The beastly creature toppled Buffy to the ground and ripped at her frozen flesh with it's claws until she screamed in pain. Stinging razors. The icy burn feels like death. Her skin was no longer numb from the chill air and arctic snow. There was an intense burning and stinging that at this point became unbearable. Spike took action quickly as he led little Emily into future Emily's arms. He then sent the creature catapulting across the snowy ground with a swift kick to it's side. He looked down at Buffy and was scared to what he saw. Blood covered up the fresh wounds and her eyes were closed peacefully. Spike heard a shreik behind him and turned to see the creature walking towards his daughter…or is it daughters? He grabbed it by the scruff of hair on his neck and yanked backwards as hard as he could. It flew back and landed into the snow again. He ran to it before it could get up and thrusted his boot firmly into the creature's neck, hearing it snap. The lifeless creature was motionless and Spike had done his job. He glanced back to Buffy who was still lieing in the snow. Little Emily was by her side to hold her mother's hand.
"It's alright Mommy. Emily's here. I don't have any band-aids but I could find some-" Emily said innocently as her father picked her up into his arms.
"You need to stay with big Emily right now little bit." Spike said sternly to his daughter. He let her down where future Emily was standing and returned to Buffy side only to find little Emily by his side again. "It's not safe here. Mind me." He said, his tone serious. She frowned and returned to Future Emily. Spike watched as his daughter pouted and stomped her way to her future self. Stubborn little bit. Wonder where she gets that from… He brushed Buffy's hair from her face hoping to sturr her awake.
"We need to hide." Future Emily said as she looked around the winter forest. The rustling of trees could be heard close by and the wind started to pick up. "I know a small burrow in a tree a little ways back. We could go there."
"You're weak." Spike stated, looking at Future Emily.
"I'm fine." Emily said, straightening her shoulders. "Potentials heal fast. Not as fast as Slayers but fast enough. I can hold my own."
"Potential as in potential slayer? Oh." He looked back at Buffy. "She's not waking up." Spike said, lifting Buffy's head onto his knees.
Future Emily looked concerned. "She's a Slayer. She should be fine by now. I don't understand."
"Is Mommy dead?" little Emily asked as tears filled her eyes. She looked to her Daddy with the eyes of an angel and his heart sank. She shouldn't be seeing this, Spike. God, Buffy wake up. Please wake up.
"No baby. Your Mommy will be just fine." Spike said softly as he knelt down in front of his daughter. He looked into her eyes as tears fell onto her cheeks, freezing instantly. He wiped the ice crystals from her face and kissed her forehead. She sniffled and gripped onto his leather coat. He embraced her with a strong but gentle hug before walking back to Buffy. "Emily, take little Emily to hide. I'll meet you there."
"But what if you get attacked? There's still another one out there." Future Emily worried.
"I'll protect Buffy. You need to keep little Emily safe. If anything happens to her then it happens to you too. Remember that." Spike warned. The girls quickly fled deep into the woods and Spike could not longer see them. He looked back at Buffy and he was scared. Tell me what's wrong? Wake up, Slayer. Wake up Buffy. He reached underneath Buffy to get a grip of her torso as he lifted her into his arms. He walked in the direction of Emily's scent and kept going.
As Spike continued to walk, Buffy slowly awakened. He stopped walking and sat her down in front of the nearest tree. Buffy coughed and weezed as the crisp cold air stung her lungs and dried them out. Spike placed his hand on Buffy's cheek.
"Spike." She mustered to say.
"Are you okay Buffy?" He asked seriously. He noticed the paleness of Buffy's face. "What's wrong?"
"I don't know. It hurts to breathe. I'm so cold." She whimpered as she tried to move closer to Spike for warmth. It was much help, him being room temperature and all.
"Buffy." He said, trying to comfort her. She leaned her head on his chest and he wrapped his leather coat around over her body. She shivered and the whimpers she made were like knives penetrating his still heart.
"We can't stay here, Buffy. We need to keep moving. The girls cant be too much farther away."
Buffy let tears fall as she leaned in to kiss Spike. Caught in a moment of fear, Spike kissed her back. "Spike…" Buffy began to say between kisses and breathing. "I'm dieing and I'm scared." She cried.
"You arent dieing, Buffy. I wont let you."Spike demanded.
"I don't want to leave you. I don't want to leave Emily. Not like my mom left me." Buffy said, as she continued to cry. Her tears mixed with the tears falling from Spike's eyes. He couldn't bare to see her like this. He kissed her again and he could taste the salty tear mixture and the cold snow that fell on them. Spike gently leaned Buffy again the tree as he unbuttoned her jeans. "Spike…" Buffy said softly with questioning eyes.
"It's the only way you can stay warm, Buffy. I know we havent-" Spike said as Buffy stopped him.
"I love you, Spike. I have always loved you." She whispered as she unlatched Spike's belt. She looked into his eyes and he could see the love she had for him. In his, she could see the same and there began the passion. She felt alive with him and she felt so close. Just then there was that rustling in the trees Future Emily had said was a signal they were nearby. Spike gather his pants and belted them up as Buffy zipped her jeans.
"Spike they're in the trees." She whispered.
"That they are love." He said, his focus on the tall and ongoing trees above. "I cant see anything with the snow falling. We need to find the girls."
