Gypsy Girl

Pairing: OC/Spike

Summary: When a travelling Gypsy from the Kalderash clan settles on the Sunnydale, she'll be no exception to the challenges of life on the Hellmouth. Alexandreina will survive though, she always does, but will she get a chance to live?

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CHAPTER FIFTEEN


Flash.

Drusilla descended the staircase, smiling at Spike who sat in his wheelchair at the bottom. She goes down the stairs to the garden below.

Spike smiled, "Nice walk, pet?"

Drusilla holds her tummy and wore a cheeky grin on her face. "I met an old man. Didn't like him. He got stuck in my teeth." Drusilla whined pitifully. "But then the Moon started whispering to me... All sorts of dreadful things..."

Angelus walked into the Garden behind Spike, interrupting the moment. Angelus rose his brows, "Well, what did it say?"

Spike huffed, "Oh. Look who's awake..."

Angelus thumped Spike on the back of the head as he walks past and towards Drusilla. "What did the Moon tell you? Did you have a vision? Is something coming?" Angelous urged

"Oh, yeah" Drusilla whispered, "Something terrible. Psst, psst, psst, psst, psst, psst..."

"Where?" Angelous demanded

Drusilla smiled, "At the museum. A tomb... with a surprise inside"

Angelus looked momentarily impressed as he tapped the side of her head. "You can see all that in your head?" He asked, a hint of fascination

Spike rolled his eyes, "No, you ninny. She read it in the morning paper" Spike tossed the newspaper at Angelous with a dark look on his face.

Angelus caught the paper and looked down at it thoughtfully. "'Mysterious Obelisk Unearthed'.'Excavators Discover Ancient Artifact'." He read out loud

Drusilla smiled dreamily. "That's what's been whispering to me. Sh. Sh. Sh" She droned

Angelus smirked, "Oh, yeah. Don't worry, though. Soon it'll stop. Soon it'll scream"

Flash.

Dr. Perren sat in the museum going over his notes. The sound of whispering coming from behind startled him. He turned around to look, but he doesn't see anyone. "Hello?" He called, getting up slowly and walking over to the obelisk. The whispering gets louder as he nears it. He reaches up to the runes on the face of the rock and touches them. He places his hand flat on the face of the rock and stares up at it in amazement, believing the whispering was coming from within the rock.

Drusilla appears suddenly at his side. She wraps her hand around his mouth from behind and pulls his head back to expose his neck. She leans in and bites him, drinking from his vein as he struggles to get away.

Angelus and two other vampires approach the obelisk. Angelus looks at the rock with a smirk. "I'll have one of these to go" he quips and stands back to watch as two fledging vampires walk around the rock with some rope and tools to haul it away. Angelus looked over at Drusilla and smirked wider. "Dru..." he called, "Save me some"

Drusilla giggled.

Flash.

Angelous and Drusilla walk across the room of the mansion. Both ignoring Spike who sat in his wheelchair glaring at Angelous. The obelisk stood intimidatingly in the middle of the room.

Spike looked at the obelisk skeptically. "It's a big rock. I can't wait to tell my friends. They don't have a rock this big" Spike quipped mockingly

Angelus pursed his lips in annoyance, but chose arrogance over anger. "Spike, boy, you never did learn your history"

Spike sighed, "Alright. Let's have a lesson, then"

"Acathla the demon came forth to swallow the world. He was killed by a virtuous knight who pierced the demon's heart before he could draw a breath to perform the act. Acathla turned to stone, as demons sometimes do, and was buried where neither man nor demon would want to look" Angelous flippantly explained, "Unless of course they're putting up low-rent housing" he snapped his fingers at the fledglings. "Boys..."

The two vampires reach up with crowbars and pry open the tomb. The lid crashes to the floor, stirring up plenty of dust. Inside stood a large stone demon with a sword protruding from the right side of its chest. Just like the history book had described.

Drusilla closed her eyes, raising her hands to the sides of her head as she began to sway back and forth. "He fills me head. I can't hear anything else" she droned

Spike ignored Drusilla in favour of questioning Angelous. "Let me guess. Someone pulls out the sword..." Spike asked, trailing off with a rolled of his eyes at the cliche.

Angelus nodded but added, "Someone worthy"

Spike hummed dismissive, "Mm. The demon wakes up, and wackiness ensues"

Drusilla giggled shilly. "He will swallow the world!" Drusilla declared

Angelus smirked, "And every creature living on this planet will go to Hell" Angelous walked up to Acathla for a closer look, turning to face Spike and Drusilla Again. "My friends, we're about to make history..." Angelous smirked smugly, "...end"

Flash.

