Part 26

Xander pulled his hand through his hair trying to calm the jumbling thoughts in his mind. How could he have been so blind? With Sam and Riley's announcement and Buffy's quick defense of Spike all the pieces fell into place. Buffy had once again fallen for a vampire whether she'd admit it or not. The First, like Angelus, had exploited it. What better way to distract the Slayer than through her heart?

Spike's children; how long had Spike been making children? If the First could manipulate him while his chip was fully functioning, it could have begun when he first received it. But, even if Spike HAD been making children who was training them? That was the thought that kept coming back to the forefront of Xander's mind. Had they met Spike's children before and just not known it. One vamp like so many others? Or were they hidden somewhere to be used in this battle?

Buffy, Giles and Spike were out investigating how involved the First is with Spike. Xander knew it was a diversion like all the other diversions in their lives recently. Giles assured him that the First wouldn't likely attack until the sun went down and Xander hoped he was right.  They had been played from the very start and he was beginning to think that the game wasn't over.

Willow looked down at the necklace that she'd made for Graham. She had no idea how this battle would end besides the hopeful destruction of the First. She didn't know who would come out alive and who wouldn't, so she had put a protective charm on the necklace to guard and protect Graham as much as she could.

Graham looked up from the book he was reading as he felt Willow's small hands encircle his neck.  "What's this?"

Willow kissed the back of his neck where she had adjusted the clasp of the necklace. "Just a little something I made."

He reached up, grasped Willow's hand and pulled her around to stand in front of him. "Everything will be alright." Graham placed a soft kiss on her stomach.

"It's just a little extra help. There will be demons that haven't met Hunter and I wanted to make sure they knew you were off limits."

Graham winked as he looked up at Willow. "So placing your claim on me? I think I kinda like that."

"Ah, that's so sweet."

Willow winced as she heard Glory's voice. That was not a voice she wanted to ever hear again. She didn't really care that it was attached to the First.

Graham's hold on Willow's waist tightened slightly as he moved his head so he could see the First. "I thought so. My girl looking out for me."

"Though unnecessary as the others have been given instructions that on pain of death no one touches either of you." Glory's smile widened, "And I can be very creative on the pain of death."

Willow turned in Graham's embrace to face Glory, but kept his hands securely on her waist. "Well then, your threat and my protection as back up, should be enough to keep the demons from showing their natural fondness for the taste of human life."  She smirked, "or at least this human's life."

"How about we put that theory to the test? Ready to fight the Slayer?"

Graham looked outside and saw the sun was still shining. "Now? We're not waiting until nightfall?"

Glory winked at Graham, "Where's the fun in that? That's when they're expecting it. Always keep them guessing."

FUCK! This had been very unexpected. Willow hoped the Agency had a contingency plan in case the attack didn't begin with the night because she had absolutely no idea how she and Graham would stop the First from opening the Hellmouth on their own.

Graham smiled as he stood and began to gather his weapons. "Just give us time to get everything ready and we'll meet you there."

Willow reached for a small pistol and strapped it to her ankle. "I need to gather a few ingredients but that shouldn't take us long."

"See you in twenty minutes." The First said just before he blinked out of existence.

Willow let her head drop after the First left and Graham rubbed her shoulders hoping to get her to relax. "Everything we've done has lead us up to this point, Willow. We have to believe that the outcome will be as expected."

He had to carefully guard his words as they were never sure if the First could be invisible and still be with them.

"Right. We'll be ready to roll in twenty minutes." Riley hung up the phone and turned to Sam. "It's begun sooner than expected. We need to meet at the Hellmouth in twenty minutes."

"What about Buffy and the others? Do we have time to gather them?" Sam asked as she began to assemble her weapons.

Riley strapped stakes to his forearms before turning to Sam, "I'll call Buffy and Xander. They can gather the others and meet us there. I can only hope they're prepared."

He picked up the phone and dialed Buffy's cell phone. "Buffy? We just had word that the First is moving toward Sunnydale High now. I'll call Xander and meet you there." He didn't wait for Buffy to answer but hung up and dialed Xander's number.

Sam grinned as she strapped a crossbow and bolt across her back. She could picture Buffy's indignant face on the other end of the phone. The same one Sam was sure she wore when Riley got high handed with her.

"Xander going to meet us there?" She asked as Riley hung up the phone.

"He said he had to make a stop first but he'd be right there." Riley cocked his head to the side, "you know he didn't seem all that surprised that the First was acting now."

"Do you think he knows something we don't?"

"No, it was more like he was resigned that it happened now. Kind of like… what else can go wrong."

Sam smiled wryly at him, "let's hope nothing."

The First was wearing a form Willow didn't recognize and she wondered if it was from Graham's past or just a random dead person. Willow had no idea if anyone knew what the First truly looked like or if it even had a human-like form.

"Ready?"

Willow looked over at Graham and the group of demons that surrounded him before turning to look over her shoulder at the group of demons surrounding her.

Where were Buffy, Giles, Riley, Sam and the others? God, she hoped the Agency had been able to get in touch with Riley or anyone.

