Title: Armageddon, Chapter 1
Rating: PG13
Summary: This is my alternate universe take on the season 4 finale of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. This takes place immediately after Adam releases all the demons from captivity in the Initiative and all hell – literally – breaks loose. I wanted to lengthen the ending, but also add a little bit of Willow/Spike to it. There is some angst to this as well as some character deaths. Please be aware that this work was never betaed, but I have tried to fix some obvious spelling errors.
Author's Notes: I wrote this close to 4 years ago when I first got into fanfiction and very much into Buffy and Angel. I still dedicate this story to Ruby, wherever she is, whose stories first got me into writing. Thank you!
"Down, luv!" screamed Spike as he threw himself on top of Willow. Bullets ricocheted just above them as chips and mortar sprayed all over them. Slowly, Spike peeked up and took stock of the chaos surrounding them. Everywhere he looked, soldiers of the Initiative were locked in combat with every conceivable demon that had been captured or caged. Packed together and locked in captivity for too long, everything from vampires to morah demons rampaged through the complex, killing all in their path.
Emergency lighting showed a crazed tableau of howling demons and screaming victims. Explosions erupted here and there as bullets and grenades went off. One soldier screamed as he took down a werewolf with a full clip of ammunition. As he tried to reload, he was overrun by several of its brethren.
And so on.
With a grunt, Spike pulled Willow up and ran towards the nearest lab. As far as he could tell, the rest of the Scooby Gang had made it there. As he got closer, he saw Xander's face through a small window on the hatch. He and Willow flew through the opening as the door slid back behind them.
A general sigh of relief swept through group as all were accounted for. Buffy leaped forward and hugged Willow.
"Are you all right, Wills?" she asked.
Willow nodded. "I'm fine," she had her arm around Spike's waist and gave it a squeeze. "Thanks to him." She started to walk over to where the others were grouped around Riley, when she frowned slightly as Spike winced slightly at the movement. Her eyes widened as she looked at her hand and noticed the blood.
"Oh my goddess, Spike," she gasped. "You're shot!" Looking closer, she saw that a bullet had gone right through the side of Spike's lower chest. A bullet meant for her.
"It's nothing, Pet," he said, then chuckled. "Merely a flesh wound." Willow almost giggled, if the situation wasn't so grave. She opened her mouth to argue, but was stopped by a cool finger pressed to her lips.
"Luv, we don't have time to argue." He ran a finger down her cheek. "When we get out of this, we'll talk." Willow paused for a moment, not quite sure quite sure what she was seeing behind those blue eyes of the vampire. She gazed at him for a moment more until Xander had wandered over and snapped her back to reality.
"Uh, not to break-up this Kodak-moment here," he said. "But we do have a teensy problem of a small slice of Armageddon happening right out there."
Spike groaned inwardly at the interruption, but conceded. "Well put, Twinkie-boy, so what do we do now?" He brought Willow over as Giles was talking to Riley.
"First and foremost, we must find out where Adam is hiding. Any luck?" he asked Riley, who was busy trying to access the main computer. Riley swore and slammed his fist on the keyboard.
"Nothing. Adam's shut down all main power."
"Are you sure there's nowhere else?" asked Buffy. Riley just shook his head, lost in thought. His eyes then came up quickly.
"The lab! The Main Lab! It has it's own power supply separate from the main grid."
"Which way?" asked Willow, who was standing close to Spike.
"That way," Riley nodded his head towards the fighting. "Clear across the main annex." Buffy got up and went to the hatch, looking out the small window.
"Right, Riley and I go out first, followed by Willow, Xander, and Giles." She nodded to the blonde vampire. "Spike, you cover our rear."
Spike gave a lecherous grin. "Only rear I'm gonna cover, Slayer, is this." He said as his hand slid down Willow's back. She squealed, and gave Spike an exasperated glare.
Buffy rolled her eyes. "We don't have time for this."
The others had crowded towards the hatch. Willow started to but was held back by Spike. "Red, promise me you'll stick close to me?" he whispered. Again, Willow couldn't read what he was thinking, but nodded her head anyway.
All weapons were taken out and readied. Stake, Holy Water, and tazer were primed as Buffy slid her hand to the hatch.
"Ready?" Everyone nodded. She threw open the hatch and raced out with Riley, followed by the rest.
The race was hard. Several times Buffy was tackled by demons. Xander's timely use of the tazer helped. As they neared the entrance to the main lab, Spike was caught up with a drooling monstrosity. He grabbed its head, as its claws sliced into him, and snapped its neck. Clutching his side, he moved toward the rest when he realized Willow wasn't near him.
"Spike!!" Willow screamed. She had fallen forward and flat on her face. A grate behind her had exploded outward, and a sinewy tentacle had wrapped around her leg pulling her back. Quickly looking around, Spike and took out Riley's combat knife out of its sheath. The blonde vampire leapt over and started hacking away at the tentacle. A guttural moan came from the grate as Spike tore the appendage away from Willow's leg and dragged her away.
By now, Riley had gotten the main door open and everyone was leaping in. Xander looked out at Spike and Willow as an explosion rocked the main annex. "C'mon you guys!!" he screamed.
Spike pulled Willow up and looked her over. She sobbed and quickly hugged him. "Are you alright?" he said, close to her ear. Willow simply nodded and started to pull away.
As she did so, she peered around his shoulder. Her eyes widened and she gasped. Spike spun around and before getting a good look, a vicious backhand caught him and sent him flying across the floor to a crumpled heap. Clutching his side, he looked over to see a pair of huge combat boots coming his way.
"Hello, Spike," he heard in a deep, menacing voice.
Slowly, his eyes went up and met the deadly gaze of Adam.
(Continued)