Livin' Life in the Fastlane
folder
BtVS AU/AR › Het - Male/Female › Buffy/Spike(William)
Rating:
Adult ++
Chapters:
21
Views:
5,193
Reviews:
33
Recommended:
0
Currently Reading:
0
Category:
BtVS AU/AR › Het - Male/Female › Buffy/Spike(William)
Rating:
Adult ++
Chapters:
21
Views:
5,193
Reviews:
33
Recommended:
0
Currently Reading:
0
Disclaimer:
I do not own Buffy the Vampire Slayer (BtVS), nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.
Last Train Home
Disclaimer
I own NOTHING (except for the plot*smile*)! Anything in this story that falls under existing copyrights belongs to their respective owners. The lyrics used in this chapter are used without permission. Please don’t sue, it’s mean.
A/N
So, the final chapter before the epilogue, and yeah, before you hate me, I know I am a meanie. I kind of had a hard time writing that one. It wasn’t easy to cover the emotions of the characters and also the speed and the action as well. So please don’t be too hard on me, it is still my first fic. I hope I did kind of right at least and that you enjoy it anyway. Thanks for staying with me. Oh and yeah, I know it is kind of long. ;)
Hugs to all!
============================================================
Previously on Livin’ Life in the Fastlane:
Buffy and Spike prepare the cars as good as possible. Angel shortens the period until the race to two days. Buffy finally commits her love to Spike.
Chapter 20: Last Train Home
Buffy and Spike both woke to the sound of the doorbell in the garage. They couldn’t have slept longer than two maybe three hours. After their lovemaking they spent the rest of their wakeful state lying into each others arms voicing words of love to each other and making out before they fell into a deep slumber.
Now somebody was ferociously ringing the bell and demanded their presence. Buffy grumbled something along the lines of ‘big bad and mean alarm clock’ while her still sleep influenced mind tried to get a grip on the world. Next to her Spike got up from the bed, gave her quick kiss to the forehead, told she could rest a few more minutes and went to the front door to answer the call.
He opened the door and found Xander grinning at him next to the delivery boy from the car specialties shop who wanted to deliver the requested overnight parts.
“Good morning your sleepiness” Xander grinned at his buddy.
“Bugger off! Or go and make some coffee” was Spike’s only response.
“Oh I see somebody is in a bad mood this morning, slept bad?” Xander couldn’t stop himself from kidding him. The situation they were in was so bad, his only way to compensate the pressure and the emotional draining was to make stupid jokes.
“I swear to God if you don’t go and do something useful I am going to really hurt you” Spike growled. No, he definitely had never been a long-time sleeper, but he definitely was a bad morning person.
Somehow the last sentence did the trick as Xander recalled Spike’s history and thought it wouldn’t do any good to piss him off more. The picture of Buffy’s new ‘necklace’ just wouldn’t leave his mind, so he scrambled of to the coffee maker. Spike turned his attention to the delivery boy and to the goods he brought.
“You got everything?” he asked the boy.
“Yeah bro, I got everything. So the Slayer’s rolling out in the streets again I heard…” the young man answered.
“Who?” Spike asked his brain didn’t seem to have a tight grip on the world around him so far.
“Buffy Summers?” the delivery boy queried “The owner of this garage you’re standing in right now?”
“If you know her name why don’t you use it?” Spike asked slightly annoyed “What’s that shit about the ‘Slayer’ anyways? I keep asking myself that again and again…”
“Well here she might be Buffy Summers” the boy tried to explain “but out on the streets, bro, let me tell you man, she is only called the Slayer. If she hits the streets, she goes in for the hunt. She finds her prey and just simply slays it, she’s like a force of nature…” he kept on slobbering.
*That’s my girl* Spike internally smiled to himself. “You know boy, I kind of have a bit of a lack in the time sector, why don’t you just tell me where I have to sign for the parts and then go back to work…”
“Sure, bro, sign here” he pointed to a small dotted line at the end of the delivery papers and Spike signed. The boy then unloaded his car and put everything into the garage.
“I am going to leave now, see ya tonight bro” where his parting words, before he entered his car and left Buffy Summers Racing.