"Ready as we'll ever be. The demons posted at the entrance should warn us if Buffy and the others show up."

The First turned to a cloaked figure to his left. "Begin the ritual."

Graham tensed as the hooded figure pulled on a rope and a person fell forward. He relaxed slightly when he saw the bound male was a vampire. The hooded figure strapped the vampire onto a wooden post and leaned it over the ornate carving on the ground.

A demon approached and held out a decorative knife for use. The assistant took the knife and began to slowly cut into the flesh of the vampire, which caused the blood to run.

Willow watched in silence as the blood turned into rivulets and began to follow the ornate carvings on the seal. She briefly closed her eyes and prayed to every deity she might know for help.

"Hey! You started the party without us. That's quite rude, don't ya think?"

Willow would have wept for joy if it hadn't been so out of character when she heard Buffy's voice.

Buffy threw down one of the guard's bodies before she leapt down from the top of the stairs and onto the carving below. Before anyone could move, she had her stake out and pushed it into the chest of the vampire that was dripping blood.

She looked down at her shoes that were splattered with blood. "Okay, now I'm mad. Do you know how much I paid for these?"

A demon broke from the group and began its assault on Buffy as Giles, Spike, Xander, Riley, Sam and their team joined in. Willow waited until Buffy left the area before she threw up a barrier around the seal. No one noticed that besides keeping Buffy out, it also paused the flow of blood along the carvings.

Riley pressed the mechanism on his left forearm that caused the stake to release and staked the vampire that was approaching him from behind. Spike let his demon visage come forward and concentrated on the closest group of demons. As much as he'd like to get revenge on Red and her lover, he knew that he couldn't attack humans.

Graham raised his gun to point at the closest threat and smirked when he saw Sam pointing her gun at him. "Care to make it eleven and zero?"

He fired at the same time that Sam did catching the demon behind her in the middle of the forehead. Sam's bullet narrowly missed Graham, as he dove out of the way, and lodged in the chest of the demon fighting behind him.

Willow kept the First within range to make sure the seal wasn't opening, as she slowly approached one of Riley's team. Holding her hands as if she cupped air, she called on the energy flowing around her. Rising just above her hands was a glowing energy ball and with a smile Willow hurled it toward the team member.

Giles watched in horror as an energy ball quickly made its way toward one of Riley's men. Without thought he raised the nearest weapon he had and fired.

Willow gasped as the crossbow bolt struck her shoulder. The pain was immense and it felt as if her body were on fire. Riley closed his eyes briefly in sadness as he watched Willow crumble to the ground holding her shoulder. If only Giles had waited, he would have noticed the ball giving only a mild electrical shock to Bradford.

"WILLOW!" Xander yelled as he tried to get to her side.

"Xander, No!" Buffy yelled as the fighting continued around them.

An eerie white glow filled the room and the voice in Riley's ear crackled. "Now, Finn. Get him now!"

Riley nodded to Sam that the plan was still in place as he reached for the double bladed axe behind a nearby pole. He tossed it to Buffy who was the closest to the First. "Use it! He's corporeal."

Buffy deftly caught the axe and with one swing decapitated the being known as the First. She jumped back as the head separated from his body and landed by her feet.

At the next instant there was a sharp report of gunfire and Graham slumped down on the ground close to Willow. Sam stood over his body and smiled, "Twelve and one."

Xander quickly scurried over to Willow's body and gently laid her head on his lap. He refused to look at Giles as he softly stroked her hair and murmured into her ear. "It'll be alright, Wills."

Sam placed a hand on his shoulder and gave it a soft squeeze. "I'm sorry, Xander. She has to go with us."

He looked up to see men and women in white coats carrying stretchers coming to tend to Willow, Graham and the dead bodies of the demons and the First. Xander watched as a sheet was pulled over Graham's face and his hold on Willow tightened further. He shook his head side to side, not allowing the medical team to take Willow.

Riley placed his hand over Xander's, "you have to let her go, Xander. She needs medical attention."

Xander turned furious eyes to Riley. "What so you can cure her and then kill her? NO!"

"She'll be taken care of." Sam tried to placate him. They needed to get Willow out of there and fast. She seriously needed medical help and Graham was due to wake up. It would blow their cover if it was discovered that Graham really didn't die.

"Xander, their medical team is right here. She'll get help quicker than if we take her to the hospital." Buffy tried to force Xander to let Willow go.

Giles was horrified when he saw that Riley's team member hadn't been seriously hurt from Willow's energy blast and he stared at the red stain that was beginning to spread on Willow's shoulder. For as long as he lived, he'd never forget the look of shock on Willow's face as she realized he had shot her with a crossbow.

Xander reluctantly let Willow go as he realized the truth of Buffy's words. The dark red stain on Willow's shirt was steadily getting worse and he didn't think he'd be able to get her to the hospital on time.

He turned to Sam, "One condition. I get to see her when she's well. You will not do ANYTHING to her until I see her."

Sam nodded as she looked into Xander's serious face. "Deal."