Chapter 8
Like a will-o-the-wisp she flew, through darkened corridors and abandoned passageways. The physical realm, hazy to her, stopped her progress not in the least. When she could not go around, she went through. Although the ongoing battle was indiscernible to her, she could see the effects. Here and there, like fireflies in the night, flashes of souls signified the deaths of people. Led by the auras most familiar to her, she plunged on, never noticed by a single being.
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Xander, Riley, and Giles all sat in a circle, no one saying a word. Several times they had tried the spell, and each time they failed. Xander just sat dejectedly, trying not to glare in Riley's direction. Giles just sat there, the picture of defeat. Riley, slumped forward with face in his hands, with just had a single thought in his mind:
Buffy, I'm so sorry.
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She paused at an area. Up ahead, she could make out the distinct auras of those she knew. Knowing she was out of time, she flew out towards the nearest one.
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With a gasp, Riley's head snapped back, and immediately snapped back forward. Frowning, Xander leaned forward.
"Uh, Riley?" he said. Riley's eyes snapped open and Xander jumped back in surprise. Incandescent red energy glowed and flowed between his eyes. Immediately, both his hands shot out and grabbed the hands of the thunderstruck Xander and Giles. He then began to speak the words to the spell, from the beginning and with clear authority, in two distinct voices: One male, one female.
The other voice was clearly Willow's.
"Oh...my…god!!!" Xander gasped.
"Good Lord!!" Giles yelled.
The air began to crackle around them again as energy built up with every word coming from Riley/Willow.
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Pain.
Buffy's first conscious feeling was that there wasn't a single part of her body that didn't scream in agony. Curled in a fetal position, she gasped for breath as tried to hold on to consciousness. Her ears were deafened from taunts and jeers of the demons surrounding her. She was dimly surprised that not a single demon, let alone the whole horde, had come forth to finish her off. Painfully she got on her hands and knees, and noticed that the group had given her a wide berth.
Looking up, she realized why. Gazing down at her, triumphantly, was Adam.
"And so it ends, Slayer."
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The air began to reach a crescendo as the magic swirled around the three men. Giles' eyes widened as he realized Riley/Willow was coming toward the end of the spell.
"Xander!!" he yelled above the din, his outstretched hand beckoning. Xander clasped it not a moment too soon, as the last words were spoken. Immediately, the crimson energy surrounding Riley flew away and through a wall. Momentarily disorientated, he, as well as the others, was quickly overtaken by the joining spell.
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The die was cast.
The spell complete.
The four became one.
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Head bowed forward and covered in tangled hair, Buffy's form shuddered. The other demons, taking it for the Slayer showing weakness, taunted even louder. Adam, glancing to his elite, circled around the Slayer, as a shark preparing to finish off a kill.
"All your weapons…all your magic…all your friends." He came right up to Buffy and gestured. With a flick of the wrist, his spike came out. He brought his arm back, ready for the kill. "Take them all away, and what do you have left?" His arm lanced forward, aiming for Buffy's head.
Two hands instantly shot up closed on the spike, holding it in place.
"Myself."
Adam's eyes widened at hearing four voices coming from the supposed defeated slayer. Her head came up and through the entangled mess of hair two pairs of glowing golden eyes gazed up at Adam. Instantaneously, she slid forward and palm-struck Adam's solar plexus, slamming him to a wall. Before he finished sliding down the wall, his elite surged forward towards the Slayer.
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WHAM!!
Spike took no notice of the bulging door behind him. He gazed at Willow's still form on the table. The loud whine of the heart rate monitor the only other sound. Numbly, he started forward to shut it off. As his fingers grabbed the switch, he jumped as the monitor started beeping. He looked down and relief flooded him as he saw Willow take a breath.
"Red?" he asked as he turned off the monitor and took her hand. Absently, he noted how weak the pulse was. Her eyes slowly opened and looked up at him. A small, ghost of a smile graced her face.
"Hey…" she said weakly. He swallowed at how pale she was, but kept it to himself.
He just smiled. "Hey." Spike cocked his head at her. "Buffy?"
Willow just nodded. "Fine…told you…could do…the spell."
Spike just shook his head. "Luv, you EVER do that again…"
WHAM!!
He glanced at the door. The first hinge was about to give way.
"I gotta get you outta here, Red," Spike said as he started to look for a way out. The small smile faded from Willow's face as she slowly shook her head.
"No…"
Spike just shook his head. "Willow…?" This time, a sad smile was what he got.
"Took…too long…too much..of me."
WHAM!!! The first hinge went.
"Willow, I am not leaving you," Spike said tonelessly.
"Go…" she pleaded. Spike just shook his head.
With a sigh, she shook her head. "Why?" she whispered. He looked into her slowly clouding eyes, his own fear reflected there. He struggled at the words that he so desperately wanted to say, wishing to a God he could never worship, that he could've said them earlier.
"Because…I…need you…I…" Willow looked deep into his concerned blue eyes, saw the struggle, and frowned a little.
"Spike…what?"
BANG!!
Spike grabbed a hand, swallowed, and closed his eyes.
"I...love you, Willow." He opened his eyes and looked at her. Tears slowly ran down her cheeks as she silently cried at the news.
BANG!
Slowly, a hand came up and cupped Spike's cheek pulling him closer to her. Oblivious to the incessant pounding, the witch and vampire shared a soft, lingering kiss. Eyes closed, he pulled back at the same time that Willow pulled back with a sigh. He opened his eyes to see Willow close her eyes.
It took him a second to realize she had stopped breathing.
"Luv?" he whispered. Looking at her peaceful face, he blinked several times with the realization that he was alone. Swallowing, he hugged Willow tightly and choked back a sob. A single bloody tear ran down his cheek as he cupped Willow's face.
"It's ok now, luv, you're home now," he choked out as he rocked her back and forth.
The door was slammed again, and Spike, glaring at it, noted he had only a few more seconds left. Gently, he laid Willow back on the table and folded her hands together. He draped his duster over her. Standing and looking at the bending door, he laid his hand over her covered face.
"Sleep now, Willow," he vowed. "For not even Hell itself will bother you."
The door exploded inward, and with a scream, and in full game face, he threw himself at the incoming horde.
(Continued)
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