The Chosen One
Episode 24 (Part III)
Buffy did a series of swings and jabs, but none of them hit their mark. She was shocked. Caleb swung his fist and knocked her into the wall of the cavern. Spike saw what was going on and charge Caleb, knocking him to the ground. Then he rushed over to help Buffy up. Caleb slowly stood up.
"Vampire, do you think you can defeat me?" he mocked.
Buffy opened her eyes and looked into Spike's. She smiled.
"What happened?" Spike asked.
"The First took over Caleb's dead body. Now it can hurt us," she replied.
"Well, let's beat this thing together," he said, helping her to her feet.
Both Buffy and Spike charged Caleb. Spike dished out several punches and kicks, but few hit their target. Buffy swung the scythe but was backhanded aside. Spike picked up a Bringer's dagger and lunged at Caleb. He spun around and tore the knife from the vampire's hand. He knocked Spike back. Spike stood back up and kicked Caleb back.
Caleb stumbled backwards, but easily regained his senses. He gripped the dagger tightly and stabbed Spike in the gut. Spike shouted in pain and fell to the ground. Caleb lifted Spike into the air and tossed him aside.
Buffy charged once again, this time with a roundhouse kick. He heard Caleb's jaw crack when her foot hit him. He gasped in pain but punched back. Buffy backed off then jump kicked him. The foot hit him in the chest, knocking him backwards. Buffy went to kick him again. This time, he caught her foot in mid-air and swung her around. She landed a few feet away on her back.
Spike recovered from being stabbed and tackled Caleb to the ground. Caleb through Spike off and punched him in the face a few times. Spike vamped out and attacked again in a fury of punches and kicks. Caleb blocked each one and tossed the vampire aside. He then ran in to finish the job. He bent down and lifted Spike up off the ground.
"I'm going to enjoy this," Caleb smirked, grasping Spike by the neck.
Buffy took this as a great opportunity to attack. She quickly got to her feet and ran at Caleb. He was too busy dealing with Spike that he forgot about Buffy. She lifted the scythe back over her head.
"Hey!" Buffy called, "Forget about me?"
That caught Caleb's attention. He dropped Spike on the ground and turned around. He came face to face with Buffy. She brought the scythe down on the top of his head. It connected, slicing Caleb clean in half. His two halves fell to the ground in a bloody mess.
"So, you managed to beat me in another host body," Buffy/The First said.
Buffy spun around and faced the First. It was once again in the form of her.
"Even though I do not have a host anymore, my army of vampires will destroy you," Buffy/The First told her.
Spike suddenly was startled by a sudden jolt of pain.
"Buffy?" Spike called, "Something's happening."
She turned around and looked at him. The amulet around his neck was glowing.
"Spike, what's going on?" she asked.
"I can feel it," Spike shouted, "I can feel my soul…it kind of stings."
Suddenly, a huge column of light shot straight up through the cavern. It went up through the floors of the school and into the sky. It came from the amulet. The gang and the Ubervamps all stop fighting and watch in awe and horror at what just happened.
Sunnydale High Basement:
The rest of the gang was still pushing back the large army of Bringers. Now that Angel had joined them, they were gaining the upper hand. Angel was still tossing Bringers this way and that. Giles and Xander swung their maces, sending Bringers flying. Wood and Andrew were hacking them with axes, and Jake continually shot crossbow bolts at them.
Suddenly, a huge column of light shot up from the ground and straight up through the school and up to the sky. Sunlight began pouring down into the cavern below.
"I better get out of here!" Angel called, "You know, start creating that second front."
He found a nearby tarp and threw it over his head and shoulders. He left the room running. That was the last that Giles and the gang saw of him.
"What the hell was that?" Xander questioned.
"I'm not sure, but it must have something to do with Buffy and the others," Giles replied.
The Hellmouth:
Spike was in awe at what the amulet had done. Sunlight began pouring down on him. Surprising, he did not burn. Suddenly, large beams of light flew from the amulet and shot throughout the cavern. The light hit the Ubervamps and they dusted.
"Alright everyone get out!" Buffy shouted and dashed for the ramp out of the hole.
She grabbed Spike by the arm and pulled him along. He was still in awe of what the amulet had done. The girls all dropped their weapons and also headed towards the ramp. Buffy, Willow, and Spike helped the girls up. Then Willow climbed up, followed by Buffy.
The Ubervamps below began to panic and run in every direction. The First was indeed losing his army. His army had already failed. It stood there in the form of Buffy, glancing around to watch its army dust in the sunlight.
"Giles, we gotta get out of here!" Buffy shouted as she climbed out of the hole.
Giles and Xander pulled her out. She was still holding the scythe.
"The First's army is burning up down there," she informed.
Suddenly, the whole building began to shake. The school was caving in.
"Get out, now!" Buffy shouted.
"Buffy?" Spike called.
Buffy spun to see that Spike was not behind her. She jumped back down into the Hellmouth. There was Spike, standing close to the ramp. The amulet was pinning him there. Beams of light from the amulet were still shining throughout the cavern.