Spike closed up the garage again and went back into Buffy’s office to see if the coffee he ordered Xander to make was ready and if Buffy was up already. He found both of them sitting at Buffy’s desk, both of them holding a steaming cup of coffee in their hands chattering lightly about something.
“What are you talking about?” Spike queried while he went to fix himself a cup of the black liquid.
“Xander just told me that you are kind of terribly grumpy in the morning” she laughed at him when his only answer was a low growl. He took a menacing step towards Xander and tried to get a grip on his neck to give it a good squeeze.
“Hey buddy, wait, I am just stating the obvious, do not kill the coffee maker. The apron says ‘Kiss the coffee maker’, although I would beg you to not do that either…” Xander now stood a few feet away from Spike, trying to get as much space between them as possible in the office.
“I’ll get back at you mate, when the time is right you will get to know my kind of vengeance” Spike eyes got an evil glint and he walked over to where Buffy was sitting in her chair. He pulled her out of it, sat down himself and pulled her into his lap. As the first drops of coffee hit his throat he felt the life being pumped back into his veins.
“So tell me boss” Xander was sitting in his chair again now “what’s on the agenda for today?” he asked.
“We have to finish the Supra…” she started.
“What? Since when do we have a Supra?” Xander interrupted her.
“It’s not ours, actually it’s the car of Spike’s Dad” she had to stifle a giggle when she felt Spike growl into her neck “but he was so nice to lend it to us so we have a backup ride” she finished.
“Understood” Xander nodded into her direction.
“When it is finished” she continued “I need you to take it out and give it a test drive. If everything is fine I want you to go home and prepare for tonight.”
“What’s up tonight?” Xander wondered.
“Angel shortened the ultimatum. The race will be tonight” she answered.
“Shit, that’s close Buff!”
“Don’t I know it, so if there isn’t anything left to discuss I’d propose we get off our lazy asses and start working” she smiled at the boys.
“What about the safe house?” Spike asked her from behind.
“I don’t know” she said.
“If you want I can see if I can sort something out…make some calls…” he suggested.
“You’re going to talk to your old employees?” she queried.
“If you don’t want me to I won’t” Spike answered, honesty shining in his eyes.
“You’re going to call the ‘personal backup’ anyway, won’t you?” she looked into his eyes.
“Not as long as you don’t want me to” he replied returning her look.
“Actually I kind of want you to” she bend her head down “on the one hand Angel should be intimidated enough by your little show in the desert on the other hand I would say better be safe than sorry. I kind of have a bad feeling about tonight…” she told.
Spike nuzzled her neck. “Ssh, baby, everything is going to be alright” he whispered into her ear. Then he started to get up and helped Buffy to stand up.
“Okay folks, you go out there and start on the cars, and I am going to make some phone calls. I’ll be with you in a minute” he told Xander and Buffy. Both of them nodded and they left for the cars.
Buffy’s mind still was a bit foggy. She just couldn’t shush the small voice in the back of her head telling her that something terrible would happen tonight. She just couldn’t get a grip on it but something was surely about to hit the fan. She decided to drop it for now and to concentrate on the work instead. There wasn’t anything she could have done against her fears at that moment anyway.
============================================================
Early evening, Buffy’s house
Spike had made his phone calls and organised a safe house. It was a small cabin down in Tijuana. He also made sure the two agents from the night in the desert would be present this evening. Xander had the Supra finished and test driven. Everything went okay and Buffy and Spike sent him home with the information about the race and the safe house.
Afterwards they had remounted the engine parts they had worked on to Spike’s Skyline again and went out to the old airfield to give it a ride. When both of them were content with the results they left for Buffy’s house to grab a bite and to freshen up before they had to leave for the race.
They were now seated in the living room watching some television. The tension in the room could have been cut by a knife. Spike laid his arms around Buffy and pulled her close to him.
“Scared, pet?” he asked softly.
“I don’t think scared is a word strong enough” she answered “if I lose the race tonight I lose everything I ever worked for in my life. I am so tired, Spike, so tired of that shit, can’t you please just make it go away?” she hid her face in the crook of his neck.
“I would love nothing more than just do that if it were only possible for me, baby” he kissed her on top of her head “but I know that you are going to win. That is the only thing I can promise you. I can’t make these circumstances vanish into the night but I can promise you that you will leave the battle ground tonight as a winner.”
