Chapter 53: Chosen Part 2
April 27, 2003 – Sunday
Halliwell Manor
Faith and Dawn slept spoon style again, Faith wrapped in Dawn's arms, facing away from her. Dawn slept; Faith could not. She looked at Dawn's hand, resting on the bed in front of her, running her hand along it. After a moment, Dawn rolled over, and Faith took the chance to sit up. Got up, and crossed to the window, looked out on the world bathed in moonlight.
"Pretty, ain't it?" Caleb said right beside her.
Faith started, then recovered, reminding herself it was The First. "You're not him," she said.
"No, you and Piper killed him right and proper," he answered. "Terrible loss." He pulled a sad face. "This man was my good right arm. 'Course, it doesn't pain me too much. Don't need an arm." He smiled broadly. "Got an army."
Faith rolled her eyes. "An army of vampires."
"Every day our numbers swell, he boasted. Then he sneered at her. "But then you do have an army of your own. Some thirty-odd pimply-faced girls who don't know the pointy end of a stake."
"Well their not the only ones," Faith smirked. "I have my sisters-in-law also. Maybe you heard of them. After all they vanquished your last right hand."
The First snorted. "They won't help you."
Faith asked, "Have you ever considered a cool name? Since you're incorporeal and basically powerless you could call yourself 'The Taunter.' Strikes fear . . ."
"I will overrun this earth," The First proclaimed.
"You know how many people have said that to me, B, Dawn, Piper, Phoebe or Paige?" Faith shot back.
"I do," he assured her. "Since they all had a small part of me in them. Whereas I have all of me in me, so I like my chances somewhat better." His voice rose as if it were seeking the vulnerable, thin places in her soul to pour in his poison, and let it rot her from the inside out. "And when my army outnumbers the humans on this earth, the scales will tip and I will be made flesh."
"Yeah right," Faith snorted. "I'm not afraid of you."
"Then why aren't you asleep in your wife's arms?"
"Because she's taunting you." They turned and saw Dawn sitting up in the bed. "
"You can't help her." He looked back at Faith. "Nor Buffy, nor Piper, Phoebe or Paige, nor yours and Buffy's friends. Certainly not your little wannaslay brigade. None of those girlies will ever know real power unless you're dead. You know the drill."
Then Caleb morphed into Buffy herself and came in close, as close as possible, voice carrying truth. "Into every generation, a Slayer is born. One girl in the all the world. She alone will have the strength and skill to fight the . . . well, there's that word again. What you are. How you'll die. Alone."
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
When the First had disappeared Faith stood at the window for a moment longer and then turned to Dawn a smile on her lips. "I just realized something, Dawnie." She stared at her wife as the steadiest calm she had ever experienced mingled with her warrior's blood. She was serene and highly charged at the same time. Then she said, "We're going to win."
April 28, 2003 – Monday
Summers Residence
The sun had risen by the time the core group assembled in Buffy's bedroom as Faith finished explaining her plan and said, "Well? What do you think?"
Xander went first, wading slowly as he said, "That depends." Then he said sincerely, "Are you kidding?"
Dawn frowned. "You don't think it's a good idea?"
"Faith, what you're talking about flies in the face of everything we've ever—that every generation—has ever done in the fight against evil." He smiled broadly. "I think it's bloody brilliant."
"I have to say with the Power of Three it might just work," Piper said.
"More than that," Buffy said. "I think you guys and Willow and Tara."
"Is it even possible?" Paige asked.
Giles was getting excited. "I believe it is, if what Buffy and Faith have told us about this weapon is true. I'll start digging up my sources," he pondered. He looked at the group. "Literally, actually; there's one or two people I need to talk to who are dead."
Anya said to Xander, "Come on. Let's go assemble the cannon fodder."
"We're not calling them that," Xander remonstrated her as he stood up.
She gave him a 'no kidding' look and said, "Not to their faces. What am I, insensitive?"
"Piper?" Faith said as she picked up the scythe and handed it to the eldest Halliwell.
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
Later on that morning, Buffy and Faith spoke to the assembled Potentials. They could feel the tension in the room. "I hate this," Buffy began. "I hate that you have to be here. I hate that there's evil, that it's growing."
"But this isn't about wishes," Faith took over, looking at their faces, seeing how young they were, how frightened. "This is about choices. B and I never had one. We were Chosen."
