A/N : New chapter! Back in the present day now, and it's time for the big smack-down!
(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)

Chapter 22

"This is the place" Davy said as the group stood outside an old disused house, "She'll be up there"

"Waiting for the sun to go down" Buffy nodded in understanding, "Only we don't have to and we won't. Element of surprise will play to our advantage" she told those who stood behind her.

Willow, Dawn, Andrew, and Giles had taken the children to the hotel at which the visitors were staying, just in case Luisa did get away somehow. Neither she or any of her minions would know where to look for them, and even if they got lucky, the girls were putting up a barrier whilst the guys were ready with weapons to protect little Eloise and Chloe. Meanwhile Buffy and Spike had brought Illyria and Xander with them, and Davy to guide them to Luisa's location.

"I know you owe me no favours, Buffy" Davy said as he turned to the Slayer, "but please save my mother, she has done nothing wrong, even less than I have done"

"It's my job to save the innocent, and it's what I'll do if I can" Buffy told him firmly, "You haven't helped your family by going along with this plan, but you were scared, I get that, I have bigger things to worry about than how much you hurt me right now" she said, holding her double-headed axe firmly in her hands and kicking the door in easily in one fluid movement.

"Let's go" she said as the four fighters entered the building, weapons drawn in preparation for the fight. Buffy was counting on Luisa expecting just her and not a group of opposition, that and the fact she'd have nowhere to run from a third floor apartment in daylight hours would surely be useful.

"You hear that?" Spike asked as they headed up the final flight of stairs. Maniacal laughter was clear from the apartment above, and it was so evil it made Xander shiver involuntarily.

"I'm thinkin' Little Miss SlayerVamp is more than a few bricks missin' from her wall" he said warily as he followed on up the stairs. Illyria glanced over at him with what she hoped was an encouraging look.

"I have fought and killed many demons, both sane and insane" she told him, "I have no more fear of this enemy than any that came before"

"Think I could borrow some of your confidence there, honey" Xander asked with a nervous laugh, but Illyria was too stunned by his pet name for her to give an answer.

"Guys, focus" Buffy told them as they all stood outside the door, "Spike and I go in first, you two hang back til we need you, got it?"

"Understood" Xander answered for both of them and they watched as Buffy and Spike brought the door down with ease.

They were a little surprised to find the room was pitch black, especially since it was still only early evening and therefore the sun shone brightly outside.

"Welcome, Miss Summers" said a cold voice in the darkness, "I see you have brought me a meal"

"Guess again, bitch" Spike called back, really wishing he still had his vampiric vision right now, seeing in the gloom would be so much easier that way.

"Oh, the white haired creature has power, or at least bravado" Luisa laughed, "This will not save you" she smiled as a light flipped on in the centre of the room, revealing what appeared to be an averagley pretty seventeen year old girl in a pure white dress. Behind her on a chair was Davy's mother, her mouth taped shut and her wrists and ankles bound to the seat.

"And what exactly do you think is going to save you?" Buffy asked the girl, thinking this looked all to easy, it just had to be a trap.

"I'm not the one that needs saving" Luisa laughed, stepping back around the chair til she was behind it, "She is" she gestured down at Mary in front of her, "She put me on my path, told me I was the Slayer. She allowed me to be made what I am now, a Vampire Slayer with a child that shall be almighty"

"You got it all wrong" Buffy shook her head, taking a couple of careful steps forward, "Your kid was special to you, but it wasn't prophesied to be this great being you think it was"

"Your children have stolen the power that should have been that of my own baby!" Luisa bellowed, her demon visage slipping into place, "And you will not stop me from taking it back"

"I got an axe in my hand that'd disagree with you" Buffy told her, taking another step, wary of what the vamp might do to Mary if she made one wrong move. Davy had been right when she'd said the Watcher woman was innocent, and the less innocents that died, the better of course.

"You are so idiotic it is amusing" Luisa cackled with laughter as she leant over Mary's shoulder and looked the woman in the eye, "They forget your son in all the confusion, do they not Mary, dear"

"Davy?" Buffy frowned, wondering what she was talking about.

"He is so much more than he seems" Luisa grinned evilly, "My precious Instrument... my Vessel"

"Vessel" Buffy muttered to herself, trying to think why that was familiar. A vampire with a Vessel. The Master, he had a Vessel for the Harvest, another vampire who would feed on his behalf so that he could gain Power and leave the Hellmouth.

"Davy's not a vampire" she said aloud, "He was out in the daylight, and besides I would've known"

Luisa laughed once again before she explained.

"Foolish child!" she spat at Buffy, suddenly serious and somehow looking down on the woman who was almost a foot taller than her and had more than five years of age in physical looks over her.

"Some sort of claim or thrall" Spike muttered, catching his Slayer's attention, "Don't have to turn the fella to put him under her control, vamp's got other ways to do that"

"Such a simple boy, it took little effort" Luisa smirked, "And now you see comes your dilemma my friends. To stay, fight myself and save your friend the old Watcher, or go, and try to save your unworthy brats from death"

"Illyria! Xander!" Buffy called behind herself without actually turning. "Head for the hotel, try calling, warn the gang not to let Davy in!"