“How can you be so sure of that?” she asked staring at him.
“Because I know it. There’s nobody out there that can beat you. You’re a hell of a woman Buffy. You are THE force to be reckoned with. Go out there and slay him.”
“Thank you” a single tear rolled down her cheek and Spike bent down to kiss it away. After a few more kisses Spike’s watch started to beep and they had to part.
“Time to get ready” he simply stated and they left for Buffy’s room to get dressed. Buffy opened her closet and rummaged through it until she found a small carton and pulled it out. Spike was putting on his black jeans, his combat boots and a black T-Shirt while Buffy opened the box and poured out its contents onto her bed. Spike finished his clothing by putting on a blood red button-down shirt and slipping into his black leather duster. He went over to the big mirror in the far corner of Buffy’s room and did a last check on his outfit.
When he turned around he found Buffy standing in front of her bed in leather pants that were the same colour as his button down. She wore a black tank top and a short leather jacket matching the colour of the pants above it. She held a piece of leather in her right hand and stretched out her left arm to him.
“Could you please help me with this?” she asked him. Her voice was icy, oh yeah, the Slayer was in town, Spike thought to himself.
He fixed the wrist band on her left arm. When he turned it around he found the word ‘Slayer’ stamped into it. Buffy went over to the mirror to check her outfit and her not so obvious makeup like Spike had done minutes ago.
When she turned around she found Spike smiling at her.
“Let’s go kick some ass, Slayer” he said.
They both looked like deadly assassins on a mission. Anybody who would have seen them leaving the house would be scared to no end. Their faces showed no emotion. They were on the hunt. May all the Gods have mercy with their prey.
============================================================
The old docks, Five minutes to go
Xander had arrived at the scene a few minutes ago and found Angel and his crew already waiting, a huge mass of street racing fanatics surrounding them. It was the event of the millennium. They two biggest figures in street racing to ever enter the streets of Los Angeles were facing off tonight and everybody that was even the slightest bit into fast cars was present. It would be the biggest show ever. Angel versus the notorious Slayer. Bets were placed and people mused about who was going to win.
Angel looked at his watch. “Where are they?” he growled at Xander.
“I don’t know I haven’t seen them since this afternoon” Xander spat in return. He would have wanted to give Angel a piece of his mind but remembered the orders Buffy had given him and remained silent other than for answering questions.
Suddenly the crowd parted and the black Nissan Skyline with the big devil’s head on the hood rolled to the line. Buffy pressed down the gas pedal and flames emerged from the exhaust pipes. The crowd cheered and Buffy turned off the ignition. Spike turned his head to look at her.
“Listen, pet, if anything happens, whatever it is, if something doesn’t go the way it should you won’t stop. You won’t look around you will drive to the safe house understood” he told her. His voice held no place for discussion.
She nodded and Spike bent over to give her a kiss. “You are going to win.”
They emerged from the car and the crowd cheered as they sighted the Slayer.
“About time you show up” Angel yelled over the crowd.
“Where are they?” Buffy’s voice was ice cold to Angel’s ears.
He motioned for his men and they pulled Dawn and Willow form one of the SUV surrounding the starting line.
“Buffy…” Dawn called.
Buffy visually relaxed when she found her sister and her best friend unharmed.
“Xander” her voice was still all business “take Dawn and Willow and leave.”
“Buffy…” Dawn called again while Xander manoeuvred her and Willow to the Supra.
“Later Dawnie…” were the only words that left Buffy’s mouth as she was still holding eye contact with her enemy.
The crowd steeped aside to let the members of BSR leave the scene.
Spike stood right behind Buffy as he felt the cold metal of a gun pressing into the back of his neck. He froze in place when Angel started to talk.
“Well Slayer, let’s get down to business. We ride half a mile, winner takes all. And by all I mean everything. As we came to terms earlier this week the loser will leave town so the stakes tonight will be the cars and the garages.”
Buffy knew she couldn’t back out of those conditions. The crowd around was waiting for her answer and if she backed out the race wouldn’t even start.