Giles comes out of his office, entering into the main section of the library. Everyone had been waiting on him. Buffy and Kendra are sat at the table and Willow is behind the counter reader, all looked up as he walked in. Giles sighed, "I've been on the phone to the museum. The artifact in question is missing, and the curator has been murdered"

"Vampires?" Kendra asked

Giles nodded sadly in confirmation.

Buffy frowned, "And you're sure this was the tomb of Alfalfa?"

"Acathla" Gikes corrected before he continued with an explanation. "And yes, the information provided by Kendra's Watcher seems conclusive"

Willow walked out from behind the counter, now looking worried. "Okay, somebody explain the whole 'he will suck the world into Hell' thing, because that's the part I'm not loving" Willow rambled

"Well, the, uh, the demon exists in a dimension separate from our own" Giles stated, removing his glasses to clean them unnecessarily. "With one breath, Acathla will create a vortex, a-a kind of, um... whirlpool that will pull everything on Earth into that dimension, where any non-demon life will suffer horrible and... eternal torment"

The room was silent for a moment as the severity weighed on them.

Buffy smiled nervously. "So that would be the literal kind of 'sucked into Hell'." Buffy swallowed before turning to Willow with a desperate look, "Willow, I think you should try the curse"

Kendra shook her head. "I tend to side with your friend Xander on this one. Angel should be eliminated"

Buffy straightened up, reining in her protectiveness over the man she can't help but love. Reminding herself he was not that man anymore. And feeling guilty that she still loved him anyway. But she put in a brave face for her friends. "Oh, I'll fight him. I'll kill him if I have to. But if I don't get there in time, or if I lose, then Willow might be our only hope" Buffy stated firmly, though her eyes lacked the confidence her face tried to portray.

Willow looked taken aback at Buffys words, and shook her head furiously. "I don't wanna be our only hope! Uh, I crumble under pressure! Let's have another hope!"

"We have..." Kendra pulled a sword from her bag and held it out in front of herself. "Blessed by the knight who first slew the demon. If all else fails, this might stop it. I tink."

Giles's eyes widened slightly in amazement as he gazed at the sword. He slowly approached, looking to Kendra quickly for permission. "Ooh. May I? May I?" He took the sword when she nodded and inspected it with Intrigue. "Thank you. Well, l-let's, uh, hope all else doesn't fail"

Flash.

Two vampires drag in a young man, barefoot and bare-chested with his hands tied behind his back. They drop him to the floor before Spike, Angelus and Drusilla.

Angelus walks toward the human man. "I will drink... the blood will wash in me, over me, and I will be cleansed. I will be worthy to free Acathla" he recites, "Bear witness as I ascend..." Angelous growled and morphed into his game face. "...as I become..." He grabs the human by the hair and lifts him up, exposing the humans neck and sinking his teeth into the vein. Angelous drinks deeply, killing the human, and letting the body fall to the floor. Angelous glanced at the blood on his hands and walk slowly toward Acathla. "Everything that I am, everything that I have done, has led me here. I have strayed, I have been lost. But Acathla redeems me. With this act, we will be free" Angelous grabs the hilt of the sword with both hands.

A blindingly bright light emanates from Acathla.

Drusilla smiles giddily and bounces up and down where she stood to the side watching. "Ooh goodie" She crooned

Angelus begins to shake with the power of the sword, but he holds on tightly anyway. Trying to draw it out of Acathla, but It won't budge. Angelous growls and pulls harder but a bright red flame bursts from the sword, throwing Angelus back and onto the floor.

"Someone wasn't worthy" Spike smugly sing-songed

Angelus roared and scrambled to his feet. "Damn it!" He swore

Drusilla pouted and shook her head in dismay. "This is so... disappointing!"

Angelus paced angrily as he tried to figure what had happened. "There must be something I missed. The incantations, the blood... I don't know!"

Spike snorted.

"What are we going to do?" Drusilla pouted

Angelus paused before he began to smirk menacingly. "What we always do in a time of trouble... turn to an old friend" Angelous announced. "We'll have our Armageddon. I swear!"

Flash.

Spike takes a step toward Buffy who stood beside the crashed police vehicle. Buffy immediately punched him in the face, ready for a fight. Spoke hissed and grabbed Buffy by the shoulders in an attempt to restrain her, but Buffy fought him off. "Now, you hold on a second!" Spike yelled, shoving her backwards as he raised his hands in surrender.

Buffy reached into her coat and pulled out a stake, threatening to advance on up again.