"We shall" Illyria said back as she and Xander scrambled back down the stairs.

"Guess that just leaves you, me, and the skank" Spike smirked almost evilly as when he was a demon as he looked at the creature who would take his children's lives.

"Still a dilemma though" Luisa grinned back at him, "Would you risk dear Mary's life to take mine? What do you say, dear sweet Watcher?" the crazy Slayer asked the woman as she tore the tape from her mouth.

"Buffy" she gasped as she looked over at the blonde, "Save your children, and mine, I beg you. Kill this creature, she is not Luisa any longer"

"'S where you're just a little bit wrong, luv" Spike cut in before Buffy could speak.

"She is not wrong" Luisa snapped, "For once she is right, I am better than the lowly creature I once was. I am the True Chosen"

"You are a silly bitch with illusions of grandeur" Spike told her, "And yeah, it sucks you got turned and lost your kid, but you are not gonna take that out on my kids, you stupid, trumped-up, whore!" he yelled, ready for her attack that came within micro-seconds of the insulting words leaving his lips. Luisa crashed into Spike, bringing him to the ground as Buffy ran to untie Mary and get her out of the room.

"Go!" she yelled as she got her as far as the stairs.

Though Luisa was strong, it was soon obvious that Spike was stronger. He'd been a vampire for almost a century more than the Italian girl, and his kids lives were at stake. There was just no way he was going to let this skank win. With a powerful kick he dislodged her from his body and sent her hurtling across the room, and Spike scrambled to his feet.

"Slayer, make sure your Watcher woman gets out of here" he called to Buffy, "then go back up the gang. The kids matter most here, right?"

"Sure you can deal?" she checked as Luisa rose up from the ground, growling like a wild animal.

"This is me we're talking about here, pet" he smirked and with a swift nod and a look of trust and love she left him to the fight, pelting down the stairs and helping Mary along too.

Back in the apartment Luisa laughed as she scrambled to her feet, emerging from the dark with a weapon of her own that Spike was wary of. It looked like some kind of fire but it sat in her hand without burning as flames would torch a vamp.

"Your precious lover would leave you alone to tackle me" the creature smirked as she stepped around the room and Spike did the same, til the two of them were circling each other like predatory animals, "She does not understand my power. Not one amongst you could comprehend"

"See, that's where you're wrong" Spike told her, still breathing a little unevenly from the scuffle, "Done two Slayers in my time, know their strengths and weakness. Should know vamps too seein' as I was one for so bloody long"

"Yes, indeed" Luisa nodded, still smiling in frightening fashion, "You are why I exist. William the Bloody, murderer of she who wielded the power of the Chosen One before I"

"'M not him anymore" Spike shook his head slightly, mindful of keeping his eyes on the target and ever wary of the apparent fire in her hand, "but yeah, s'pose in some way it's down to me you're standin' there now"

"And how will your lover feel" Luisa smirked, "when she realises this is all your fault?"

"She won't give a toss" Spike scoffed, "She's seen the best and the very worst of me, and she loves me all the same" he explained, "Just like I love her. That's stronger than anything you can throw at us" he told her smartly, casting a glance at the flames that still roared within her palm.

"Love for your woman" she nodded, "But what of the love for your companion, the blue girl"

"I'm fond enough of Lyri, but she can take care of herself" Spike smirked, thinking how stupid this bint was if she thought Illyria needed anyone's protection from anything.

"Really?" Luisa checked, "The power of the mind is a wonderful thing, William" she told him, raising her right hand in front of her so the fire ball spun and flickered, "This I have learnt, and this you should know"

Watching the ball of flame, Spike saw images, pictures within it of great suffering and torment of random people and creatures.

"What the...?"

"Her visions" Luisa explained, though Spike had not completely asked the question, "Pretty pictures in her mind, illusions that can be altered..."

"You!" Spike yelled suddenly understanding, "You messed with her head! Made her think Red was attacking before, and that other vision first day we got here knocked her out too long"

"It should have killed her" Luisa told him coldly, "She is much stronger than I gave her credit for, but still human" she reminded him, "I can affect what she sees, what she feels, though the Powers That Be send her these visions, the power I possess can warp and alter. One wrong move from you" she threatened, "and I will scramble her mind so far beyond reach, no-one will ever find her"

"You evil soddin' bitch" Spike seethed, knowing if he still had the demon in him he never would have been able to keep this image of calm up for so long, since it was killing him now.

"It was simple before" Luisa laughed maniacally once again, "Now you make a real choice. Take a chance to save your precious children, or let me go and save your friend" she smirked, thinking she was victorious.

"If that's the choice" Spike said, letting his battle stance go, "What else can I do?" he shrugged as if he'd given up. Looking to the ceiling he sighed.

"I'm sorry, Lyri"

By the time Luisa realised he had fooled her, it was almost too late and she barely had time to cast her spell before Spike ran at her full pelt.

Still, the blue-haired one would suffer, the blonde Slayer would no doubt stop to try to help as was her way, and the Vessel would be granted access to the children. If she could just hold Spike off for a while longer, soon Luisa would have the power to bring him, and this whole miserable world, to it's knees.

To Be Continued...