“As long as you don’t pull any shit on me I am alright with those conditions as they are counting for you too” Buffy answered.
“Sure Slayer, and about pulling shit, to be sure you won’t do some kind of trick on me yourself Mr.Finn will take care of your little lapdog.”
Buffy turned around and recognized for the first time that Riley stood behind Spike holding a gun tight to his neck. She spun around to face Angel again.
“You fucking bastard, if anything happens to him I will hunt you down and kill you so many times you won’t even be able to beg for a final death” she yelled at him.
The crowd surrounding them was oblivious to that little ‘incident’ as the people were still arguing over the conditions and the weight it would have on the underground scene in Los Angeles.
“Well after everything is clear why don’t we get rolling” Angel chuckled at her and went to get into ‘his’ car.
Buffy turned around to look at Spike while the crowd was clearing out the street so that the race could start.
“I love you” Spike said when their gazes met.
“I love you too” she replied. It seemed like a goodbye to her. Her mind wouldn’t let her recognize any emotions right now but she felt like it would be the last time she would see him.
“Oh my god, that is so pathetic” Riley exclaimed “come on asshole, we’re going to wait at the finish line” he said and pulled Spike into a car. Buffy’s and Spike’s eyes never left the respective other one’s until they were out of sight.
Buffy entered her car and fired up the stereo system. She turned her head to look at Angel and found him smirking at her. She returned her view back to the man standing between the two cars and waited for the signal to get ready while Spike’s music filtered through the black Nissan. She was as ready as she would ever be and knew whatever happened it would be over in less than two minutes.
To every broken heart in here
Love was once a part,
but now it's disappeared
She told me that it's all a part
of the choices that your making
Even when you think you're right
You have to give to take
The starter signalled for Buffy being ready and she nodded. She gripped the steering wheel tight in her right hand and waited. Everything around her vanished into a blur. The only things she saw was the man starting the race the street laying before her and the other car.
Angel nodded his head to the starter and he lifted both of his arms above his head.
But there's still tomorrow
Forget the sorrow
And I can be on the last train home
Watch it pass the day
As it fades away
No more time to care
No more time, today
Angel’s car was off before the starter’s hands were down completely. Due to his early start he had an advantage of about 2 meters over Buffy. She shifted into second gear and pressed down the gas pedal to the floor. The needles in her display went straight up. 5500, 6000, 6500, 7000 rpm. She shifted into third gear. She was still slightly behind Angel but she started to catch up to him.
But we sing
If we're going nowhere
Yeah we sing
If it's not enough
And we sing
Sing without a reason
To ever fall in love
She was now in fourth gear, her turbo screamed the symphony of destruction as she reached same height with Angel’s car. She shifted into fifth. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Angel’s car accelerate fast and she knew he had used his Nitrous Oxide. Angel went in front and the distance between him and Buffy grew.
I wonder if you're listening
Picking up on the signals
Sent back from within
Sometimes it feels like I don't really know what’s going on
Time and time again it seems like everything is wrong in here
Only about 100 meters to the finish line. Angel was about one length of a car in front. Buffy shifted into sixth gear and pressed down both of the red buttons on her steering wheel simultaneously. The black Skyline took a huge leap towards the finish line.
But there's still tomorrow
Forget the sorrow
And I can be on the last train home
Watch it pass the day
As it fades away
No more time to care
No more time, today
Both cars seemed to cross the finish line the same time. But it was the black Nissan that was inches in front. Buffy exhaled a breath she didn’t know she was holding. She had won. She had her life back and she had won. She brought the car to a stop and took in the crowd now surrounding her car cheering at the victorious Slayer.
But we sing
If we're going nowhere
Yeah we sing
If it's not enough
And we sing
Sing without a reason
To ever fall in love
The next actions happened in a blur and so fast that Buffy would just understand them a good amount of time later. She looked into the rear view mirror and saw Angel leaving HER car. She also saw Spike smiling in her direction. She froze in place as she saw Riley take a step back from Spike and aiming, his arm stretched, for his chest.
Well we sing if we're going nowhere
Yeah we sing if it's not enough
And we sing
Sing without a reason to ever fall in love
The instant she saw the bullet pierce Spike’s chest her mind blanked out and she slammed the gas pedal to the floor.
