And so they fought, for fifteen minutes straight at least. Flipping,
kicking, and punching, knocking each other to the floor. But then, like
Buffy said, just as Nina had pulled out her knife and taken it to Faith's
throat, Faith's strength gave out. Instead of holding Nina's knife like she
planned, her arms suddenly gave way. Nina tried to jerk the knife away, but
because of the strength that was suddenly lost, and the fact that Faith had
wanted to kill herself and suddenly grabbed the knife, there was no way of
stopping it from jabbing her in the stomach, exactly where Buffy had gotten
her the first time. Faith fell to the floor as Nina yanked the knife out.
"Faith," said Nina, dropping to her knees. "I always knew I would go out
fighting," said Faith, "in fact, I always wanted it. The glory of it all,
knowing you weren't just sitting, waiting to die." "Well, then, how does it
feel, know that you've finally done it?" Questioned Nina. "Five by five,"
murmured Faith. Her head suddenly dropped off to the side, Nina took her
arm and checked her pulse. It beat three more times, and then, just
stopped. "She's dead." Said Nina, standing up. "Finally," said one of the
council, Xander jumped up. "Anyone want to go throw a party at the Bronze,
in her honor of course?" "Sure," said Buffy, and the Scooby gang, including
Giles, left. "We have to be getting back, you can get rid of the body?"
Said the king councilman, whoever he was, Nina didn't know. She shook her
head. "Great," He answered as her left. Spike and Nina were the only one's
left in the room. "I know I agreed to be the one to kill her, but I
suddenly wish I hadn't," said Nina. "I almost feel like I could've tried to
help her get back on the right side of the line." "I know," said Spike.
"But they wanted her dead, they wouldn't have excepted no for an answer."
"I know," said Nina, "I just wish." "It's too late," Spike said. "Let's
go." Nina snapped her fingers, the body disappeared, and Spike and Nina
walked out into the night together, Nina feeling completely alone.