"Me and my sisters never had a choice either," Piper added. "We too were Chosen to become the Charmed Ones."
"And we accept that," Buffy said. "We're not asking you to accept anything. We're asking you to make your own choice. We believe we can beat this evil—not when it comes, not after its army is ready, but now. Tomorrow morning our family is opening the Seal."
"We're going down into the Hellmouth," Faith told them. "And we're going to finish it once and for all. I've got strong allies: warriors, charms, sorcerers, and we'll need them all. But we'll also need you. Every single one of you."
Each of member of Halliwell family looked at each and every one of the Potentials in turn, memorizing their faces.
"So now you're asking yourself," Buffy took over. "'What makes this different? What makes us anything more than a bunch of girls getting picked off one by one?'"
"It's true none of you has the Slayer power that Buffy and I have and none of you are witches," Faith added.
"As far as the Slayer power goes," Buffy said. "I think both of us would have to die for a new Slayer to be called, and we can't even be sure that girl is in this room. That's the rule. So here's the part where you make a choice."
"What if all you could have that power?" Piper asked.
"Now. All of you," Buffy said. "In every generation one Slayer is born because a bunch of guys that died thousands of years ago made up that rule. They were powerful men."
Faith pointed at Paige, Willow, Tara, Phoebe and Piper. "These women are more powerful than all of them combined. So I saw we change the rules. I say mine and Buffy's power should be our power."
"Tomorrow Phoebe, Paige, Tara, Willow and I will use the essence of this scythe," Piper said, "that contains the energy and history of so many Slayers, to change your destiny."
"From now on, every girl in the world who might be a Slayer, will be a Slayer," Buffy said. "Every girl who could have the power, will have the power. Who can stand up, will stand up. Every one of you, and girls we've never known, and generations to come . . . they will have strength they never dreamed of, and more than that, they will have each other."
"Slayers," Faith said concluding the speech. "Every one of us. Make your choice. Are you ready to be strong?"
Sunnydale High School
While Buffy and Faith addressed the Potentials, Paige and Robin toiled in the high school basement, moving something big and metal in front of a grate. Robin was assimilating what Paige had told him about Faith's plan, and he was dubious.
"It's a hell of a risky idea," he said.
"I know my aunt," Paige countered. "If she believes it will work. Then it will work. Besides its not like the Potentials will be the only ones down there. Our family will be down there also. Nothing so far has proven to be stronger than the Charmed Ones."
"There's one more vent right by the stairs," he continued. They headed for it. "We block that, they've got no sewer access. It should drive them up into the school proper."
"That's assuming they get past us," Paige drawled.
He gave his head a little shake. "Which, no offense, I am."
Paige grinned at him, "Come on. You got to have a little faith."
They started covering the vent by the stairs with stuff.
Summers Residence
The day flew by as Willow, Tara, Piper and Phoebe labored over the Book of Shadows..
"I really wish she hadn't said that about me," Willow murmured.
"What, the thing Buffy said?" Tara asked. "It's true. You are the strongest progenitor I know."
"That we all know," Piper added. "It surprises me actually that you never developed powers of your own, Willow, with how powerful a progenitor you are."
"Really?" Willow said looking at Piper in surprise.
"Yes," Piper said.
When they finished the work they had to do Piper and Phoebe gave Willow and Tara privacy to be a couple simply in love.
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
And the day had flown by for Giles, who sat at the dining room table with Xander, books and plans strewn about. Amanda and other Potentials looked on, tired but engrossed.
"I've gotten turned around," Giles said. "You're here."
"By the pillar, yeah," Xander told him. "I'm protecting this area."
"That puts me here." Giles pointed. "By the door. Demons around the perimeter. Right. So I open the door."
Andrew sat at the table as well. He was wearing his red DM cloak, hood up, consulting his GURPS and his personal notes from his many, many-many years of serious gaming.
"You go through the door," He told Giles. "You are confronted by Trogdor the Burninator."
Giles was pissed off. "Bugger all. Fight." He rolled the ten-sided dice.
Andrew checked his score. "Adios to five hit points," he informed Giles. "Trogdor has badly wounded you."
"What about my bag of illusions?" Giles demanded hotly.
"Illusions? Against a burninator?" Andrew chuckled. "Silly, silly British man."
Amanda piped up, "I invoke a time flux on Trogdor."