Spike jumped back and continued to hold up his hands in surrender. "Hey! White flag here. I quit"

"Let me clear this up for you. We're mortal enemies. We don't get time-outs" Buffy rolled her eyes

"You want to go a round, pet, I'll have a gay old time of it. You want to stop Angel... we're gonna have to play this a bit differently" Spike suggested

Buffy, still holding the stake, paused at the mention of Angel. Her eyes narrowed, "What are you talking about?"

"I'm talking about your ex, pet" Spike stated, "I'm talking about putting him in the bloody ground"

Buffy chuckled in disbelief, shaking her head at the oddity of it. "This has gotta be the lamest trick you guys have ever thought up"

"He's got your Watcher. Right now, he's probably torturing him" Spike pointed out rationally

Buffy stopped laughing at the mention of what had happened at the library. She sobered quickly and cast him a serious glance. "What do you want?" She demanded

"I told you. I want to stop Angel" Spike stated, laughing at himself as he added, "I want to save the world"

Buffy sighed, "Okay. You do remember that you're a vampire, right?"

"We like to talk big" Spike shrugged, indicating to himself as he spoke. "Vampires do. 'I'm going to destroy the world.' That's just tough guy talk. Strutting around with your friends over a pint of blood..." he waved if off like it was nothing. "The truth is, I like this world. You've got... dog racing, Manchester United. And you've got people. Billions of people walking around like Happy Meals with legs. It's all right here"

Buffy stated at him silently.

Spike didn't seem to notice as he lit up a cigarette. "But then someone comes along with a vision. With a real... passion for destruction. Angel could pull it off. Goodbye, Picadilly. Farewell, Leicester Bloody Square. You know what I'm saying?"

Buffy nodded reluctantly, preferring life the way it was now, faults and all, to what it would be as hell in earth. "Okay, fine" she sighed, "You're not down with Angel. Why would you ever come to me?"

Spike stood and took another drag, flicking it into the road as he avoided her eyes. "I want Dru back. I want it like it was before he came back." Spike admitted, "The way she acts around him..."

Buffy scoffed, "You're pathetic"

Spike reached out and punched Buffy in the face, but she punched him back.

"I lost a friend tonight!" Buffy spat out

Spike glared, "I wasn't in on that little raiding party!"

"And I may lose more!" Buffy continued as if he hadn't spoken. "The whole earth may be sucked into Hell, and you want my help 'cause your girlfriend's a big ho? Well, let me take this opportunity to not care."

"I can't fight them both alone, and neither can you!" Spike snapped, flinching when Buffy punched him again. Spike growled angrily and touched his injured face.

"I hate you" Buffy snapped

Spike shrugged, "And I'm all you've got"

The police officer began to stir on the hood of the car. Buffy looked at the officer briefly as she sighed. "All right. Talk" she finally agreed

Spike turned to the officer as he nodded at her words. "I'm just gonna kill this guy" he said absentmindedly before hearing Buffy clear her throat loudly. Spike quickly faced the Slayer as he realised his present company would not allow that. Spike sighed, "Oh, right..."

Buffy raised her eyebrows at him and nodded condescendingly. "Let's get inside"

Flash.

Drusilla wagged her finger around in the air, mesmerising a kidnapped Giles with her hypnotic thrall. Drusilla smiled when his eyes and body began to respond to her actions. "Be... in me" she whispered commandingly

Having taken advantage of his vulnerable state, Giles was quick to be hypnotised.

Drusilla hummed happily, "Hmm. See with your heart" she continued, placing her hand over his eyes. She grinned when she removed her hand from his eyes seconds later. Watching in curiosity to find out what the mans heart would see.

Giles smiled in shock, "Jenny! I thought I'd lost you" he declared, his heart seeing as it wished to see.

Drusilla quietly played along, lowering her voice and she knelt in front of him. "Shh. I'll never leave you" she whispered

Giles tried to get up, but found he was still restrained to the chair he had been briefly tortured in. "We have to get out of here" he urged

Drusilla shook her head, touching his arm as she calmed him. "No-no-no-no-no. Slowly" Drusilla brushed her hand over his temple, and across his cheek. Toying gently with the man who was seeing his dead lover instead of the dangerous vampire before him.

Giles sighed happily, "I can't believe it's you"

"Did you tell Angel? About the ritual?" Drusilla purred

Giles shook his head as his breathing spiked in worry. "No. We have to get... him away from Acathla" Giles insisted, looking to her for help.

