn is in there." Buffy nodded.

"Well, let's check it out." She said and Alex was about to walk into the cave when Buffy grabbed her arm. "I'll go in first." She told her. "Do you think you can do this?" Alex nodded.

"I have to." Buffy nodded and headed into the cave, everyone else following shortly behind her. They were walking deeper into the cave when Buffy saw Dawn up ahead, tied up and gagged like Alex said. She ran to her and Spike tried to grab her arm to stop her, but she was too fast. He knew it was too easy so he figured it was probably a trap. As Buffy reached Dawn she saw fear in her sister's eyes. She took the gag off of her mouth.

"Dawn, are you okay?" Buffy asked her.

"Buffy, I was so scared." She said and Buffy nodded.

"It's okay, I'm gonna get you out of here." She was about to untie her when she was suddenly thrown into a wall by what seemed like an invisible force.

"Buffy!" Dawn yelled and Buffy looked up to see Damien standing before her.

"I knew you would show up eventually. Where is she?" Buffy got up and shrugged.

"Beats me, I came alone." Damien glared at her.

"You're lying." Buffy got serious.

"Well, nothing gets by you." With that the others came out from hiding, armed with crossbows that they aimed at Damien and he just laughed.

"I am not going to be beaten by a bunch of children and their toys." He said.

"We'll see about that." Everyone aimed and shot at Damien. The bolts were sticking out of him and he got mad and ripped them out and then glared at Buffy. It didn't even slow him down. "Get Dawn out of her!" Buffy yelled and Anya ran to Dawn and untied her.

"Come on." She said as she grabbed Dawn's hand and her and Xander took her out of the cave. Dawn didn't wanna leave her sister, but she let them take her out of the cave. She figured she wouldn't be much help anyway. Damien attacked Buffy and she fought him the best way she could. He probably figured that he didn't need to use his powers on her. He then grabbed her neck.

"My fight is not with you, girl. You should have stayed out of it, since you didn't now I will kill you." He was choking her when Spike hit him from behind. He let go of Buffy and turned on Spike. He grabbed him and threw him against a wall.

"Stop!" Alex yelled. "I'm the one you want. Just deal with me and leave them out of it." Damien had an evil smirk on his face.

"Now you see my way." He grabbed her and they both disappeared. Buffy saw what happened and she went to Spike and helped him up.

"Where is he?" He asked her.

"He's gone and he took Alex with him." She told him.

"Well, let's go find her." Buffy shook her head.

"We talked earlier and she knew this might happen. She told us to not try and find her. She has to do this herself, there's nothing we can do." Spike took in what she was saying and nodded.

"I just hope the bird is okay." Buffy nodded.

"You and me both." With that they left the cave.