Andrew was piqued. "Step down, girlfriend, you can't just—"
"Nine level sorcerer, and I carry the emerald chalice. Trogdor is frozen in time. Deal with it," Amanda crowed.
Xander brightened. "Smackdown on red riding hood! This could get ugly."
"Could it possibly get uglier?" Giles moaned. "I used to be a highly respected Watcher. Now I'm a wounded dwarf with the mystical strength of a doily." He rubbed his eyes. "I wish I could just sleep."
Amanda broke character for a moment and said, "What kind of a person could sleep on a night like this?"
Xander fondly regarded his wife, and patted her head as she snored away, her head on the table. "Only the crazy ones," he said, with great affection.
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
Upstairs Dawn and Faith counted coup as they regaled the young Potentials with tales about their family. Some were in sleeping bags, and some where just hanging out at their feet; all were rapt.
Dawn said, "And the Master grabbed Buffy from behind and bit her. She tried to move but he was too strong. He fed on her blood and he tossed her in the water, cackling insanely as the bubbles rose around her and she slowly drowned to death."
Vi was freaking. "Do you have any other stories?
Faith made a 'hold-on' gesture and said, "She gets up again." She looked at her wife and smiled. "It's very romantic." She looked back at all the Potentials. "Guys, you gotta stop worrying. Our family always saves the day."
April 29, 2003 – Tuesday
Sunnydale High School
Robin led the girls into the empty corridors of the building. He stopped at the big space at the bottom of the stairs. "Welcome to Sunnydale High," he told them in a booming voice. "There's no running in the halls, no yelling, and no gum. Apart from that, we have only one rule." He stopped and turned. "If they move, kill them."
Buffy and Faith began to move their warriors into position. "Potentials are in the basement. Follow Spike," Faith said.
As they began to leave, Xander called, "If you have to go to the bathroom, it's on the left. If you don't have to go to the bathroom, picture what you're about to face. Better to go now."
Robin turned to Piper, Phoebe, Paige, Tara and Willow and said, "My office is through there."
"It's right over the Seal," Faith reminded them.
"Okay." Robin gestured as he spoke. "The vampires get upstairs, we have three areas they could get through to another building and down into the sewers. Down the hall in the atrium; the north hall here; and the primary target, through the lounge to the science building. Odds are, most of them will head there. Easy to find, big, no sunlight."
Giles spoke up. "Teams of two, then, and I suggest you and I take the lounge."
"I concur," Robin replied.
"Anya and I will take the atrium," Xander announced.
"So that leaves me and Andrew in the north hall," Dawn concluded. She hated not being at her wife's side. But to balance things out they needed either a Potential upstairs or one of her family. So she had volunteered.
Andrew was peaking. "We will defend it with our very lives."
"Don't be afraid to use him as a human shield," Xander told Dawn.
"No worries," Dawn smirked at her friend.
"And I just want to say how proud I am to die for this really special cause with you guys," Andrew said. "There's some people I'd like to thank, both good and evil . . ." He was holding a paper, which he now unfolded, and began to read. "A shout out to my brother, Tucker, who gave me the inspiration to summon demons, and also—"
"Nobody cares," Dawn said as she shoved him toward the north hall.
Robin and Anya left too.
The Halliwells, Giles, Willow, Tara and Xander were left standing there.
"So," Buffy said, taking on chipper. "What do you guys wanna do tomorrow?"
Piper considered. "Nothing strenuous."
"Mini-golf is always the first thing that comes to mind," Xander said, weighing in.
Giles looked mildly disappointed. "Well, I think we can do better than that."
"I'm pretty much thinking about shopping," Dawn announced.
"There's an Agnes B. in the new mall!" Willow said excitedly.
"I could use a few items," Phoebe said.
"Well, no, aren't we going to discuss this?" Giles asked. "We're saving the world to go to the mall?"
"I'm having a wicked shoe craving," Paige said.
"Aren't you on the patch?" Xander asked.
Faith snorted. "I doubt those ever work, Xan."
"And I'm just here, invisible to the eye, not having any say . . ." Giles whined as Tara patted him comfortingly.
The Halliwells, Xander, Willow and Tara headed off, leaving Giles to watch them before turning toward the lounge.
Dawn was the first to peel off with a hug from each her family and a kiss from Faith.
Next came Piper, Phoebe, Paige, Willow and Tara.
Then Xander headed toward the atrium and his wife.
