Chapter 10

Buffy's eyes grew wide in horror as the cool metal of the sword slid into her. Somewhere someone was screaming her name but all she could hear was the blood rushing to her ears. The demon looked her straight in the eye. She had done the same thing on countless occasions. Hell, every time she killed a vampire she made a point to look into their eyes to make sure she was the last thing they say before they were sent to there grave. And now, the demon was doing the same to her.

Abruptly the sword got yanked out of her. That's when the pain started. It shot through her body like needles caressing her skin and then going in for the kill. Her body sunk to the ground slowly. As the spasms continued to overtake her, she came to the realization that she was going to die. That she was going to die without her mother knowing how much she loved her, or without Giles and her friends knowing how much they meant to her. She would probably be dead by now if it wasn't for them. And then there was Angel.... there were so many things she wanted to tell him. She couldn't die without him knowing that she was truly sorry for what she did and that she loved him no matter what. No, she couldn't die like this, not now. She was too young to die. She had so many things to live for, so many things that she had yet to do, yet to say.

All thoughts soon raced out of her mind though as a fresh wave of pain raced over her.

Angel stood rooted to his spot unable to move. There before him Buffy and the ReineEthros... whatever the hell it was, were fighting. The demon seemed to have the upper hand. Somehow it had gotten a hold of Buffy's sword leaving her defenseless... well, as defenseless as a slayer could be.

He knew what was coming before it even happened. Playing out in slow motion in Angel's mind the demon lunged towards Buffy's mid section, impaling her with the sword. She did nothing but look right back at him.

"BUFFY!" he shouted as loud as he could. The demon heard his anguish cry and turned to him with a smile playing across his face, all the while slowly pulling the metal sword out of his lovers gut.

That was it; Angel could stand there no longer. With an inhuman cry Angel ran towards the demon with full force. Kicking him in the stomach the demon went flying. It hit the wall at the far end of the court. Angel ran after him throwing all his strength and fear into his hits. The demon laughed.

"You think you can beat me? You're a mere mortal." Angel hit him again and slipped into his game face. His fangs gleaming at the demon.

"Mortal huh?"

The demons smile slipped some and now you could see the fear behind his eyes. "Angelus." It whispered.

Angel faltered. This demon knew him?

The time it took for Angel to process that the demon didn't actually know him, just probably heard of him, the thing had already flung him off of him and was now standing above Angel, the sword held at his neck.

"So this is the almighty Angelus. The Scourge of Europe. You don't look all that great to me." The demon drawled at him. "So what could have possibly happened to you to make you this low? OH!" The demon said in mock surprise "You were cursed with a soul!" He laughed manically.

"So you've heard of me?" Angel said through gritted teeth. The sword was much to close to his neck for his comfort. One quick motion of that sword, and it would all end.

"And that over there..." he went on, pointing towards Buffy, "Must be your lady love. The girl that brought you out into this world again to kill us, to betray your kind." He leaned down so he was right in Angel's face, the sword drawing a thin line into his neck now, making his blood run crimson down his collar bone. "What are people going to say when they find out that I've conquered where they've failed? What are they going to say when I tell them that I've killed the infamous Angelus and his whore of a slayer?"

"You won't get to find out." Angel stated looking up into the cold and deadly eyes of his attacker.

"Ha!" It barked out. "You really think that you're going to defeat me? Look what position you're in. I can cut off your worthless head any time I want while your slayer over there is bleeding to death! How, pray tell, are you going to get out of this one?"

"Like this" Bracing himself for death, Angel bucked his body upward throwing the demon off of him, the sword glancing off of his neck and nicking his shoulder. Ignoring the searing pain he grabbed the sword stained with his own blood and shoved it towards the demons heart.

"That's the problem with all you demons. You all talk too much. If you would just kill us the second you had the chance instead of sitting around and chatting away, you guys would be so much more successful." Angel put all of his weight onto the hilt of the sword and shoved through the demons thick chest, piercing his black heart.

The demon started to scream in pain. His meat like hands going towards the offending sword.