"Why? Is he close to figuring it out?" Drusilla questioned softly

Giles nodded anxiously, "Later-"

Drusilla interrupted him with an imploring look. "Tell me what to do." She urged, "It's all right. We'll be together... finally. We'll have everything we never got to have... Never got to feel... Just tell me what to do"

Giles grew desperate at the words his heart longed to hear. He nodded quickly. "We have to get Angel away from Acathla"

"Angel himself?" Drusilla encouraged

"He's the key" Giles weakly explained. "H-h-his, his blood... H-he mustn't... "

Drusilla cooed at the man softly, "Shh..." she whispered before kissing him. Drusilla sat up to get closer to Giles as the kiss quickly grew passionately heated.

Angelus smiled as he looked at Spike, both hovering in the doorway. "Blood. Of course. The blood on my hands must be my own. I am the key that will open up the door. My blood. My life" Angelous muttered as if it had all been self explanatory. As if he'd figured it out himself. "Okay. kill him."

"Uh, but what if he's lying?" Spike said, raising his brows as if that was obvious

Angelus shrugged, "Yeah. Good point. Alright, don't kill him. You know, I kinda like having you watch my back. It's kinda like old times".

Angelous smirked cruelly at the reminder of 'old times' ignorant to the way Spikes eyes darkened angrily at the same reminder. However the tension was broken between the men as they looked over to Drusilla. Finding that she was still passionately kissing the captive watcher.

Spike cleared his throat loudly, "Uh, Drusilla..."

Though Drusilla paid them no mind as she continued to devour Giles' mouth.

Angelus pulled a face at the sighed, "Honey..."

Spike pursed his lips when Drusilla still ignored them. "We are finished here, ducks" he said, harsher this time.

Finally Drusilla stoped and looked back at them. Though she wore a sly but sheepishly grin. "Sorry. I was in the moment" Drusilla giggled lightly, turning back to see Giles open his eyes and realise that he had been fooled.

Flash.

Buffy stormed into Giles' apartment with a determined look on her face. Immediately she found the target of her ire.

Whistler.

"Whistler" Buffy stiffly greeted the man. Not bothering with pleasantries as she got right to the point. "What did you mean, the sword isn't enough?"

Whistler wondered into Giles' kitchen and found a bottle of beer. "You know, raiding an Englishman's fridge is like dating a nun. You're never gonna get the good stuff" he said, ignoring the Slayers question.

Buffy sighed in frustration, "Tell me how to use it"

Whistler took a swig from the bottle and looked back at Buffy. He shrugged casually, "Angel's the key. His blood will open the door to Hell. Acathla opens his big mouth, creates a vortex. Then only Angel's blood will close it. One blow will send 'em both back to Hell. But I strongly suggest that you get there before that happens, 'cause the faster you kill Angel, the easier it's gonna be on you"

Buffy grit her teeth as she gave a curt nod. "Don't worry about me"

Whistler rose a brow, "It's all on the line here, kid.."

"I can deal" Buffy insisted. "I've got nothing left to lose"

Whistler shook his head as he watched Buffy leave. "Wrong, kid. You got one more thing"

Flash.


Alexandreina knew where it would happen and when. Shockingly though, for some reason, she felt that in itself was an invitation. Not one that she was exactly pleased to receive, truth be told.

This was hero business...

Which meant it was none of hers.

Yet here she waited, outside of the abandoned mansion Angelous' had claimed as home. Alexandreina sighed as she wondered for what purpose she would be sent here to fight today. But even though she could think of none, she was not one to ignore prolific messages from the spirits. No matter how cryptic or misleading those messages could sometimes be. Alexandreina trusted her ancestors to guide her on the path she's supposed to follow.

However trusting that, didn't mean she had to like it.

Because she didn't.

She didn't want to be here, to help Buffy, or see Angelous again and know it was not her place to kill him. Alexandreina did not like this at all. Even less so when her visions had shielded her from knowing how this would end. She had seen the lead up, seen how this day had come to be, but had not been given the knowledge of its conclusion.

Would they live to see the morning?

She did not know.

Not this time.

Alexandreina sighed, remaining quiet as she finally heard approaching footsteps. Peering through the tree line at the top of the hill as she prepared to reveal herself.

She spotted Buffy walking toward the mansion, toward Alexandreina, with determination and a steady pace. The sword wrapped in a cloth held tightly in Buffy's hands. Xander, who came running through the bushes from behind, caused Buffy to startle into a instinctual defensive position. "Xander!" Buffy snapped

"Cavalry's here" Xander declared before realising his situation. "Uh, Cavalry's a frightened guy with a rock... but it's here"

Buffy tossed him a stake.

"That's better" Xander smiled as he caught it

Buffy sighed, "You're not here to fight. You get Giles out, and you run like hell, understood? I can't protect you. I'm gonna be too busy killing"

Xander looked at the sword and nodded. "Now, that's a new look for you"

Buffy pursed her lips as she sourly muttered, "It's a present for Angel"

"Willow" Xander began, a nervous hesitation on his face. "Uh, she told me to tell you..."