"We have to go, Buffy," Giles said, calling down into the Hellmouth, "everything is collapsing."
"Get out of here!" she shouted, "I'll be there in a moment!"
She rushed over to Spike's side. She dropped the scythe beside her. Spike turned his head and looked into her eyes.
"Come on, Spike, let's go!" she said pulling his arm, trying to get him move.
"No Buffy, go! Get out of here!" he replied, pushing her away.
She didn't leave his side. The cavern was collapsing all around them. She took her hands and placed them on Spike's hand. She held it tightly. Then she leaned in and kissed him on the lips. Fire formed from their lips and hands, but neither moved away in pain.
"I love you, Spike," she said, her hands still holding his.
"No you don't, but thanks for saying it anyway" he replied, "Go on, get out of here!"
Buffy let go of his hands and turned to run. She turned back and looked at him, lying against the seal.
"I love you, Spike," she called and disappeared from the cavern.
"I gotta do this," he said, aloud, "I want to see how it ends."
Spike stood there, grinning at all that was going on around him. The cavern was collapsing. Everything is crumbling. He begins to burst into flames. The light from the amulet is burning him up from the inside. He disintegrated into ashes, falling to the ground.
Outside the High School:
The ground was shaking and buildings were collapsing all over town. The gang quickly escaped the collapsing high school.
"Something big is happening!" Xander yelled over the noise of destruction.
"We must leave town!" Giles called, coming out of the building.
"Look a school bus," Andrew shouted.
"What the hell is that going to do?" Faith questioned.
"Help us to get out of here," Giles answered, "Let's go!"
Giles, Wood, Xander, Jake, Andrew, Willow, Faith, and the remaining girls made a dash for the abandoned bus. The door was open, so they had no problem getting in. They all piled on and sat down. Jake sat down in the driver's seat. Luckily the keys had been left behind. He closed the door and started the school bus.
"Wait!" Willow shouted.
"What?" Wood questioned.
"Where's Buffy?" Willow asked.
"Oh my god, where is she?" Xander questioned.
"She went back down into the Hellmouth. I told her that we were leaving. She said she would be there in a moment," Giles told them, "I thought she was right behind me."
"We have to go back for her!" Faith shouted, running to the front.
"No!" Giles yelled, "It's too late! It's too dangerous!"
"What?" Faith shouted in rage, "You're just gonna let her die down there!"
"There's no time to go back after her," he told Faith, "Everything is collapsing."
"I don't care!" Faith shouted, "That's Buffy down there! She saved all our lives numerous times and I'm not gonna let her die in all this!"
She tried to run to the door, but Giles and Wood blocked her way.
"Get the hell out of my way!" she shouted.
"Faith, we're not gonna lose anyone else in this," Giles tried to comfort.
"He's right," Wood agreed, "We're risked enough lives already. So sit back down and we'll get out of here."
Faith had no choice but to listen. She sat back down, very angry with Giles. Jake pressed his foot on the gas pedal and the bus sped away from the school, heading towards the edge of town. The ground continued shaking. Kennedy and the girls were seated in the back, looking back down the road.
"Oh my god!" Kennedy called, "It's caving in!"
Everyone, but Jake turned around and looked out the back. They saw what was happening. Everything seemed to be caving in around the school, the Hellmouth.
Sunnydale High:
Buffy emerged from the collapsing building. She had managed to get away safely, but was forced to leave Spike and the scythe behind. She looked all around, but could not find her friends.
The ground was shaking and she noticed that the town seemed to be collapsing all around her. That's when she noticed a school bus speeding away up the road. It had to be her friends. She took off, running down the road after it.
The shaking became more intense as she ran. It was too much for her and she toppled over on her side. She glanced back at the high school.
"Holy shit," she said aloud.
The school was caving in. It was collapsing around the Hellmouth. The shaking had slowed down a bit. Buffy rose to her feet and continued chasing after the bus. She glanced back and saw that the rest of the town was caving in. Everything was caving in around the Hellmouth.
Everything was caving in at an alarming rate. Soon, the edge of destruction was only a few feet behind her. She couldn't run any faster, but kept it up. That's when the road beneath her feet began to crumble. She noticed a fire escape of a nearby building and dashed over to it. She climbed up and reached the roof of the building.
She ran to the edge of the building and jumped over to the next. The street below was caving in and the buildings behind her were also. She pushed all her strength and was quickly hopping from building to building, still chasing the bus.
Meanwhile in the bus, everyone watched in horror as the town was caving into the Hellmouth. The girls were all panicking, saying they weren't going to get away in time. Jake was now flooring it, trying to get away as fast as possible.
Willow sat in the very last seat, peering out the window. She knew her best friend was dead now. She had let her die. She had failed Buffy. Tears began to form in her eyes. That's when she happened to glance up towards the buildings. She noticed something jumping from building to building, like they were trying to catch up with the bus. Then she realized who it was.
"Stop the bus!" Willow shouted, rising to her feet.
"No way!" Jake shouted, "We're all getting out of here alive."