"Come on Willow." Angel whispered. It was to avail though. The demon soon took the butt of the sword and easily slid it out of its thick hide.

Laughing manically it started to swing the sword around like a lasso. "You see! You can't kill me. I'm immortal!"

"ANGEL NOW!" Turning around he saw Willow, Giles and Tara all suspended in mid air. They sat in a circle holding hands chanting something. It was then that Angel realized that they were just a projection of them selves. An apparition floating in mid air.

Realizing this to late, the demon had taken the opportunity and shoved the sword through the middle of Angel's back causing him to arch away from it. Looking down, Angel saw the pointy end of the sword sticking through his chest. The demon slowly walked around to face him. "That's it then, isn't it?" It smiled gleefully.

Dropping to his knees, he looked over at Buffy for what he thought would be the last time. She lay there with her blood pooling around her, clutching her midsection. Her eyes were screwed shut trying to block out all the pain. He could hear her heartbeat slowing already.

"No," Angel whispered

"What?" the demon laughed. "You couldn't possibly think that you can still win? Ha! You really don't give up do you?"

Angel raised his eyes to look death in the face. With inhuman strength he grasped the sword and pulled it from his body. Lunging as quick at he could he thrust it into the demons chest just enough so the point was touching the heart.

"No, I don't." and with that he ran the sword home and watched as the Reine demon fell to the ground in agony. This time the sword, staying firmly in place.

Angel stood taking in deep unnecessary breaths. His hand was clutching his midsection where the sword had penetrated him. It didn't matter though. Turning he ran as fast as he could to where Buffy lay.

"Buffy?" He picked her up so her head rested in his lap. "Buffy open your eyes, please." He said, trying to wipe away the blood from her beautiful face. All it did though was create more of a mess, whipping the gore from his hands onto her. "Buffy please..." Slowly her eyes peeled open.

"Angel?" She rasped out uncertainly. Her vision was swimming and she wasn't sure if she was hallucinating or not.

"Yeah," There was nothing but love in his voice.

She frowned at him. Her hand gingerly came up to rest on his stomach, making him wince as it came in contact. "You're hurt." She chided

"I'm fine. I..." he was interrupted when her body surrendered to a coughing fit. He sat there and gently rocked her until she calmed down. "We need to get you to a hospital."

"No." her eyes grew in horror.

"Buffy..."

"No." she stated again, shacking her head back and forth. "I'm not going to a..." she started coughing again.

"Shh... don't talk. Shh..."

"Oh my God!" Angel heard Willows voice from behind him

"Xander, call 911." Giles voice came from beside him. "Angel, let me look at her." Angel went to move away when Giles noticed that he to was hurt. Immediately Giles moved to take a look at him.

"No, help her." Angel barely got out.

Giles moved over to his slayer. She had a gash in her stomach and a couple minor cuts and bruises. He could tell that she had already lost a lot of blood. Her eyes were starting to glaze over.

"Buffy!" Angel called as he saw what was happening. "Buffy no!"

Her eyes snapped back to focus. "Angel.... I'm sorry, I'm so sorry."

"Buffy shh..." he said trying to calm her down.

"Please, you... you h-have to believe me."

"Buffy don't..." Angel said, caressing her cheek. "There's time for that later."

"No..."

"Buffy please..." Tears were freely running down his face now

"I love you. I'm sorry." She whispered, closing her eyes.

"Buffy." There was no answer

"Buffy." Angel tried, shaking her a little bit. Still no answer came. It was silent, the sound of her heartbeat was no longer filling the air.

"Buffy no!" he cried "No, no, no, nononononono...." Giles moved over to the vampire rocking his dead lover back and fourth.

"Angel." he said gently. "Angel, we have to get you cleaned up..." he put a hand on his shoulder.

Angel's sobs racked his body. How could she die like this? How could she die thinking that he didn't love her, that he hated her? She was so young and innocent; she didn't deserve this, not now. "Please, come back, please..." he begged her still body. "I can't do this without you... I love you."

With that the vampire bowed his head onto his lover's body and cried in anguish. In the distance, the sirens roared.