The crowd screamed and ran around in blind panic when Spike fell to his knees, one last glance to the car that left with his beloved woman before the world went black.
Riley and Angel were dead before they hit the ground.
----------------------------------------------
To be continued…
Upcoming: Last Chapter: Epilogue (Chapter 21)
I own NOTHING (except for the plot*smile*)! Anything in this story that falls under existing copyrights belongs to their respective owners. The lyrics used in this chapter are used without permission. Please don’t sue, it’s mean.
A/N
So, the final chapter before the epilogue, and yeah, before you hate me, I know I am a meanie. I kind of had a hard time writing that one. It wasn’t easy to cover the emotions of the characters and also the speed and the action as well. So please don’t be too hard on me, it is still my first fic. I hope I did kind of right at least and that you enjoy it anyway. Thanks for staying with me. Oh and yeah, I know it is kind of long. ;)
Hugs to all!
============================================================
Previously on Livin’ Life in the Fastlane:
Buffy and Spike prepare the cars as good as possible. Angel shortens the period until the race to two days. Buffy finally commits her love to Spike.
Chapter 20: Last Train Home
Buffy and Spike both woke to the sound of the doorbell in the garage. They couldn’t have slept longer than two maybe three hours. After their lovemaking they spent the rest of their wakeful state lying into each others arms voicing words of love to each other and making out before they fell into a deep slumber.
Now somebody was ferociously ringing the bell and demanded their presence. Buffy grumbled something along the lines of ‘big bad and mean alarm clock’ while her still sleep influenced mind tried to get a grip on the world. Next to her Spike got up from the bed, gave her quick kiss to the forehead, told she could rest a few more minutes and went to the front door to answer the call.
He opened the door and found Xander grinning at him next to the delivery boy from the car specialties shop who wanted to deliver the requested overnight parts.
“Good morning your sleepiness” Xander grinned at his buddy.
“Bugger off! Or go and make some coffee” was Spike’s only response.
“Oh I see somebody is in a bad mood this morning, slept bad?” Xander couldn’t stop himself from kidding him. The situation they were in was so bad, his only way to compensate the pressure and the emotional draining was to make stupid jokes.
“I swear to God if you don’t go and do something useful I am going to really hurt you” Spike growled. No, he definitely had never been a long-time sleeper, but he definitely was a bad morning person.
Somehow the last sentence did the trick as Xander recalled Spike’s history and thought it wouldn’t do any good to piss him off more. The picture of Buffy’s new ‘necklace’ just wouldn’t leave his mind, so he scrambled of to the coffee maker. Spike turned his attention to the delivery boy and to the goods he brought.
“You got everything?” he asked the boy.
“Yeah bro, I got everything. So the Slayer’s rolling out in the streets again I heard…” the young man answered.
“Who?” Spike asked his brain didn’t seem to have a tight grip on the world around him so far.
“Buffy Summers?” the delivery boy queried “The owner of this garage you’re standing in right now?”
“If you know her name why don’t you use it?” Spike asked slightly annoyed “What’s that shit about the ‘Slayer’ anyways? I keep asking myself that again and again…”
“Well here she might be Buffy Summers” the boy tried to explain “but out on the streets, bro, let me tell you man, she is only called the Slayer. If she hits the streets, she goes in for the hunt. She finds her prey and just simply slays it, she’s like a force of nature…” he kept on slobbering.
*That’s my girl* Spike internally smiled to himself. “You know boy, I kind of have a bit of a lack in the time sector, why don’t you just tell me where I have to sign for the parts and then go back to work…”
“Sure, bro, sign here” he pointed to a small dotted line at the end of the delivery papers and Spike signed. The boy then unloaded his car and put everything into the garage.
“I am going to leave now, see ya tonight bro” where his parting words, before he entered his car and left Buffy Summers Racing.
Spike closed up the garage again and went back into Buffy’s office to see if the coffee he ordered Xander to make was ready and if Buffy was up already. He found both of them sitting at Buffy’s desk, both of them holding a steaming cup of coffee in their hands chattering lightly about something.
“What are you talking about?” Spike queried while he went to fix himself a cup of the black liquid.
