Chapter 4

Spike paused dramatically.

"Out with it!" they all exclaimed, fearing the demons would burst through the door any moment.

"Well, it's simple really. When I killed that first one, I shoved my lit lighter into its eye. So all we need is a little fire."

"You could be right." Buffy nodded. "You better be right, it's all we have time to act on now. Okay, Spike, let's find some torch like objects that we can bring to the cemetery and use against the demons. I'm sure they will come there looking for me, and no one else will be around."

Spike nodded eagerly.

"See you guys later, stay out of trouble."

"Buffy, we're coming with you."

Buffy stared at Willow. "Don't be stupid. These aren't dumb vampires we're talking about –"

"Hey!" Spike objected.

"Buffy, there's no time to argue. You said yourself that there are lots of them, you need back up. Besides, now that we figured out how to kill them, it can't be that hard, right?"

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The group stopped by Spike's crypt on their way to the middle of the cemetery to pick up some old fashioned torches Spike had found at the rubbish dump and had thought might come in handy. Buffy's friends keep a watch outside while she followed him into the crypt to help carry the weapons.

Spike shifted a pile of unidentifiable junk he seemed to like to collect and reached behind. "Ah…here we go. How many do you want to take? Buffy?" he turned around when she didn't answer.

The slayer was staring at something. Spike followed her gaze. Oh crap…

"What is…." She stalked over to it, picking the object up. "This is…. this is Drusilla's doll." The statement held the weight of a hundred things she wasn't saying but wanted to.

"Uh…Buffy, that's not – that's not what it looks like!" Spike hastily tried to reassure her, but in Buffy's eyes it made him look guiltier.

"Don't lie to me Spike!" She shouted, her anger and building fears over the past few days finally exploding. "She was here again wasn't she? And you didn't even tell me about it, which can only mean….how many times has she paid you a little visit without me knowing? Are you good buddies again? Is that it? Even forgetting her precious doll she takes everywhere with her….like accidentally leaving a bra in your boyfriends car…."

"Huh?" Spike blinked, confused for a second. "Buffy, that's not fair…will you give me a chance to explain – "

"You must have been showing her a real good time Spikey, for her to forget to take this with her!" Buffy ranted on, wanting to hurt him, wanting to anger him…. wanting to make him feel the jealousy she felt but couldn't admit.

Spike glared at her. "I thought you would trust me a bit more that that. Nothing happened between us, and I don't love her anymore."

"Can the crap Spike, I'm so not in the mood." Buffy spun on her heal, the hurt almost blinding her, tears threatening to fall, but she blinked and took a breath. I am the slayer, and my duty comes first…

She headed out to her friends as if her little argument with Spike had never occurred.

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Buffy grinned when the first demon arrived, but it wasn't a pretty grin. It was more like a baring of teeth, an angry monkey, threatening another. She lit one of the torches. Her friends were hiding as best they could behind gravestones or trees, whatever was handy, while she was the 'bait' to lure the Erimoir demons out.

One thing Buffy hated feeling the most was when strength wasn't enough. Being the slayer, she had probably become a little too confident of herself, feeling like she could go anywhere and handle anything that came her way because she had slayer strength and fighting skills. Sure there were times when she fought a demon way stronger than her, and managed to kill it because of quick thinking and speed. But Erimoir was the first demon in a long time that had, even for a second, made her feel helpless.

To Buffy that was one of the scariest feelings in the world, and she wanted to make sure it never happened again. She was going to put her all and everything into this fight!

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Fifteen minutes later, it was working, but wasn't all going as planned. The fire in the eye thing did kill the demons, but it was harder than it sounded since they were so much taller than Buffy or her friends and reaching the eye was quite a task. Buffy counted eight demons surrounding them, though she had already killed one and Spike had killed one. She had to help get her friends out of the way more than once.

Soon things began to get a little better. Xander and Willow each managed to kill a demon each so they were down to only six. Buffy was beginning to feel more confident, until three of them surrounded her. As she tried to take them on all at once, she lost sight of her friends. Vaguely, she hoped they were okay, but she began to get so into her slaying that she almost didn't care…

I just want to kill them all…she thought grimly as she leapt up, kicking one in the chest while shoving her flaming torch into its eye.

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Buffy sighed in great satisfaction as she killed the last one that had surrounded her, then she turned back to her friends in time to see Giles, Xander and Willow charge at the last demon together and destroy it, almost in a crazed rage.

"Nice teamwork people." Buffy congratulated, smiling. Her smile faltered when she saw how torn up they were, cloths ripped, blood and dirt everywhere. Willow had a large cut down the side of her face that was still dripping, Xander's hand seemed to be broken, and even Giles was looking worse for wear. Buffy looked down and realised she had gotten injured too, but she had hardly noticed, so involved in simply killing those demons…

But something wasn't right….

"Uh…where's Spike?"

Xander swallowed.

Giles coughed.

Willow stared with wide, horror filled eyes.

Buffy suddenly wished she could freeze time so she would never have to hear the answer and find out why there was a sudden dread filling her heart…

"He's….gone Buffy. One of the demons got him." Giles informed her with difficulty.

Buffy was silent.

Then she burst out laughing. "HAHAHAHAHHAH That's a good one! Spike, you can come out now! Very funny…hahaah…ha…" she trailed off at the expressions on her friends faces as they looked at her sadly.

"Buffy…." Willow stepped cautiously up to her, afraid of her reaction, but ready to offer comfort. "We…we were fighting and…Spike was fighting one of them off to the side…we got so involved in simply trying to stay alive that we didn't notice Spike….until I looked over and….just in time to see him…paralysed…the last of him….fading….and then he was gone. I've never seen anything like….."

"No…." tears filled her eyes. "No! You can't be serious Willow?"

"I'm afraid he really is gone." Giles said.

Buffy sank the ground, covering her eyes, trying to stop the tears that were flowing. This has to be a nightmare…it can't be real! Spike wouldn't let that happen…he can't be gone! This can't be real!

Aww Spike : ( stay tuned for next chapter! And pls continue to review :D