Buffy frowned, "Tell me what?"

Alexandreina rolled her eyes, choosing then to make herself know. She could take a wild guess as to what Willow had said. Alexandreina herself had been the one to tell Willow of Janna's translated spell. But she didn't think it was a message that needed to be passed along right now, or at all, really. It would do nothing but plant that seed of doubt in Buffy's mind. Considering who Angelous was to Buffy, the Slayer didn't need more doubt holding her back.

Alexandreina cleared her throat.

They both whipped around at the noise. Xanders startled face relaxed slightly as he squinted against the light of the setting sun which shone from behind her. However Buffy seemed to grow nervous at her appearance. Rightfully so, Alexandreina supposed.

"Xander might not be here to help you fight, but apparently I am" Alexandreina dryly announced.

Buffy rose a brow, "The powers-that-be sent me backup?"

Alexandreina scoffed

"Angel is going to awaken Acathla. Giles told him how" Alexandreina informed them both. She shrugged a shoulder in nonchalance that she didn't quite feel. "I'm here to help kill the vamps so you can deal with that"

Buffy seemed saddened by the confirmation. Emotionally affected by the reality that there really was no hope that her former lover would stop this mess before it was too late. That, in fact, she really would need to choose between the world as she knows it and the man who has her heart. The way that Alexandreina spoke with such certainty, as fact, seemed to trigger that realisation for Buffy.

And it is.

Facts, that is.

Because some things are inevitable, are sealed in fate. Major events that are unavoidable no matter what little sequence of events one could try and change. Events that, while they may be devastating, need to happen in order for a future to exist. This seemed to be one of those events. Otherwise she might have killed Angelous back when she attacked him after Enyos' murder. If she had then none of this would have happened.

But this needed to happen.

For what reason, was unfortunately not her place to know. She did know, however, that this was just how things were supposed to go.

Nothing more.

Nothing less.

So Alexandreina gave Buffy a confident nod, turning around and striding off toward the mansion. Leaving Buffy and Xander to quickly catch up again as they made the short walk. Though it felt as if it were a much heavier, longer walk than it really was.

It felt foreboding.

Like the conclusion of this fight was going to be bad and messy no matter how it ends. Like there was no real good options here.

And maybe there wasn't... for Buffy.

For the others.

But Alexandreina wasn't nearly as emotionally invested in this fight for her to have such worries. If the world didn't go to hell today, then that was a win in her books. Anything else was not really her problem. As harsh at that sounds, it was no less true. These people weren't her friends. They were merely people who Janna had found a place with. But that place was not her own.

Alexandreina was not like Janna.

She was not like them.

But for tonight she supposed the distinction was irrelevant. For tonight only.

Alexandreina was stealthily silent as she crept towards the side of the mansion. Her blood runes feeling as if they were burning into skin in anticipation. Alexandreina peered silently into the mansion, eyes critically taking in the vampires gathered. Easily spotting Spike sitting in his wheelchair beside Drusilla as the ritual began.

"Acathla... Mundatus sum... pro te necavi. Sanguinem meum... pro te effundam... quo me dignum... esse demonstrem" [Acathla... I am cleansed... here before you. My blood... flowing before you... makes me worthy... as I demonstrate] Angelous recited as he stood before Acathla. " Now, Acathla..."

Drusilla handed Angelous a knife.

Alexandreina glanced at Buffy, watching the Slayer who seemed transfixed on Angelous's form.

"You will be free" Angelous declared, drawing the knife down the palm of his hand. "And so will we all"

It was starting...

Alexandreina sent Buffy an urgent look, wondering why they hadn't intervened yet.

Buffy blinked, nodding, as she raised the sword and decapitated the vampire guarding the door. Making a loud entrance that caused the ritual to pause. The sound of the vampire combusting into ashes had the other vampires whirling around. "Hello, lover" Buffy quipped as she met Angelous' annoyed gaze.

Angelus sighed, "I don't have time for you"

"You don't have a lot of time left" Buffy corrected

Angelus rose a brow, "Coming on kind of strong, don't you think? You're playing some deep odds here. Do you really think you can take us all on?"

"No. I don't" Buffy acknowledged

At that, Spike got up out of his wheelchair behind Angelus and whipped him hard across the back with an andiron.

Thus the fight began.

Everyone seemed to begin moving at once. The vampire minions Angelous had gathered rushed forward to attack, Buffy and Alexandreina meeting them half way. Spike continued to wail on Angelous who had yet to recover from the shocking blow to the back, while Drusilla screeched loudly in despair.