“Xander just told me that you are kind of terribly grumpy in the morning” she laughed at him when his only answer was a low growl. He took a menacing step towards Xander and tried to get a grip on his neck to give it a good squeeze.
“Hey buddy, wait, I am just stating the obvious, do not kill the coffee maker. The apron says ‘Kiss the coffee maker’, although I would beg you to not do that either…” Xander now stood a few feet away from Spike, trying to get as much space between them as possible in the office.
“I’ll get back at you mate, when the time is right you will get to know my kind of vengeance” Spike eyes got an evil glint and he walked over to where Buffy was sitting in her chair. He pulled her out of it, sat down himself and pulled her into his lap. As the first drops of coffee hit his throat he felt the life being pumped back into his veins.
“So tell me boss” Xander was sitting in his chair again now “what’s on the agenda for today?” he asked.
“We have to finish the Supra…” she started.
“What? Since when do we have a Supra?” Xander interrupted her.
“It’s not ours, actually it’s the car of Spike’s Dad” she had to stifle a giggle when she felt Spike growl into her neck “but he was so nice to lend it to us so we have a backup ride” she finished.
“Understood” Xander nodded into her direction.
“When it is finished” she continued “I need you to take it out and give it a test drive. If everything is fine I want you to go home and prepare for tonight.”
“What’s up tonight?” Xander wondered.
“Angel shortened the ultimatum. The race will be tonight” she answered.
“Shit, that’s close Buff!”
“Don’t I know it, so if there isn’t anything left to discuss I’d propose we get off our lazy asses and start working” she smiled at the boys.
“What about the safe house?” Spike asked her from behind.
“I don’t know” she said.
“If you want I can see if I can sort something out…make some calls…” he suggested.
“You’re going to talk to your old employees?” she queried.
“If you don’t want me to I won’t” Spike answered, honesty shining in his eyes.
“You’re going to call the ‘personal backup’ anyway, won’t you?” she looked into his eyes.
“Not as long as you don’t want me to” he replied returning her look.
“Actually I kind of want you to” she bend her head down “on the one hand Angel should be intimidated enough by your little show in the desert on the other hand I would say better be safe than sorry. I kind of have a bad feeling about tonight…” she told.
Spike nuzzled her neck. “Ssh, baby, everything is going to be alright” he whispered into her ear. Then he started to get up and helped Buffy to stand up.
“Okay folks, you go out there and start on the cars, and I am going to make some phone calls. I’ll be with you in a minute” he told Xander and Buffy. Both of them nodded and they left for the cars.
Buffy’s mind still was a bit foggy. She just couldn’t shush the small voice in the back of her head telling her that something terrible would happen tonight. She just couldn’t get a grip on it but something was surely about to hit the fan. She decided to drop it for now and to concentrate on the work instead. There wasn’t anything she could have done against her fears at that moment anyway.
============================================================
Early evening, Buffy’s house
Spike had made his phone calls and organised a safe house. It was a small cabin down in Tijuana. He also made sure the two agents from the night in the desert would be present this evening. Xander had the Supra finished and test driven. Everything went okay and Buffy and Spike sent him home with the information about the race and the safe house.
Afterwards they had remounted the engine parts they had worked on to Spike’s Skyline again and went out to the old airfield to give it a ride. When both of them were content with the results they left for Buffy’s house to grab a bite and to freshen up before they had to leave for the race.
They were now seated in the living room watching some television. The tension in the room could have been cut by a knife. Spike laid his arms around Buffy and pulled her close to him.
“Scared, pet?” he asked softly.
“I don’t think scared is a word strong enough” she answered “if I lose the race tonight I lose everything I ever worked for in my life. I am so tired, Spike, so tired of that shit, can’t you please just make it go away?” she hid her face in the crook of his neck.
“I would love nothing more than just do that if it were only possible for me, baby” he kissed her on top of her head “but I know that you are going to win. That is the only thing I can promise you. I can’t make these circumstances vanish into the night but I can promise you that you will leave the battle ground tonight as a winner.”
“How can you be so sure of that?” she asked staring at him.
“Because I know it. There’s nobody out there that can beat you. You’re a hell of a woman Buffy. You are THE force to be reckoned with. Go out there and slay him.”
