Chapter 11: Three Scoobies to the Rescue

-Elsewhere-

Spike had a choice to make, he waited for the voice of powers to tell him just what his options were, he stared off into the emptiness waiting for the formless being to tell him what would happen next. He was relieved that this was finally all over, however worried at just what his choices would be.

Voice: "In your last event amend you were pulled back just before you were killed, we have chosen to make your event amends real, in some cases they are erased however in your case they have become your history, they have really happened in the timeline of events, do you understand that?"
Spike: "So when I was on the tower with Buffy, and when I stopped Buffy from coming back… that really happened?"

Voice: "Yes, all else that you remember is false."

Spike: "So everything that would have happened if things had gone the way they had before, everything that would have happened if Buffy had been brought back has been erased."

Voice: "Correct… In the moment of time when you were pulled back here there are two things that can happen, that demon can stake you and kill you and you will be allowed through the gates of heaven, or it can be avoided and you can be returned to that point in time."

Spike thinks for a moment, he could go back; but he couldn't go back to Buffy. He had stopped her from returning and if he were to go back he would have to live without her. Then Spike thinks about his promise, he had sworn to keep Dawn safe, if he had stopped Buffy from coming back and then that event that he had changed was permanent, what would happen to Dawn? There would be no one there to protect her or any of the scoobies, she was in the magic shop with Tara and Anya, would they be able to get her out of there or would they all die. Spike didn't doubt that Dawn would end up in heaven if she did die, but she was so young, there was so much more life that she had to live. Then another thought pops into his head, Doc had smelled a soul on him when he was on the tower, would he keep his soul. He knew he wanted to.

Spike: "What about my soul?"
Voice: "You've fought for that, you may keep it if you return, with the soul you are the man that deserves this reward, and we cannot remove it."

Spike continues to think, if he died and went to heaven Buffy would be there, she was after all dead. They could be together in heaven; but it didn't seem the same, and it didn't seem right to take the easy way out when he had the chance to live. Spike knew what he had to do.

Spike: "I want to go back… I have to keep on living, she told me once that I needed to live, she wanted us to live for her… and I need to do that, I made a promise to protect her sis, so that's what I need to do."

The Voice didn't say anymore, Spike's vision went blank again for the final time.

-Outside the Magicbox-

Reality comes rushing back to Spike quickly, he is lying on the cold, hard ground, his head hurt and there was a two by four inches from his heart. Then just as it is about to dust him the demon holding the weapon was knocked to the ground, Spike looks up to see Xander holding a long metal pole. Xander had seen Spike and stopped the demon just before he could kill him. Spike thought about the irony in Xander being the one to save him, then he noticed Willow holding the other demon with a magic force field. Dawn who was watching from the Magicbox came running out and hugs Spike when he gets to his feet, then she went and stood by Xander and Spike just looks at the three of them. Dawn, Xander and Willow, they were why he was there, to protect them. Spike then takes the metal rod from Xander and killed the demon that Willow was holding in place by ramming the rod through its head, it made a crunching sound and the demon fell to the ground. Without a word the four of them walk into the Magicbox.

-Inside the Magicbox-

Anya and Tara rush at Xander and Willow as they walk in, obviously glad to see them. Dawn sits back down at the table and Spike sits next to her. The room for the moment is quiet and still, it looks completely unharmed except for the cracked front window, but other then that it everything was in order. There are papers sitting on the counter top from inventory, and a new box of crystals sat by the door. Slowly the rest of the scoobies made their way over to the table Willow and Tara sat seeing as Willow was tired, but Xander just stood with Anya holding her arm through his.

Tara: "S-so, what do we do now?"

Spike: "I don't know, but we shouldn't stay here."

Xander: "We could fight our way out."

Anya: "Fight? I don't think so, I mean sure we could take a few of them out, but lets be serious we need a slayer… we need Buffy."

Dawn: "What about the Buffy-bot?"

Spike: "They destroyed it… I mean, they must've figured that Buffy was dead or why else would they come here."

Willow: "Spike has a point… they wouldn't be here if they didn't think that Sunnydayle was vulnerable."
Anya: "Which means that they're probably planning on staying, so waiting them out isn't going to work."

Spike: "One of the demons from before said that this was their town… so I'm thinking Anya's right on that one."

Willow: "We could have Buffy right now, if you hadn't…"

Spike: "Don't start with me Red, you know what you were doing was wrong, and you also knew that there was a chance with that spell that she might not come back right, So don't give me the whole spiel on how we could have her back now, cause what we could have is a super-strong zombie to deal with and honestly I think that'd make it worse."

Xander: "Wait, Zombie, that was a possibility?"

Willow: "There are always chances that… but that wouldn't have happened, I…"

Dawn: "Stop! I don't want to hear anymore about my sister, she's dead and that's how it's supposed to be… right now we need to worry about how we're going to get out of here."

Spike: "The bit's right, we've got to figure something out."

Xander: "I think I have an idea."

-Outside Sunnydayle-

The town is on fire, it was like hell on earth, bright flames contrasting in the dark. There is a group of biker demons huddled around a burning pile of some destructed house, they looked to be celebrating their victory with many bottles of various kinds of alcohol which are occasionally being smashed or thrown into the fire making small explosions. Spike spotted the leader and walks forward towards him, Spike walked alone and carried only two things, a sword in one hand and the severed head of one of the demons in the other.

Spike: "Hey! Big and ugly, I think I have something that belongs to you."

Spike was fairly close to the group of demons now and threw the head at them, it rolled at the leader's feet and then he took a step forward, the demon was obviously mad and he got right up into Spike's face.

Demon: "You think you can scare me vampire, I could crush you… now I suggest that you get out of my town!"

Spike: "Now you see that's where we have a problem… this is my town, and if anyone of your cronies here try to do anything about it they're gonna end up like your friend there."

The demon just laughs and reaches forward, he grabs Spike around the neck and lifts him off the ground, but Spike isn't scared. They had just fallen straight into his trap, if only Xander would hurry up with his part or Spike might end up entering the pearly gates after all. The demon squeezed harder which made Spike a little uncomfortable, but he hadn't killed him yet so this could all still go well.

AN: Thanks once again to my reviewers: funkydevil206, and wicked-angel-413. There's only one chapter left, I hope everyone stays tuned in for the ending. Also, to answer a question... yea I know Spike probably could've taken out those demons alot easier, but I needed to have a life or death situation and this worked.