Alexandreina found herself joining the fray then.

A vampire minion threw a hard punch at her face that she was not able to dodge. But she knew how to take a hit as well as she knew how to deliver one. So she was quick to punch back. Sending the vampire to the floor with her rune enhanced strength. Both of them trading blows and dodges as the fight continued. Alexandreina hit the vampire with a backhand punch to the face, forcing him to stagger back against the wall where she quickly staked him.

One down.

10 more to go...

Alexandreina straightened in time to be attacked by another vamp. Finding herself thrown back into the wall now. Though she turned in time to duck the swinging fist meant for her face. Alexandreina wielded the stake expertly, puncturing the vamps stomach before aiming for the heart. Ashes exploded around her again, blurring her view of the ongoing fight for a moment.

"Alexandreina!" Buffy yelled

Alexandreina looked over in time to see Buffy nodding in Xanders direction.

Xander was being blocked in the hallway by a female vampire. His back to a second stealthily approaching vampire.

Alexandreina rolled her eyes and spied a long piece of broken wood. She grabbed it and hurtled it in the air toward the male vampire coming up behind Xander. Watching in slight satisfaction as it skewered the vampire. Alexandreina rose a brow in brief surprise as Xander then delivered a decent punch to the female vampire. She hadn't really thought Xander had it in him... but she supposed she shouldn't really have been too surprised. Alexandreina pushed Xander down the hallway and into the room her visions had shown Giles held in. She stood guarding the open doorway as Xander rushed to untie Giles.

"Giles! Giles!" Xander gasped at Giles' weakened state. He crouched and began to untie the ropes binding Giles to the chair.

Giles frowned, "Xander?"

"Can you walk?" Xander asked

Giles sighed, shaking his head and looking away. "You're not real" Giles muttered quietly

Xander's brows rose as he stared in confusion at Giles. "Sure, I'm real" he countered, glancing down self consciously at himself. As if he would look down and find he really wasn't real.

Alexandreina rolled her eyes.

"It's a trick. They get inside my head, make me see things I want" Giles muttered, reminding himself

Xander finished freeing Gimes from the ropes and moved around to look make Giles' look at him again. "Then why would they make you see me?" Xander countered sarcastically

Giles seemed to consider that for a moment, before realising that Xander had a point. Giles nodded, "You're right. Let's go" He groaned as he tried to stand, unable to do so until Xander helped him.

"Come on" Xander ushered Giles towards the doorway.

Alexandreina offered a wry smirk at Giles' surprise to see her there. But they didn't have time to ask questions. Instead she headed through the hallway in front of them. Making a clear path to the exit and nodding at them as they made their escape. She paused, watching as Xander led Giles down the hill towards safety. Then she turned and surveyed the fight again.

Spike and Drusilla were getting up from the floor to face each other. Spike seemed annoyed as he pleaded with Drusilla. "I don't want to hurt you, baby" Spike insisted

Drusilla growled and grabbed Spike by the throat, shoving him into the wall.

Spike slapped Drusilla's arm away and punched her right in the face. "Doesn't mean that I won't" Spike sighed, hissing when Drusilla's nails ripped skin from his face.

Alexandreina's brows rose of their own accord as she witnessed the couple fighting. However they were all distracted when Angelous pulled the sword from Acathla's chest. The ritual now completed. A burning bright light began to emanate from the the stone statue. The air growing heavy with pure power. A silent pause stopped those left from continuing to fight as they all turned in anticipation for what was to happen now.

"Oooh" Drusillas coo broke the stunned silence. "Here he comes" she giggled

Spike took Drusilla's distraction and used it to his advantage. He put Drusilla in a headlock. Holding her tightly until she lost consciousness.

And with that, the fighting resumed.

Alexandreina grunted as she blocked a kick from another vampire. Managing to spin around and punch him in the neck. Stunned and pained, the vampire flailed long enough for her to jam a stake in his chest. Alexandreina breathed out heavily as a cloud of ash exploded. Looking up in time to see Angelous and Buffy turning their swords on each other.

"You almost made it, Buff" Angelous grinned at Buffy as he struck his sword over her head.

Buffy blocked, the clang from the metal sparking with the sheer force. "It's not over yet" Buffy grit out

Angelus chuckled, "My boy Acathla here is about to wake up. You're going to Hell"

"Save me a seat then" Buffy retorted as she thrusts at him with her sword, but the move was weak and predictable.

Alexandreina grew worried.

