The Key

As they neared the park the ground started rumbling and shaking. "What's happening?" Xander asked. "The demons," Spike said. Layla looked at Spike. This could be the last time she gets to be with him. Her heart was breaking. 'How can I leave him?' she thought. Spike looked back at Layla. 'Leave who? You better not be talking about me,' he said back to her. Before she could answer a scream came from inside the park. They all ran towards it. Buffy was standing near the swings screaming. "Buffy calm down," Willow said as we ran up to her. "Those demons. They are here," she said. "I saw them," she said panicking. "Where is Dawn?" Layla asked looking around and not seeing her. "The demons chased her," Buffy said pointing off. Layla took off in the direction Buffy pointed. Buffy had already lost her mother Layla didn't want her losing her sister also. Layla stopped. "Dawn? Dawn where are you?" she yelled out. Spike ran up behind her. "This way luv," he said taking her hand and running off to the left. "How do you know Spike?" Layla asked. "I smell her blood," he said. Dawn was laying in the middle of the street. Everyone ran over to her. Willow knelt beside her. "She's alive," she said. Layla saw the cut on Dawn's arm. Xander picked her up. "Let's all get back to the house," he said. "Yes we need to regroup," Spike said. The group started walking off. Layla felt strange. She knew the demons were close to her. But where. She looked around. Spike stopped and looked back at Layla. "Luv?" he asked. The ground started shaking. They were under them. Layla threw up her hand towards her friends sending them all flying back a few feet onto the grass just as the ground opened up underneath them. Layla fell down in the hole. Spike looked up and saw her fall in. "NO," he yelled crawling over the cracks and looking into the hole in the road. He was relieved when he saw she had grabbed onto the side. He leaned down and couldn't quite reach her. "Give me your hand," he said reaching down. Everyone came up behind him to look into the hole. The hole was deep and black. They saw nothing but steam coming out of it. Layla looked down. She felt the demons underneath her feet. She knew they were waiting on her to fall. She heard them calling out to her. It was a hypnotic sound. Spike didn't know why she wasn't moving. Then he heard the music coming from the hole. "No, look at me not them," he said. 'Olivia,' he called through his mind. She looked up at him and shook her head shaking away the haze the demons had put on her. She reached up and took his hand. He pulled her out of the hole. She fell on top of him and he held onto her. "I thought I had lost you," he said. Layla felt his body trembling. She cupped his face. "I love you," she said. Giles and Anya came running up. The commotion had pulled them out of the house. The ground started shaking. "Um guys. We really need to get moving," Buffy said.

Layla saw Dawn had awakened and was holding onto Xander. Spike helped Layla up and held her hand as they ran down the street. They didn't get very far. The demons had jumped out from under the street sending a sheet of rocks down on the group. They all covered their heads. Layla looked up. This was the first time she had actually seen the demons. They were standing there looking at the group. Both of them stood well over 8 feet with large claws on every foot. When they growled they showed long yellow fangs that reminded Layla of sharks teeth. They looked like a pile of boulders. Their red eyes looked at every person in the group. "Slayer?" one of the demons hissed. Spike stood in front of Layla. She loved his efforts but she couldn't let him try to defeat them for her. Buffy looked at Layla. Layla saw the fear in Buffy's eyes. Buffy was never afraid. At least not until now. Willow knew exactly at this moment what Layla's decision was going to be. She hugged Layla. "Thank you," was all she said. Spike turned around. Layla hugged Buffy and then Xander. Layla put her hand over the cut on Dawn's arm healing it. "What is going on?" Spike asked. Layla went up to Spike. She put her hands on his cheeks. 'William I love you and I thank you for returning that love. Know that you are always going to be special to me,' she told him. She looked at the group. "I love all of you," she said. Willow was crying. Spike didn't understand what was going on. Layla walked away from the group. Spike tried to follow her but she put a shield up around her friends encircling them in it. 'I love you,' she said to Spike. "No. No. NO," he yelled slamming his fists into the sides of the shield. Xander put a hand on Spike's shoulder. "She is going to do it," Willow said. "Do what?" Buffy asked. "She saw in a vision that when she kills those things she will die with them," Willow said looking at Spike. "NO OLIVIA NO," he said beating on the shield. He was shaking. "Don't leave me," he said. "She is not going to let you out Spike," Dawn said. "She is protecting us," Giles said. Spike fell to his knees. This is why she was acting strange. She knew what she had to do. He looked out through the shield. 'I love you Olivia,' he said hoping she could hear him.