Then Buffy and Faith were alone as they headed down into the basement. "You know, Buffy. Looking back. If I could…"
"There is no need to apologize, Faith," Buffy said as she smiled at her sister-in-law. "I forgave you a long time ago, remember?"
"I know," Faith said. "But I need to say it anyways. If I could take it back. I would. All of it."
"I know, Faith," Buffy said as she wrapped an arm around her sister-in-law.
Then they were in the basement at the end of the hall, where Spike was waiting. "Time to go to work," he said.
He gestured to the Potentials. Some were crowded outside the Seal chamber because there was not enough room inside. But they parted respectfully for Buffy and Faith. Their gaze ticked toward a few of them. They were so brave, and yet so terrified. Maintaining their control so well . . . they were so proud of them. They wanted to save them, all of them, not lose a single one, ever. For no one to die, ever, in the world. . . .
They moved into the room and stood beside the Seal. Faith pulled out a knife. "B, you want the honors?"
Buffy took the knife, cut her hand, and let her blood drip onto the Seal.
Faith took the knife and said, "Pucker up, ladies. We're going to Hell."
Then she sliced her own palm with casual aplomb.
Then all the girls around the circle held out their hands . . .
The Seal started to open.
Steeling her gaze, finding her center, Buffy started down.
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
In Robin's office, Piper, Phoebe, Paige, Tara and Willow sat on the floor at the points of a pentagram, the scythe in between them. "They should be in place," Piper said. "It's time."
The five of them began their chant.
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
Down among the dead men, into the cavern, Buffy and Faith and a few of the girls went as more followed.
And Spike, with the amulet around his neck. "Not to be a buzzkill," he said, "but my fabulous accessory isn't exactly tingling with power."
"I'm not worried," Buffy told him.
"I'm getting zero juice here," he went on. "And I look like Elizabeth Taylor."
"Cheer up, Liz," Faith said to him. "The spell doesn't work, won't matter what you wear."
As they moved to the precipice, which looked out over an endless cavern, they saw thousands of Turok-han.
"I'm not worried," Buffy said, practically catatonic.
"Really?" Rona whispered. "'Cause I'm flashing back to Xander's whole bathroom speech."
"Buffy? Faith?" Amanda asked shrilly.
"We're not worried!" Faith proclaimed. "As long as they get the spell before they . . . see us."
As one, the vamps caught sight of the girls. Screaming, they charged.
The battle had begun.
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
"Words to the Goddess. Prayers to the Goddess. Protector of woman of women. The power of the Goddess. Queen of the Moon, of the Earth, Air, Fire, Water, Of the Angels and of Slayers. Of Slayers. Of Slayers," Piper, Phoebe, Paige, Willow and Tara chanted. It was not a typical spell the Charmed Ones had ever done. But it wasn't a spell, this was a ritual to call upon the power within the scythe to call all of the Potentials as Slayers. " Goddess Queen of the Moon. Of the Earth, Air, Fire, Water. Of the Angels. Of Guardians and of Slayers. Of Slayers. Of Slayers. Of Sisters!"
Piper, Phoebe, Paige, Tara and Willow tensed up, eyes widening, as light began to fill the room, coursing through them, through everything.
"Oh my Goddess!" Willow cried.
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
As the Ubervamps swarmed to crush them, the Potentials were ready; the power was a rushing wind, a hammer blow, a slap and an embrace and true love and sure death. A fever dream . . . all, it was all, it was . . .
. . . happening everywhere;
In India, a girl fell to the floor as the power and knowledge coursed through her.
In an inner city school, a young girl fell against her locker, dazed . . . and new.
In a trailer park, a young girl blocked the ham fist of her drunken, abusive father.
On a baseball diamond, standing at the plate . . . a little girl straightened, grinning a wicked happy grin.
In Japan, a girl backed away from the dinner table, changed utterly and forever, trying to take it all in.
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
"Sweet fancy Moses," Amanda gasped.
Buffy and Faith beamed at each other.
"You feel that?" Faith asked her sister-in-law.
"I really do," Buffy told Faith.
Faith looked ahead; the Slayers steeled themselves—dozens of them, ready and uncertain, pumped and hanging on, hanging in, hanging tough. "Everybody, hold the line," she said.
"These guys are dead," Vi said coolly.
The first wave of vampires hit, frenzied evil spilling over the girls in a blur of teeth and axes and spears, talons and muscles and no fear of pain or dying.