Angelous easily jumped and swung around with a thrust of his own. A blow that Buffy almost misses. They clash blades several times, and Buffy barely ducks a wide arcing swing from Angelous. Buffy seemed more concerned with avoiding a real fight than ending one, as she jumps up on a low table to get out of the way. Angelous seemed to realise Buffy was hesitating and tries to take advantage of the fact. His grin growing as his bold attack quickens. Angelous thrusts his sword forward and Buffy jumps away, but Angelous predicted that and kicked the arm she held her sword with. Buffy hits the ground and scrambles back to her feet, the sword clanging to the ground out of her reach. Buffy scrambled to her feet to reach for the sword again, but Angelous steps in her way. He spins and elbows her in the face, knocking her back into a stone table that collapses under her sudden weight.

Alexandreina winced.

Deep thundering growls and gurgling beginning to emanate from Acathla as he begins to wake.

Maybe the world really was going to go to hell?

"Sorry, baby. Wish there was another way" Spike muttered to Drusilla's unconscious form as he lifted Drusilla over his shoulder. Ready to carry his girlfriend out of here. Spike paused, seeing Alexandreina wave away a cloud of ash. He rose his brows, "Didn't know you were gonna be here, luv"

Alexandreina shrugged bitterly

Spike rose a brow at that but chose not to comment. Likely understanding her conflicting feelings.

With the last vampire dusted, both Alexandreina and Spike glanced towards where Buffy and Angelous were fighting. "God, he's really gonna kill her" Spike muttered, watching for brief moment before shrugging and leaving. "You should run, pet" he called back to Alexandreina over his shoulder as he disappeared.

Alexandreina wished she could.

She really did.

Yet instead of giving into that feeling to run, she turned and debated what she was supposed to do next.

"Now that's everything, huh? No weapons... No friends... No hope. Take all that away... and what's left?" Angelous drew out tauntingly as he and Buffy fought.

" Me" Buffy quipped with sudden determination and focus as she gained the upper hand. Hitting Angelous in the face with the hilt of the sword. Not even pausing when he staggered back as Buffy began to finally attack him. Buffy kicked him in the chest, sending him further back and closer to Acathla. The two exchanged several blows, mostly blocking each others attacks. Buffy got in a hard kick that sent Angelus flying across the ground. Giving Buffy a chance to land a high kick to his face, which forced him backward into Acathla.

Alexandreina hovered near the fight.

Her keen eyes watching and ready to step in if things changed again.

Buffy raised her sword ready to finally kill Angelus, but he suddenly gasped and groaned, clutching his chest in pain. Angelous' eyes glow bright red for an instant before returning to normal again. When he looked up at Buffy then, instead of the taunting that had become normal as of late, his face crumbled with tears. The sight caused Buffy to freeze in shock, trying to figure out what had just happened.

Shit.

"Fucking hell..." Alexandreina groaned in frustrated disbelief

This was the worst fucking timing ever!

Angelous raised himself back up, his eyes heavy with confused tears. "Buffy?" Angel whispered softly, "What's going on?"

Buffy just looked down at him, confused and frozen.

Angelous looks around the room, eyes finding Alexandreina for a moment before he pushed himself to his feet. He frowned deeply, "Where are we? I-I don't remember"

Finally Buffy seemed to comprehend the situation. Lowering the sword, Buffy watched him carefully, whispering a soft, "Angel?"

Angelous looked at Buffy again, noticing the wound on Buffys arm and quickly becoming concerned. "You're hurt" Angelous whispered tenderly, like the loving boyfriend he had once been.

But it was too late.

He was not the loving boyfriend anymore... he was the ex who tried to take them all to hell with him.

Alexandreina silently feared Buffy might forget this, even for just a moment. But that was all it would take. Just one moment and the entire world would be sent to literal hell. Every bit of logic told her to intervene now. To take the blade and stove it through his chest right now. But Alexandreina felt the pull to stay back, to wait, to watch. So she reluctantly hovered nearby. Barely managing to suppress the urge to grab that sword hanging limply in Buffys hands.

It wound be easier.

Everything about this would be easier if Alexandreina did this. But she supposed this was one of those thing Buffy needed to do. Those major events that had to play out a certain way.

Angelous gently wrapped his arms around Buffy, cradling her to his chest like she was precious to him.

Alexandreina sighed quietly.

"I... I feel like I haven't seen you in months" Angelous muttered, his own confusion palatable. "Oh, my God, everything's so muddled. I..." Angelous sighed and held Buffy closer to him. His face dipping slightly to press a gentle and caring kiss to Buffy's forehead and then to her injured shoulder.

The action seemed to break the Slayer.

Alexandreina's eyes widened slightly when Buffy began to sob.