“Thank you” a single tear rolled down her cheek and Spike bent down to kiss it away. After a few more kisses Spike’s watch started to beep and they had to part.
“Time to get ready” he simply stated and they left for Buffy’s room to get dressed. Buffy opened her closet and rummaged through it until she found a small carton and pulled it out. Spike was putting on his black jeans, his combat boots and a black T-Shirt while Buffy opened the box and poured out its contents onto her bed. Spike finished his clothing by putting on a blood red button-down shirt and slipping into his black leather duster. He went over to the big mirror in the far corner of Buffy’s room and did a last check on his outfit.
When he turned around he found Buffy standing in front of her bed in leather pants that were the same colour as his button down. She wore a black tank top and a short leather jacket matching the colour of the pants above it. She held a piece of leather in her right hand and stretched out her left arm to him.
“Could you please help me with this?” she asked him. Her voice was icy, oh yeah, the Slayer was in town, Spike thought to himself.
He fixed the wrist band on her left arm. When he turned it around he found the word ‘Slayer’ stamped into it. Buffy went over to the mirror to check her outfit and her not so obvious makeup like Spike had done minutes ago.
When she turned around she found Spike smiling at her.
“Let’s go kick some ass, Slayer” he said.
They both looked like deadly assassins on a mission. Anybody who would have seen them leaving the house would be scared to no end. Their faces showed no emotion. They were on the hunt. May all the Gods have mercy with their prey.
============================================================
The old docks, Five minutes to go
Xander had arrived at the scene a few minutes ago and found Angel and his crew already waiting, a huge mass of street racing fanatics surrounding them. It was the event of the millennium. They two biggest figures in street racing to ever enter the streets of Los Angeles were facing off tonight and everybody that was even the slightest bit into fast cars was present. It would be the biggest show ever. Angel versus the notorious Slayer. Bets were placed and people mused about who was going to win.
Angel looked at his watch. “Where are they?” he growled at Xander.
“I don’t know I haven’t seen them since this afternoon” Xander spat in return. He would have wanted to give Angel a piece of his mind but remembered the orders Buffy had given him and remained silent other than for answering questions.
Suddenly the crowd parted and the black Nissan Skyline with the big devil’s head on the hood rolled to the line. Buffy pressed down the gas pedal and flames emerged from the exhaust pipes. The crowd cheered and Buffy turned off the ignition. Spike turned his head to look at her.
“Listen, pet, if anything happens, whatever it is, if something doesn’t go the way it should you won’t stop. You won’t look around you will drive to the safe house understood” he told her. His voice held no place for discussion.
She nodded and Spike bent over to give her a kiss. “You are going to win.”
They emerged from the car and the crowd cheered as they sighted the Slayer.
“About time you show up” Angel yelled over the crowd.
“Where are they?” Buffy’s voice was ice cold to Angel’s ears.
He motioned for his men and they pulled Dawn and Willow form one of the SUV surrounding the starting line.
“Buffy…” Dawn called.
Buffy visually relaxed when she found her sister and her best friend unharmed.
“Xander” her voice was still all business “take Dawn and Willow and leave.”
“Buffy…” Dawn called again while Xander manoeuvred her and Willow to the Supra.
“Later Dawnie…” were the only words that left Buffy’s mouth as she was still holding eye contact with her enemy.
The crowd steeped aside to let the members of BSR leave the scene.
Spike stood right behind Buffy as he felt the cold metal of a gun pressing into the back of his neck. He froze in place when Angel started to talk.
“Well Slayer, let’s get down to business. We ride half a mile, winner takes all. And by all I mean everything. As we came to terms earlier this week the loser will leave town so the stakes tonight will be the cars and the garages.”
Buffy knew she couldn’t back out of those conditions. The crowd around was waiting for her answer and if she backed out the race wouldn’t even start.
“As long as you don’t pull any shit on me I am alright with those conditions as they are counting for you too” Buffy answered.
“Sure Slayer, and about pulling shit, to be sure you won’t do some kind of trick on me yourself Mr.Finn will take care of your little lapdog.”
Buffy turned around and recognized for the first time that Riley stood behind Spike holding a gun tight to his neck. She spun around to face Angel again.