"What's wrong, Will?" Xander asked, coming to her side.
"It's Buffy!" she exclaimed, "She's chasing after us!"
"What?" Xander questioned, peering out the window.
That's when he saw her too. She was jumping from building to building. It was apparent that she was trying to catch up to the bus.
"You have to stop!" Xander shouted, "Buffy is trying to catch up!"
"We can't stop, Xander," Giles informed, "Do you all want to end up dead?"
Xander didn't answer that questioned. But Faith, unable to control her rage, stood up.
"You're an asshole!" she shouted towards Giles, "The girl you love like your own daughter is trying to catch up and you won't even stop the bus and let her. You're gonna let her die?"
"Sit back down, Faith," Giles told her, "I'd rather risk one life than risk everyone's."
"You know what!" Faith shouted in anger, "You deserve to die!"
She swung her fist, hitting Giles across the jaw. He winced in pain. Wood had had enough of this. He rose to his feet and came up behind Faith. He hit her in the head with the fire extinguisher. She dropped to the ground, out cold.
"Thank you," Giles said, rubbing his jaw.
"What the hell is your problem?" Xander shouted, coming up to Wood, "Why'd you just do that?"
"I had to do something before she killed Mr. Giles there," Wood replied.
"You know what, you're both…," Xander was cut short by Giles.
"Sit back down, Xander!" Giles shouted, "You have no reason to be up."
"I can't believe you are going to let her die. I'm ashamed of you, Giles. I followed you all those years, I trusted you. And now you're going to let Buffy die back there?" Xander shouted.
"Bloody hell that is enough of this nonsense!" Giles shouted in anger, "Sit down, Xander!"
Xander sat down. He was obviously furious with Wood and Giles. No one else spoke up for fear of what would happen to them.
Meanwhile, Buffy was still hopping from roof to roof, trying to catch up to her friends. Her efforts were proving futile. The bus was now going faster. Fear began to sweep into her mind. Do her friends think she's dead? Is that why they weren't slowing down?
She was beginning to get very tired and was running short on breath. She had to stop. She couldn't go on running like this anymore. She stopped to catch her breath. Luckily, the rate that the town was collapsing had slowed a bit. She glanced around on the street below. She noticed a deserted car, parked in the street below. She knew how she could catch up now.
She jumped down and ran towards the car. Fortunately for her, the car was unlocked and the keys were still in the ignition. She sat down in the driver's seat and turned the keys. The car started. She pushed the pedal and was soon driving along the deserted street.
Soon she was flooring it. The bus came back into view and she sped up. When she was about a hundred feet away, a building collapsed in the middle of the street, blocking the road.
She honked the horn and cursed under her breath. She looked in the mirror. The town was caving in more quickly again. She noticed a side street and few feet behind her and backed the car up. She took a left and sped off in that direction. The question now was could she escape in time?
Sunnydale Town Limits:
The gang had finally reached the limits of Sunnydale. Jake crossed the city boundary and stopped the bus. They gang all stood up and got off the bus. The glanced back at the place that was once their home.
The whole town had collapsed into the Hellmouth. It was now a giant crater. There was not a single trace left of Sunnydale. They had done it! They had beaten the First Evil! They had closed the Hellmouth!
"We did it," Andrew cheered, "We won!"
"Yes, we did," Giles replied, taking off his glasses and wiping them on his shirt.
"But not with a great cost," Willow put in, "Our friend, our guardian."
Faith did not say a thing. She just stood at the edge of the crater that was once Sunnydale. She was pissed at Rupert Giles and Robin Wood. They had let Buffy die. She was the only slayer.
Willow's spell had worn off and all the potentials were back to their normal self again. Willow's hair was once again its normal red color. Willow was also upset with Giles and Wood. She had lost her best friend.
Xander was furious. First he had lost his ex-girlfriend, then his best friend. Even though Buffy had caused him to lose an eye, he still loved her. She was still his friend, but now she was dead. He was angry at Giles for letting Buffy die.
The gang filed back into the bus. The remaining potentials all breathed a sigh of relief. It was over, it was finally over. Jake started the bus and they sped off for Los Angles. Giles knew that Angel had to be informed of Buffy's death. Angel would be pissed that they let her die, but he'd get over it.
Outside Sunnydale:
Buffy had managed to escape the collapsing town in one piece. She reached the edge of town just as it caved in. She got out of the car and looked around at the place that she once called her home.
Sunnydale had collapsed into the Hellmouth. All that was left was a giant crater. The Hellmouth had been closed and the First Evil had been defeated. Of course none of this happened without a great cost. Spike had been killed in the collapsing town. Her friends had left her and now she was all alone.
She was happy. She had saved the world once again. She had saved the potentials and all her friends. But she couldn't help but feel sad. She was alone. She had no one now. She had no idea what to do. She could start over. It would be hard, but she could try.
Buffy Summers had done it. She had once again risked her life saving the world. Of course, she could not have done it without the help of her trusted friends. Thus ends another chapter in the life of Buffy Anne Summers, the Vampire Slayer.
