Buffy flipped through the channels on the TV. Spike had gone patrolling alone. Faith's funeral had been earlier that afternoon and Spike thought Buffy could use the night off. Though she appreciated him taking over patrolling duty for her, she couldn't wait for him to return home. As if the powers had heard her wish there was a knock on the door. Buffy scrambled to her feet and rushed over to the door. She unlocked and opened it, expecting to see Spike greeting her with a smile. However, instead stood a tall, dark haired man standing in the hall.
"Hello," He greeted her. "I'm in the city visiting a cousin and I got lost. I was wondering if I could use your phone."
"Of course," Buffy told the man. "Come on in."
"Don't mind if I do," He leered.
There were a few signs that something was wrong, Spike noted as he approached Buffy's apartment. First, the door was wide open. He could chalk that up to his own forgetfulness. However, he could also hear the faint sound of Buffy's whimper.
"Buffy!" Spike called as he made his way through the apartment. He checked Buffy's room first, and when he saw that she wasn't there, he checked the bathroom and the living room. There was only one place left to look and Spike took the stake out of his pocket before entering the kitchen. What he saw there would have made his heart stop had it ever been beating.
Buffy lay on the counter. A vampire was crouched over her, fangs buried deeply into her neck. Spike couldn't see who the vampire was. All he could see was red. A blinding rage filled him and he stuck his stake into the vampire's back. The vampire retracted his fangs from Buffy's neck and turned around. His vampire mask melted and he turned around. Spike gasped as Angelus, his sire, the one vampire he couldn't kill turned to dust before his eyes.
Spike's thoughts turned to Buffy. He caught her right before she slipped off the kitchen counter top. Cradling the Slayer in his arms Spike murmured to her softly as tears leaked from her eyes.
"You okay baby?" Spike asked.
Buffy nodded. "He was only here for a few seconds before you arrived. Was that…Was that Angelus?"
"He's dust now my love. You don't need to worry about him," Spike assured Buffy.
Buffy looked at Spike in confusion. "But…how? I thought you said you couldn't kill Angelus."
"I can't. If I do-" Spike stopped talking and clutched his hand to his chest.
"What's wrong?" Buffy asked.
"Ugh!" Spike groaned, rolling onto the floor. Buffy knelt beside his head.
"What's going on? Why are you in pain?"
"Angelus. He was my sire. Vampires tell stories about what happens when you kill your sire. They say…" Spike gulped, the pain beginning to overcome him. "They say that when you have committed the act of ultimate betrayal. You… .you pay…you pay with your…life…" Spike trailed off. Buffy reached for his hand and held it tightly.
"Don't worry my love," She whispered. "Tell me what I can do."
"Nothing baby. But don't worry. I'll find a way back to you. Death isn't strong enough to keep me from you. No matter what…I will always come for you." Spike tilted his head towards Buffy's and placed a gentle kiss on her lips, before dissolving into dust.