“You fucking bastard, if anything happens to him I will hunt you down and kill you so many times you won’t even be able to beg for a final death” she yelled at him.
The crowd surrounding them was oblivious to that little ‘incident’ as the people were still arguing over the conditions and the weight it would have on the underground scene in Los Angeles.
“Well after everything is clear why don’t we get rolling” Angel chuckled at her and went to get into ‘his’ car.
Buffy turned around to look at Spike while the crowd was clearing out the street so that the race could start.
“I love you” Spike said when their gazes met.
“I love you too” she replied. It seemed like a goodbye to her. Her mind wouldn’t let her recognize any emotions right now but she felt like it would be the last time she would see him.
“Oh my god, that is so pathetic” Riley exclaimed “come on asshole, we’re going to wait at the finish line” he said and pulled Spike into a car. Buffy’s and Spike’s eyes never left the respective other one’s until they were out of sight.
Buffy entered her car and fired up the stereo system. She turned her head to look at Angel and found him smirking at her. She returned her view back to the man standing between the two cars and waited for the signal to get ready while Spike’s music filtered through the black Nissan. She was as ready as she would ever be and knew whatever happened it would be over in less than two minutes.
To every broken heart in here
Love was once a part,
but now it's disappeared
She told me that it's all a part
of the choices that your making
Even when you think you're right
You have to give to take
The starter signalled for Buffy being ready and she nodded. She gripped the steering wheel tight in her right hand and waited. Everything around her vanished into a blur. The only things she saw was the man starting the race the street laying before her and the other car.
Angel nodded his head to the starter and he lifted both of his arms above his head.
But there's still tomorrow
Forget the sorrow
And I can be on the last train home
Watch it pass the day
As it fades away
No more time to care
No more time, today
Angel’s car was off before the starter’s hands were down completely. Due to his early start he had an advantage of about 2 meters over Buffy. She shifted into second gear and pressed down the gas pedal to the floor. The needles in her display went straight up. 5500, 6000, 6500, 7000 rpm. She shifted into third gear. She was still slightly behind Angel but she started to catch up to him.
But we sing
If we're going nowhere
Yeah we sing
If it's not enough
And we sing
Sing without a reason
To ever fall in love
She was now in fourth gear, her turbo screamed the symphony of destruction as she reached same height with Angel’s car. She shifted into fifth. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Angel’s car accelerate fast and she knew he had used his Nitrous Oxide. Angel went in front and the distance between him and Buffy grew.
I wonder if you're listening
Picking up on the signals
Sent back from within
Sometimes it feels like I don't really know what’s going on
Time and time again it seems like everything is wrong in here
Only about 100 meters to the finish line. Angel was about one length of a car in front. Buffy shifted into sixth gear and pressed down both of the red buttons on her steering wheel simultaneously. The black Skyline took a huge leap towards the finish line.
But there's still tomorrow
Forget the sorrow
And I can be on the last train home
Watch it pass the day
As it fades away
No more time to care
No more time, today
Both cars seemed to cross the finish line the same time. But it was the black Nissan that was inches in front. Buffy exhaled a breath she didn’t know she was holding. She had won. She had her life back and she had won. She brought the car to a stop and took in the crowd now surrounding her car cheering at the victorious Slayer.
But we sing
If we're going nowhere
Yeah we sing
If it's not enough
And we sing
Sing without a reason
To ever fall in love
The next actions happened in a blur and so fast that Buffy would just understand them a good amount of time later. She looked into the rear view mirror and saw Angel leaving HER car. She also saw Spike smiling in her direction. She froze in place as she saw Riley take a step back from Spike and aiming, his arm stretched, for his chest.
Well we sing if we're going nowhere
Yeah we sing if it's not enough
And we sing
Sing without a reason to ever fall in love
The instant she saw the bullet pierce Spike’s chest her mind blanked out and she slammed the gas pedal to the floor.
The crowd screamed and ran around in blind panic when Spike fell to his knees, one last glance to the car that left with his beloved woman before the world went black.
Riley and Angel were dead before they hit the ground.
----------------------------------------------
To be continued…
Upcoming: Last Chapter: Epilogue (Chapter 21)