The Slayer hugged Angelous desperately. Clutching at him like he alone kept her standing. Buffy's sobs echoing slightly in the mansion. "Oh, Buffy..." Angel immediately softened, holding Buffy to his chest and trying to comfort her despite clearly not understanding why she was upset.

Behind the couple, Acathla let out a low and dangerous rumble.

Alexandreina clenched her jaw.

She found she was unable to feel the proper sympathy for the situation. Of course she felt bad for Buffy, but Alexandreina had suffered because of Angelous. Soul or not. It was all the same to Alexandreina. She wanted Angelous dead, and she wanted the world to see another day, so Alexandreina had difficulty reining in her impatience. Though she did it silently nonetheless.

Buffy looked over Angelous' shoulder in shock as Acathla's face contorts. The stone brows angled down, eyes glowing red, mouth opening grotesquely. A swirling vortex to Hell begins to widen. Threatening to take them all with it to Hell.

"What's happening?" Angel asked Buffy

Buffy smiled reassuringly up at him. "Shh. Don't worry about it" Buffy assured him. "I love you"

Angelous smiled, "I love you too"

Buffy kissed him gently before whispering, "Close your eyes" Buffy nods reassuringly, and watched as he closes his eyes. She pecked him softly on the lips again, before stepping back, drawing her sword and thrusting it into his chest.

Alexandreina pursed her lips.

Silently she acknowledged that she didn't feel the satisfaction she had thought she would.

Not even close.

Instead it was just sad.

The entire situation was sad... for everyone involved. Nothing was going to end with a happy ever after. Nobody was going to come out of this unscathed. Nobody really won in the end.

Angelous reached out to Buffy as his eyes shot open. He and looked down at the sword thrust completely through his chest and gasped. His eyes imploring Buffy to help him. The pain and confusion showing blatantly on his face. His eyes pained and hurt when Buffy did not move to help or comfort him. "Buffy..." Angelous whispered

The power of the sword begins to swirl into the vortex.

The vortex finally meets Angelous, the two powers meeting. With a deafening roar, the vortex suddenly closes back into Acathla's mouth. Dragging Angel in with it.

Buffy sobbed.

Alexandreina released a near silent sigh. Uncertainty filling her chest.

What the fuck was she supposed to do now?

Alexandreina didn't think Buffy wanted any meaningless words of comfort or reassurance. They would mean nothing to the mourning Slayer. So instead she moved forward and placed a hand on Buffy's shoulder. Not saying a word as the Slayer sobbed on the floor. But Buffy reached up and clutched Alexandreina's hand, acknowledging and accepting the small comfort. Not that it changed or made anything better. But it was there nonetheless. Alexandreina supposed that was all that really mattered though. That someone was there to offer something. She didn't think it mattered who or what they offered.

Not to Buffy at least.

Not right now.

Alexandreina wasn't sure how long they stayed like that - Buffy sobbing quietly to herself while Alexandreina offered a small form of support. Either way, Buffy's tears eventually stopped. The Slayer then sat silently in shock, staring at Acathla. Buffy mumbled something to herself before shakily standing again. Alexandreina helped the Slayer to her feet without a word of complaint or voicing of her own discomfort. Instead Alexandreina watched curiously as Buffy seemed to come to some sort of decision.

"I have to go" Buffy choked out with an urgency that suggested she was looking to run. As fast, and as far away as possible. As if it were possible to outrun the events of today. "I have to get out of here. I can't be here. I can't do this"

Alexandreina simply nodded.

She understood that.

Buffy sniffled before continuing to mumbled to herself. A frantic desperation to get as far away from here as possible that Alexandreina recognised. Alexandreina sighed silently as she watched the Slayer mumble her plan to leave town before Buffy rushed out of the mansion like someone was chasing her out.

Alexandreina supposed she ought to go tell the Slayerettes...

Buffy clearly wasn't going to.

Not that Alexandreina could exactly blame Buffy for that. Alexandreina knew for a fact that she would, and has, reacted this exact way after the death of someone important.

It's never rational.

And it's never easy.

Whatever it was that compelled someone to feel the instinct to run, was a comforting one. In the beginning at least. Giving you false hope that things will be alright. But they won't be alright. Because when you run, you forget the only thing you're taking with you are those problems. But knowing that doesn't change the situation. Not when your grieving. No matter how many people you have around you who feel the same way.

Alexandreina sighed and began the walk to the High school as the morning light shone brightly in her eyes.

You can always could on the sun to rise, no matter the horrors of the night. Alexandreina was glad she was here to see it rise once again. Last night had been a close call... one she hoped to never repeat.

.

.