They swarmed, enormous killing things . . .
. . . and the Slayers went into action.
Roundhouse kicks, uppercuts, sidekicks, leaps—punching and twirling in a jaw-dropping battle dance such as the world had never seen before. They were to the Power born. Each Slayer, cloaked and anointed in the Power, burning bright as they fought back the horde, slaying as if they had been doing it all their lives.
The Chosen, the valiant, heroes to a girl; the Champions of Good, beating them back.
Spike held off others, but there were so many—the army of darkness was endless. But he fought, waiting for the amulet to bestow power, not waiting to wade into the war and hold the line.
It was brutal and dark and bloody; it was why there were Slayers. Why they were here, glimmering, shimmering with Power.
Buffy hovered near the edge, fighting every vampire she could touch: She tossed a Turok-han over the side, staked another, then took a couple of brutal hits. Piper, followed by Phoebe and Paige jumped through the Seal opening: Piper, shouting, "Mom! Catch!" She hurled the scythe.
Buffy caught it in mid-fight, not even looking back, and dispatched two vamps immediately.
Piper, Phoebe and Paige were attacked. Piper used her exploding power on the Ubervamps that came near her, exploding them where they stood. Phoebe levitated and kicked hard. Paige was orbing stakes, from a bag she was carrying, straight into the vampires' hearts.
War cries echoed over the frenzy: Faith and Buffy, Charmed Ones, vamps and Slayers, leaping at each other above the heads of the warring crowd. A sprawling, brawling mob: Armageddon.
Having breached the line, some of the vampires saw the Seal opening and scurried up it. More followed.
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
Robin and Giles heard them coming.
They hoisted their swords.
They were ready.
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
In the atrium, Xander and Anya prepared.
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
In the north hall, Andrew and Dawn geared up for the fight.
"I think they're coming," Andrew said.
Dawn nodded, her sword raised and her eyes squinted, ready to use her powers.
Terrified, Andrew whispered, "Picture happy things. A lake. Candy canes. Bunnies."
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
The Turok-han made it up and through the Seal; they came barreling down the hall toward Giles and Robin, whose blades were at the ready. Vampires to the right, vampires to the left, volleyed and thundered . . .
They were a matched pair of warriors; they fought expertly—Giles scoring a beheading—but they were only managing to hold them off, being driven slowly back. . . .
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
. . . while Dawn and Andrew fought. Dawn was a swordswoman, Andrew was Jerry Lewis, but they also managed to keep them at bay . . .
. . . as a group of five Bringers appeared in the hall behind them, all armed with knives and swords . . .
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
In the cavern, as Spike fought off in a corner, he was startled by a surge of power from the amulet on his chest. "Uh, Buffy? Faith?" he called, but they were in the heat of battle. "Whatever this thing does, I think it's . . . Ahhhhh!"
He dropped to his knees, stunned by pain.
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
The army of the bad was not getting smaller.
Buffy watched a Turok-han leap on a young Slayer, tear into her; the girl went down.
Faith battled her way over to Buffy's side, exhausted but game, as she said, "Think it's too late to talk this thing out?"
Buffy called out to the girls, "Keep the line together! Drive them to the edge! We can't let them—"
Pain.
Unbelievable pain.
She looked down to see the point of a sword extend from her belly, then retract. She had been run through.
Silence covered her thoughts; vaguely she realized that Faith was tackling the vampire who had stabbed her; the Buffy fell slowly to the ground, face first.
"Buffy?" Faith cried, running to her sister-in-law. She held out her hands. "Come on, please, work!" No matter how much she willed it, she didn't heal Buffy's wound, her hands didn't glow like Leo or Sam's did.
Buffy gazed up at her and rasped out, "Hold the line." She held out the scythe to Faith.
Faith took it and stabbed the vampire behind her without looking at him. Then she went crazy with battle frenzy, and started taking them out, one by one by one. A vampire got her around the neck from behind; then more, dogpiling her. Her skin tore; the stench of the monsters assailed her. She tasted blood.
She looked around, saw Rona, and shouted, "Rona!" As she was buried beneath the vampires, she tossed the scythe to Rona. Who took it, and started hacking.
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
In the atrium, Xander swung his sword as he was driven back by vamps. Then Anya yanked a rope, pulling a tarp off the skylight, sunlight pouring in and setting the three vampires ablaze.