Layla felt Spike's heart break. She heard him telling her he loved her. She would miss him terribly and hoped that someday he could move on with his life. Layla looked at the demons. "Slayer?" it hissed again. She was angry at these demons. "Sorry she is unavailable right now," Layla said. She shot electricity at them. They morphed around her bolts and sent a shockwave towards Layla knocking her down. "That's it," she said getting up. The demons came towards her opening their mouths. Layla thought of Spike. Her love for him made her go on. He would be safe after she destroyed these things. She opened her palms and flames engulfed her hands. A light shone off to the side of Layla. She looked towards it. "Dad?" she said. He had tears in his eyes. "I am proud of you my daughter. I followed you throughout your life. I was always with you. I love you," he told her. She was crying. That is why her mother could never find his spirit. It was with Layla. "I love you dad," she said. Layla walked towards the demons. "This ends now," Layla said. The flames engulfed her body. Spike couldn't see anything anymore. Smoke had surrounded the shield. He still kept hope that Layla would make it out alive but he felt in his heart that she was not. One of the demons grabbed Layla and pulled her up to him. He yelled out in pain as the fire consumed him. He dropped Layla. "Die," she told them. The other demon opened his mouth and sucked Layla into him. He swallowed her whole. She remained calm and kept her fire burning until she could no longer feel her body. Just then the demons exploded sending bits of rocks and flesh all over the shield. Everyone inside was quiet. The shield began to flicker and fade away. Spike stood up. His heart felt empty. The stench of burning, rotting flesh hit his nose, making him cough. The others covered their noses with their hands. Spike walked forward. He didn't see Layla anywhere. He couldn't feel her near him anymore. He felt cold again. Burning bits of flesh was laying all around them. A transformer blew somewhere behind them. Buffy took Willows hand. Everyone spread out and was searching for Layla's body.

Spike saw something shimmering out of the corner of his eye. He looked. It was Layla's necklace. He ran over to it. "NO," he screamed as he fell down beside it. Layla was laying there underneath the burnt flesh. He moved it off of her and turned her over on her back. He saw she wasn't breathing. He didn't feel her heartbeat. He knew she was dead. He picked her up into his lap and rocked her back and forth. "I am sorry. I am so sorry," he said tears flowing down his face and falling onto hers, streaking the dirt. Everyone gathered around Spike. Willow and Buffy was hugging and crying. Xander was trying to console Dawn as she cried but he couldn't. He was also sad. Giles was speechless. He didn't know what she had to do. He felt horrible for this. He somehow felt everyone's grief was his fault. He walked away from the scene. Anya held onto Xander's hand. She rarely ever felt sadness for anyone but she felt it now. Spike was shaking. He was alone again. He didn't know what to do. He laid Layla back down and smoothed down her hair. "Thank you," he said as he kissed her lips for the last time. A light shone all around the group. Spike was still on his knees. He looked up. Layla's mother and father were there looking down at their daughter with smiles on their faces. "I knew she could do it," the mother said. "I have always had faith in her," the father said. The mother looked down at Spike seeing his tears. "Do not let your heart be troubled," she said. The light then surrounded Layla's body. Spike watched as Layla breathed in and opened her eyes. "Because she did an unselfish act she has been given her life back," the mother said. Layla looked around. She saw everyone staring at her. She leaned up and grabbed Spike. He held onto her. He didn't think he would ever let go. Layla looked at her parents while still in Spike's arm. "I love you mom and dad," she said. Their images began to fade and was gone. Layla knew she would never see them again. Layla turned back to Spike. She squeezed him harder. "Don't ever leave me again," he told her. "I don't plan on it," she said. She took a deep breath. Everything was okay. Everyone was fine.


Spike helped Layla up to her feet. She swayed a little as the strength returned to her. Spike put his arm around her waist and held her up. He had to move back when Willow and Buffy rushed in for a hug. The three girls stood there in a hug. "Thank you, Layla. I don't think I could have done that," Buffy said. "I know," Layla said. Xander and then Dawn both hugged Layla. "It's good to see you back," Anya told her. She smiled at her friends. Her legs gave out and she collapsed into Spike's arms. He picked her up. "We need to get you home," he said. "I am fine. Just a little tired," she said as she snuggled into Spike. They all walked back with Spike to his apartment. After Spike had laid Layla down on the bed he joined everybody in the living room. "So what now?" Dawn asked. "We now move on. Be prepared for whatever may come our way next. I have a feeling that after this we will be able to handle just about anything," Buffy said. They all dispersed and left for Buffy's house. On the way out the door Buffy stopped. "She is special Spike. Look after her," Buffy said. "Don't worry from now on I will be like her second skin," he said shutting the door behind Buffy. He went back into the bedroom. Layla looked peaceful. He was exhausted and emotionally drained. He took off his shirt and pants and laid in the bed beside Layla. He was happy when she snuggled up next to him. He put his arms around her and fell asleep.