Buffy walked through the deserted Sunnydale cemetery, knife in hand, stake in her back pocket. She wasn't planning on staking any vampires tonight, but for some reason she felt more secure if it was there.

Giles had left for England earlier in the day. He'd told her to patrol, but with a certain, delightful companion.

"So, why am I doing this again?" asked the British vampire walking beside her, whilst swinging his large steel axe about carelessly in the cool night air. "Cause I had things I wanted to do tonight," he continued. "I've missed 'Passions' for this! Now I'll never get to find out if Timmy ever did get out of that bloody well."

Buffy halted and turned to face Spike. "Look, I'm not singing and dancing about this either, but until Giles figures out who this so called 'ruler' is and how to stop him, we've got to stop these demons…or servants…or whatever Giles called them from attacking normal, everyday people. I don't think I take them by myself, so I need you for backup." She paused for a moment and frowned. "And stop swinging that stupid axe around will you! You're going to end up cutting off my arm the way you're swinging it!"

"Wouldn't be such a bad thing," muttered Spike under his breath, but nevertheless, the axe dropped to his side.

They walked side by side for a moment in silence, in which time, Spike did some thinking. Why was he doing this? He hated Buffy… didn't he? He wanted her dead. But yet here he was about to fight on the same side as her, as allies. No, this was wrong. It was against everything he stood for, he'd have to turn back…But yet his feet carried on, walking next to her, side by side. For some reason he felt inclined to protect her, however much he told himself he hated her. What was happening to him?

Spikes thoughts were interrupted when Buffy spotted something infront of them. "Look," she whispered and pointed ahead. Sure enough, three of the ruler's servants stood not more than a few meters away from where Buffy and Spike were standing. Luckily, they were facing in the opposite direction. Buffy grabbed Spike's arm and moved quietly and quickly behind the nearest tree.

"Spike, I don't know if we'll be able to take three by ourselves. They 're really strong."

Spike let out a smirk. "Awww," he mocked, "you afraid of the demon?…Course we can take' em. I'm here remember."

Buffy rolled her eyes.

"Oh come on!" he continued. "They're just waiting for someone to kick they're butt…mind you, if you're chicken?"

"No. Spike! Wait! We have to think of a plan! Come back!" but it was too late. Spike had already run out from behind the tree and was racing towards the demons. Buffy stood still for a moment, considered her options, then ran after him.

Spike was first to reach the demons. "Hey! Gorilla feet!" he called out, which immediately drew their attention. "That's right," he continued as the demons approached him, "I'm talking to you, you hairy footed morons"

Spike ducked a punch from the closest demon to him and at the same time butted it in the stomach with the axe handle. The demon flinched, but quickly through out another punch, which Spike didn't manage to avoid and it landed forcefully in his side. He gasped in pain. He'd forgotten how strong the demon was from his encounter the previous night. Thinking quickly, he took his axe and separated the demon's head from its neck in a single stroke.

He gave out a proud smile for a moment. "One down two to…" he was cut short as one of his two left to go hit him hard in the face.

"Bugger," he moaned, as he fell to the ground unconscious.

Buffy watched from behind.

And he killed two slayers how?, she thought. But she had little time to think any further as the remaining demons had now turned their attentions towards the lone slayer.

Buffy gulped. Could she take two by herself? She didn't know, but there was only one way to find out. She lunged forward with her knife… but found herself knocked to the ground before the knife reached the demon's body. But it wasn't the demon that knocked her down.

Buffy sat up on the damp ground. Ten, maybe twelve men were attacking the two remaining demons, their faces covered with black balaclavas. Buffy knew who the men were though. They were the initiative soldiers.

Buffy watched as they eventually managed to bring the demons to the ground.

"Take them back to the lab," she heard one of them say. Buffy guessed he was the leader.

"Anyone injured?" said another one.

Buffy heard a few groans coming from a few of the soldiers, who may have had broken bones after being unlucky enough to receive a blow from the demon, but as far as she could see none of them appeared to be badly hurt.

Buffy looked over at Spike, as she knew the initiative were after him, but fortunately his body was well out of sight behind a large gravestone. She now turned her attentions back to the initiative, where the men were still talking.

"What about the civilian?"

"I saw her holding something sir, I'm pretty sure it was a knife."

"Is she injured?"

A soldier approached Buffy, offering his hand. "You alright miss? Are you hurt?"

Buffy looked up, into the face of the soldier, and gasped. The soldier's eyes also widened.

His balaclava had been knocked off somehow, and his true face was revealed, a face that Buffy recognised well. She looked deeper into his widened eyes. No, it couldn't be, she thought. How could it be? She would have known…wouldn't she? But somehow it all made sense.

"Riley?" she whispered.

To be continued...