Chapter 7: Third Man on a Tower

-Outside the Tower-

Spike heard the noises of people fighting and machinery before he was able to see the sight of the creaky tower before him; Glory's brain sucked victims and hobbit like minions swarmed about blocking the entrance to the tower. Then Spike looked up, and he saw her, Dawn was tied up above, and there was another man nearing her. This memory was crystal clear in Spike's head; he hadn't forgotten a second of it when it had happened the first time. Spike realized that he finally had a way to make his dreams come true, Spike could save her this time, save Buffy, and ultimately save himself; however his own fate didn't even enter his mind as he saw Dawn in the tower up above in the cold air. Willow's voice entered his mind, she told him to run, and Spike ran, when this had gone about the first time, Spike had ran towards the tower not knowing how he was gonna get through, he just ran; but this time he knew and just maybe he would be able to be that fraction of a second faster. He moved up the metal stairs, they screeched and many were missing, but still he ran, leaping over and pulling himself up the unstable tower, until he reached the top. Doc is standing near Dawn glaring at his pocket watch.

Doc: "Well, what do ya know; it's just about that time."

Dawn: "Spike!"

Spike: "Doesn't a fella' stay dead when you kill him?"

Doc: "look who's talking."

Spike: "Come on Doc, lets you and me have a go?"

Doc: "I… did have a prior appointment."

Spike: "This won't take long."

Doc: "No… I don't imagine it will."

Spike charges the Doc, last time he got a knife to the stomach, but this time he was expecting it and was able to miss the knife, which then fell to the floor making a clanking sound as it hit the metal. It was pushed down near the end of the tower towards Dawn, The Doc was still between Spike and Dawn, unlike how it was the first time around when they had switched positions, however Spike wasn't hurt this time so he figured he still had an advantage.

Spike: "Don't go near the girl, Doc."

Doc: "There's something different about you vampire… You have a soul, now just why would you want one of those."

For a moment Spike falters, he knows that he has a soul, the problem was that he hadn't had one when this had first happened. It made sense that he would keep it during his event amend, however he hadn't really thought about it. Then Spike saw through the holes in the metal grid that he was standing on that Buffy was starting to make her way up the tower, Spike just had to hold Doc off for a little longer and then they would be home free, unless he failed again; instantly Spike snaps out of his thoughts and concentrats on the task at hand.

Spike: "I fell in love with a lady, made a promise to her I did."

Doc: "Oh."

Doc shoots his tong out of his mouth but Spike easily avoids it, then he tries to knock Spike's feet out from under him and they wrestle for a moment, Doc tried to get a hold of Spike like he had the first time when he pushed him over the tower ledge, but this time Spike knocked him to the ground, he gave him a swift punch to the face, Doc is now lying on the edge of the side of the platform, half of his body dangling over the edge, then just as Spike was about to push Doc off the tower Doc reaches for the knife, he swings it at Spike but Spike is able to avoid it, then as Spike is about to give Doc the final kick to push him off the tower Doc takes the knife and with a stretching and twisting motion of his arm that would be impossible for any human he catches Dawn's leg and cuts her. Spike pushes Doc off the tower and he falls with great speed, but all Spike could think was that he was too late once again. He could smell the blood that threatened to spill out the small cut on Dawn's leg and quickly rushed forward to untie Dawn.

Dawn: "Spike, I was so scared."

Spike: "I know nibblet, I know, come on now, we've got to get out of here."

Buffy was racing up the tower with all the speed she could muster. She made it to the top with out even looking back, and when she got there she saw Spike, he had just finished untying Dawn and was walking with Dawn towards her; Buffy's eyes met his and a single tear rolled down her face.

Dawn: "Buffy."

Dawn leaps forward and hugs her sister; Buffy holds Dawn close burring her face in her sisters hair and then looking up at Spike and shows her deep gratitude in her eyes, he looks back at her with love and a sign of relief but there was something else in his expression, something old, as if he had done this all before but finally felt a sense of closing about it. Then her expression changed slightly as she saw a bright light radiating from where Dawn had been standing, Spike notices the change and looked back. Time seemed to move slower for a moment as Spike realized that he still hadn't been fast enough, that somehow one single drop of blood had still fallen, and he had failed. Spike looks back at Buffy with a pained expression. She saw into him as she looked into his eyes for that moment, and if she knew what she was looking at she would have realized that she was staring into his soul. Buffy pulled away from Dawn and looked at her sister realize what she was staring at, Dawn turned around and saw the portal opening behind Spike, then she looked back at her sister with fear.

Dawn: "Buffy, no."

Buffy: "Dawnie, I have to."

Spike watches Buffy's face as she talked to Dawn, and listens intently to her words, knowing what she was about to do. The portal behind him grew larger, the seams of reality started to split, the light was pulsing and growing brighter as other dimensions started to mix into theirs.

Dawn: "No!"

Buffy: "Listen to me, please, there's not a lot of time, listen, tell Giles… tell Giles I figured it out, and I'm ok. Give my love to my friends, you have to take care of them now, you have to take care of each other."

Spike notices that Buffy had set her glance on him as she said her last sentence.

Buffy: "You have to be strong, Dawn, the hardest thing in this world is to live in it… be brave, live… for me."

Dawn was crushed, Buffy turns, she is now facing Spike, he knew what she had to do, what she was about to do. He would watch her die again, and he couldn't do anything about it. He stares at her for the last time, and he saw no hatred in her eyes, no disgust, it was as if she was looking at him the way she did in the Hellmouth before he died, but this was before that happened, and yet he could still see the caring in her eyes.

Spike: "Buffy, I'm sorry, I'm sorry I couldn't stop…"

Buffy: "Shhh, it's all over now. Everything's gonna be ok."

Spike: "no, it's not Buffy, you're gonna jump and you're gonna die, and I've failed you again, I've failed myself."

Buffy: "there was no more that you could have done, and you didn't fail, you protected her, she's safe… but I need you to keep protecting her. Listen to me Spike, I need you; you have to keep her safe, keep them all safe, because I can't anymore… I believe in you."

Buffy looks straight at him once more, and then she kisses him on the lips. It wasn't anything like their fiery kisses they shared during their relationship, but soft and chaste, like the kiss she had given him when she found out that he hadn't given her or Dawn away to Glory. A single tear rolled down Spike's face and then Buffy moved past him and with a running jump everything went white for Spike once again.

AN: Props to everyone just for reviewing... lol. I know you were all hoping that Spike would save her, but if course I'm gonna keep you guessing for a few more chapters yet. Dont worry, he still has one chance left.