"We call that the greenhouse effect," Xander explained. "Very dangerous."
Another leaped on Xander, tackling him, weaponless, as Anya grabbed a sword and swung.
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
Three Bringers rushed behind Giles and Robin as the vampires pushed from the front. Robin turned and hurled a knife into one of their throats with perfect precision.
But another took its place; they fought hard; Robin found himself thinking of his mother, imitating her moves; all right, she had died a Slayer, but she may have saved his life because he had been able to observe her, first-hand . . .
Then the Bringer's crescent-shaped knife sliced across his chest and he collapsed.
The Turok-han ran past him and Giles, free to escape into the next building.
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
Dawn and Andrew were driving them apart, Andrew toward the north hall, Anya down the adjacent hall that lead outside.
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
Spike.
Searing pain wracked his body; he tossed away a vampire as confusion and pain contorted his body; he clutched his stomach. He was burning from the inside out.
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
And Buffy . . .
As Amanda dropped right in front of her, eyes wide.
Amanda was dead.
Two more Slayers fell; Kennedy was backed against the wall, her weapon knocked from her hand. She was steadying herself, preparing.
On the ground, her vision hazy with pain, Buffy looked up to see her own boots, her own legs . . . her own self . . .
But of course, it was The First.
"Ooh, ow, Mommy!" The First mocked her. "This mortal wound is all itchy!" She leaned in and said to Buffy, "You and Faith pulled a nice trick." She smiled pleasantly and added, "Hey, you both came pretty close to smacking me down. What more do you want?"
Buffy pulled herself up on her hands, shaking with fury. She was not done, not yet. "I want you . . . to get out of my face," Buffy told her.
Then she rose: Resurrection.
The First backed away, vanished.
Sweaty, bloodied, hair in her face, Buffy took a step forward; two, stumbling, hunched steps . . .
Rona saw her, and threw her the scythe. Buffy caught it, and stood a little straighter.
She screamed, swinging the back of the weapon like a bat, knocking five
vamps back and over the edge in one blow.
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
And as if her power communicated itself to Faith, she orbed out the dogpile and orbed back in next to her sister-in-law.
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
The tide turned then: The Power surged in not only all the Slayers but the Charmed Ones as well, and it used them to force the vamps back, many of them falling over the edge, and at least one Slayer going with them.
But they were on the offensive now; they were pushing and screaming as if reborn in the mighty throes of the Power, as they battled to save the world.
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
And Spike.
He staggered under the Seal opening, paused, and said, "Oh, bollocks."
Then energy shot up from within him, straight through, like a geyser, piercing the seal, and bursting through Robin Wood's office floor, narrowly missing Willow and Tara; they watched in astonishment as the brilliant plume crashed through the ceiling, bathing them in sunlight.
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
And Spike:
The sun hit him hard; and he was pinned, pain and something else building inside him . . . he called out to—
"—Buffy . . . Faith . . ."
They saw him, raced to him.
"Spike!" they shouted—and had to dive out of the way as a prismed ray of pure, soulful sunlight blasted out of the amulet and into the cavern.
In an instant, hundreds—thousands of vampires were incinerated.
Then the teeming cavern began to tear apart, walls crumbling, rocks tumbling like bombs; the ground shook and the foundations roared.
"Everybody out! Now!" Faith yelled.
The girls fought their way to the exit; everything was shaking.
Buffy and Faith came to Spike. He remained pinned in place, energy still blasting from him.
"I can feel it," he murmured.
"What?" Faith asked.
"My soul." He gazed at Faith and Buffy with wonder. "It's really there." Grinned faintly. "Kinda stings."
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
The Slayers ran out of the Seal room and through the halls, footfalls clattering, racing from the collapsing building, staying on course.
Giles was helping Robin, who saw the girls and said to him, "The bus! Get 'em on the bus!"
"Everybody!" Giles yelled to them. "This way!"
Toward the buses, and final safety . . . Tara was helping Willow out, Dawn was pulling on Andrew, whiles Xander was helping Anya.
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
As the cavern fell . . .
Buffy and Faith stayed with Spike, who said to them, "Go on then!"
Faith shook her head. "You've done enough, you can still—"
"No," he managed, burning, "you two beat 'em back. It's for me to do the cleanup."
Piper called from the entrance of the cavern, "Mom! Faith! Come on!"
