Before

Chapter 1

Spike

The demons charged so did the Angel Investigation team. Illirya was out for vengeance more then anything else. Gunn, the only human in their midst for the hope that somehow they would be able to save the world, to save humankind. Angel, well that was because he was Angel, always ready to stop an apocalypse. But what the hell was he doing here? Yes, he had a soul now, he had gotten it for the Slayer. But now she was going out with the Immortal. He had no reason whatsoever to fight. Yet here he was, kicking some demonic ass. He snapped a demon's neck and was suddenly standing in front of him. The Immortal.

"So you're one of the bad guys, I don't know why I'm not surprised." Spike said sarcastically.

The Immortal smiled and step closer. His hair descended to his waist, darker then the night. He stared at Spike smiling.

"Yes William, and the best part is that the little slayer bitch believed everything I said. She thinks that you are helping the apocalypse forward. She'll be in L.A. in a few weeks to stop Angel. Of course by then it will be too late. Angel will be dead and the whole world will be devastated. And I will rule everything." he said.

"Actually tough guy, the only thing you'll be ruling is the worms who are going to feed on your body." Spike replied.

Spike attacked, feinting a punch to the shoulder. His opponent fell for it and blocked the hit. Instead of the blow he was expecting, the short sword he wore at his hip changed hands and he found himself at the point of his own blade. He ducked as Spike slashed. He hit a demon behind him and turned. The demon was twelve feet tall. His skin was red and looked very hard. Four arms with hands bigger then his head, with claws a foot long. A head that resembled a boulder with two slits for eyes and one larger for mouth. It grabbed the Immortal in one hand and with the three other ripped him limb by limb. Finally it ate the remains of what had been known as the Immortal.

"Not so immortal now are we?" Spike said to himself.

The demon turned its attention to the blond vampire and grinned. Well Spike thought it grinned. It was hard to tell with this kind of demon. He reached for him but Spike slash with the sword and the demons hand fell on the ground. Grayish blood start pouring from the wound and the demon roared in pain. He moved in towards Spike and the vampire rolled under the demon's leg and jumped on its back. He raised the sword to dig it in the demonic neck but the monstrosity tried to reach him. Moving around Spike almost fell, only the quick vampire reflex saved him. He dug the sword in the red-skinned monster 's shoulder and another roar of pain pierced the night. Using his agility Spike jumped on its shoulders and grabbed its head. A loud snap was heard and the monster fell down without any more fight in it. Smiling Spike began to the next fight when he noticed the demon glowing. The pulse slowly going faster mesmerized him. Then Illirya shout at him and he was freed from the trance.

"He's going to explode, run!"

Spike did as she said and ran from the demon. He ducked sweeping blows from other demons when he heard a deafening sound behind him. He was lifted off his feet by the force of the explosion. He was about to come crashing down when he felt an invisible hand grabbing him. He looked around and saw a red-hair woman. He recognized her instantly. She smiled up to him and he smiled back to her.

"Could you let me down, I feel kind of expose here." He shouted at her.

Willow, for it was the most powerful witch living, bring him gently to the ground, beside her.

"Spike, you're alive. We weren't sure that Andrew was saying the truth. Good to have you back." she said.

"Come to give us a hand eh? How many slayers do you have?" he said.

"About a hundred, all here, and we have something better," she turned to a group of young men and women, "Fire!" she yelled.

They raised their right hand at the same time and balls of fire shoot from their hand and explode among the demons. Spike looked at Willow and she shrugged. Spike supposed they came from that place in Britain where she had learned to use her power without becoming addicted to it. He nod impressed. Then he turned his attention back to the fight. He was about to go back in when Willow stopped him. He turned and he saw she had an axe in her hands.

"I can take care of myself, I don't need a weapon" he said.

"Spike don't be stupid, this is a war, you take any advantage you can get. Beside, only you and Angel can use this. We found it in Africa. Only a vampire with a soul can use it to its best." she said.

Spike was a bit uncomfortable with using magical items during a fight. Last time he had died painfully. On the positive side, Buffy had told him that she loved him. He grabbed the axe and jumped back in the fight. He felt the axe singing to him. Everything started getting slower. He felt lighter and stronger. It felt good.

Angel

The dragon fell on the ground minus the head. Angel grinned. He turned to see Gunn barely holding back a normal demon of week strength. A vampire could have taken on that demon.

"GUNN RETREAT NOW!" Angel yelled at the black man.

Gunn didn't seem to hear. Angel would never make it there in time. Then he saw a black blur attacking the demon, and then next thing he knew both the black blur and Gunn had vanished. He felt something hit him and turn to see a Fyarl demon. He cursed under his breath when the thing punched him in the mid-section. He bends over in pain. SO this was how he would die. Killed by a Fyarl. How humiliating. Closing his eyes he heard a thump. And the Fyarl growling in frustration.

"Come on mate, keep the foul language for the ladies." Spike said.

Angel rose his head and saw Spike holding the demon's wrist, as Angel would restrain a human. How was this possible? Then Spike beheaded the thing with the axe and it started to wander around, hitting at random. Apparently the axe wasn't made of silver. Spike kicked it in the midsection and it went flying in the nearest wall.

"Hey Angel, just thought I'd let you know that the Scoobies are here." Spike said.

Angel looked at him unbelieving. Then in a blur he was gone. Angel didn't have time to wonder where his fellow soul-reinstated vampire went, another demon attacked. A normal demon, only ten feet in height and about as large with more mouth than it could use.

"Probably a female demon" Angel muttered under his breath.

Covered with tentacles about twelve feet long it lunged at the dark-haired vampire and caught it in its grip. Angel struggled for a few moments before he did the most repulsive thing he'd done to get himself out of this kind of trouble. He turned vamp and bit the gray sluggish tentacle. He might have tasted better then rotten eggs, but he wouldn't have bet anything on it. He fell on the ground hard. He got on his feet and was about to fight against it when a young woman jumped on the thing's back. It stabbed something in its back and jumped off. He recognized Dawn. She turned to him and smiled.

"Hey Angel, we thought that you guys would need a hand." she said as the thing exploded.

Angel was beyond words.