"I'm too weak to walk." Buffy said, wincing in pain. "I don't know how much longer I can-"
"Don't. Buffy we are getting out of here alive. Together as a family." Spike said honestly. Buffy smiled at him and his words gave him a sense of hope. "Lean on me and we'll walk slowly." He insisted. As they started walking they heard voices close by. They stopped and were silent. Suddenly from behind a nearby tree appeared the gang. Her friends were here to help as always. I'm so lucky to have them. She thought.
"Buffy what happened?" Giles said with utter concern as he wrapped her free arm around his neck. Together Spike and Xander helped Buffy walk.
"I was attack by a beast-like creature. Giles, if I stay here much longer I wont be leaving alive." Buffy admitted to her family. Her friends' faces were ghostly and panick was already written on every one.
"We need to find a way out of here." Xander said.
"Did you find Future Emily?" Willow asked.
"She's okay. It turns out she's a potential Slayer. That and vampire healing fixed her up." Spike answered.
"We know. We were at the house. It was so cool seeing everybody older." Tara interupted. Except poor Giles. I cant believe Giles is really gone. Gone, gone, as in forever. She thought as she looked over to their time Giles. Giles is the caring father Tara never had.
"She and little Emily are hiding somewhere around here in a tree cave." Spike finished as the group began to walk.
"What is little Emily doing here?" Tara asked motherly.
"She jumped the portal last minute. It's probably what messed up the travel and sent us different places." Buffy concluded.
As they were drawn deeper into the forest, the rustling began again and a creature jumped down from a tree in front of Giles and Xander.
"Angry I killed your friend, you ponce?" Spike teased as he kicked the creature and sent him sailing through the cold air. He was aiming for the same method that killed the other creature but as he went to place his boot over the creature's throat it moved and kicked punched Spike's face. "Smarter than the other one arent ya? Well, not that much smarter." Spike claimed as he morphed into vamp-face and kicked the creature again. The creature bled green that seeped into the snow and Spike was glad.
Figuring he needed some help, Willow conjured a small flickering ball of fire in the palm of her hand and sent it after the creature. It implanted into his leg it screamed angrily and fell onto his back. As it stood back up, Xander took the ax that he was carrying and swung it against the creature's neck as it decapitated it.
"I call that the winter woodsman ax attack. Xander style." Xander said comically.
It was then that Buffy started warming up. The snow stopped falling and the sun brightened and the rays slowly thawed her body. The snow on the ground began to melt amost instantly and birds came from the trees and chirped merrily. Buffy smiled as she was feeling better. Future Emily and Little Emily walked to join the group. Little Emily jumped into Buffy's arms and Buffy craddled her baby. Future Emily walked to Spike and smiled. "Thanks Dad." She said as she hugged him. He thought to himself Where does the time go? Soon enough our little Emily will be this strong woman. They are one in the same yet they are so many years apart. Little Emily needs my protection. Here, my job is done. I saved my daughter.
After Willow and Tara cast a spell to return to the Future Summers' House, it was truly bittersweet. Buffy and Spike learn that Future Giles had passed away a year back, naturally not supernaturally which at least made Buffy feel a little better. Still it wouldn't hurt for Giles to have a check-up when they returned home. Future Emily was reunited with her long-time boyfriend Connor. Fortunately little Emily is not going to be the only child in the Summers' House for too much longer. Future Willow and Tara have a little girl, Xander and Anya have a boy and girl, and Dawn has a little boy. Spike and Buffy let little Emily play with her cousins while the adults had a few drinks and called upon past memories. At the end of the night, before the Scoobies returned back to their time, Emily had to say goodbye to her mother and father. She hugged her mother and pulled away to speak.
"I love you Mom." She looked behind her to Connor then back to Buffy. "Hopefully our Buffy will be a grandmother soon." Emily smirked as Spike growled at Connor. Emily turned to Spike.
"Don't worry Dad. You'll like Connor someday." She wrapped her arms around her Daddy as she whispered in his ear. "No one can ever take your place in my heart. You made amends, Daddy. I love you."
Spike's eyes welled up as he choked back tears of happiness. As Future Willow and Tara started the spell to return them home Future Emily said one last thing.
"I'll tell Joyce you came by."
"Joyce?" Buffy asked, confused.
"Yeah what did you forget I have a little sis--. Ohh." Emily suddenly realized.
"Sister?!" Spike and Buffy practically yelled.
Emily smiled innocently as she tried to cover up what she said. There was no use. "Surprise." Emily said hesitantly. "I guess you two had a good time in the winter forest, huh?" Emily said, as Buffy and Spike's faces turned red. Emily smiled and that was the last thing they saw before they were back in their time and back in the Summers' House. Dawn and Andrew stood up from the couch and Dawn hugged Buffy, welcoming her home.
"You little Missy, are in big trouble." Dawn said, looking at Emily.
Emily smiled and jumped up and down. "Mommy and Daddy made a baby in the winter forest!" She yelled as she hopped around the room. Dawn looked at Buffy with a blank expression and Andrew choked and spit out the drink he was drinking.
"I guess I missed a lot, huh?" Dawn asked.
"So what happens now?" Giles asked Buffy.
Buffy smiled and sighed. "We'll see…"