Then Piper ducked some falling debris and disappeared from the entrance . . . leaving Faith and Buffy alone with Spike, as debris plummeted around them as well.
"Gotta move, lambs," Spike said tenderly to them. "I think it's fair to say school's out for bloody summer."
The cavern was collapsing at the top and bottom, the actual school falling in on the vampires.
"I mean it," Spike told them. "I gotta do this."
His hand was held up, frozen in his rictus of revelatory pain. Faith took her own hand, interlocked it with his. A moment . . . and both their hands burst into flames.
They ignored the fire, and looked at each other.
"I forgive you," she told him, shaking.
"Thank you, Faith," he told her. "Go be with your wife and your daughter. Live a long good life. It's your world up there. Now go!"
Faith and Buffy looked at him and then Faith grabbed Buffy's hand and they disappeared in blue and white orbing lights.
Spike gazed at the destruction in front of him and smiled wickedly. "I want to see how it ends," he said.
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
The bus, outside the high school as the structure collapse.
Robin shut the door—he was at the wheel—and peeled out.
At the very back, Dawn, Piper, Phoebe and Paige searched for the remaining two members of their family. It was in that moment that blue and white orbing lights heralded Buffy and Faith's arrival. Dawn, Piper, Phoebe and Paige pulled Buffy and Faith into a large group embrace.
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
In the cavern, Spike smiled as he was eaten from the inside by the power, and the world fell away from beneath him as he died.
Died a hero.
Died a Champion.
Died good.
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
The bus rolled on, just ahead of the cracking earth. Kennedy crouched beside Robin, staunching his wound, as Giles wrapped a tourniquet around a wounded Rona, who was fading.
Vi was in her face, yelling at her, "Stay awake! Look at me! This is nothing!"
Andrew sat by himself, bewildered. "Why didn't I die?" he murmured.
Xander tended his wife.
Tara held Willow.
The entire town was sinking into a smoking black crater, a tiny bus just making its way to the edge of the town ahead of the destruction.
Kennedy looked out, and said to Robin, "Ease off. We're clear."
The bus screeched to a stop. Dawn opened the back door and entire family jumped out and embraced one another again.
Then it was just Kennedy and Robin; she checked out his wound and lied through her teeth as she said, "It's not bad. You just sit here."
"That's the plan," he gritted.
Kennedy said, "I'll get someone to—"
"Did we make it?" He looked at her. "Did we make it?"
She gave him the word. "We made it. We won."
He smiled a little . . . and then he was just staring. And still.
Kennedy moved to close his eyes.
Then he coughed, spasming back to life; she drew back her hand, as startled as he was.
"Surprise," he whispered.
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
Sunnydale was a smoking black crater.
The sign that read WELCOME TO SUNNYDALE toppled backward into the crater; the fillip on the town's demise, as girls milled about, counting their losses, checking in, processing that they had not only survived, but prevailed.
"Leo!" Piper called out knowing they had wounded who needed to healing. Leo arrived in blue and white orbing lights. "They need healing."
Leo nodded as he kissed his wife and then went about healing the wounded.
Buffy, Piper, Dawn, Faith, Phoebe, Paige and Giles walked toward the edge of the crater, smoke rolling before them, as he said, "I don't understand. What did this?"
"Spike," Buffy and Faith said.
"Looks like the Hellmouth is officially closed for business," Faith said.
"There is another one in Cleveland," Giles observed. "Not to spoil the moment . . ."
"We saved the world," Xander breathed.
"We changed the world," Willow corrected him. Her eyes were shining as she looked at her best friend. "I can feel them. All over. There are Slayers awakening everywhere."
"You will have to find them," Dawn said.
"We will," Willow agreed.
P4
Dawn met Faith inside the alcove. "Hi," Faith greeted, standing up to meet Dawn. Once Leo was done healing the wounded Giles took the newly called Slayers toward Cleveland and the Halliwells had gone home to be with the rest of their family.
"Hi," Dawn returned and then waved her hand at the seat. "After you," she offered. Faith sat down and she followed beside her. "I missed you, it's good to finally have you home."
"It's good to finally be home," Faith said as she leaned over and kissed Dawn passionately. "So who are you tonight…" she teased.
Dawn chuckled. "Your wife, forever, my love. Care to dance?"
"I would love to," Faith said as she stood up and led Dawn out onto the dance floor.