Love On The Hellmouth

The next few days were spent talking to a coven in England that Giles knew and picking up the Potentials that arrived in Sunnydale. Most of them had Watchers who had sent them to Buffy for protection and further training. The coven and Giles found the others who had no idea about vampires or anything else. Bringers were attacking many when Giles found them. All were scared; it was just the degrees in which were different. The Potentials soon were beginning to be attacked when they arrived in Sunnydale. “So The First knows... Potential Slayers are making their way here. I'll have to warn the coven to be more cautious.” “The First is always going to be one step ahead of us, Giles. I need to know how to stop it…No, not stop it. Hurt it. I wanna hurt it real bad. Tell me how.” Buffy asks. “I don't know, Buffy've 've exhausted the few resources I have left with little result. The Watchers' records are still really all we have to go on.” Anya adds, “I made the rounds, myself. Tried to dig up anything useful from the demon community. The few that didn't attack me don't know anything or aren't talking. Either way, we got squat.” “What about the Turok-Han? Stakes don't kill it. Anything in the ancient myths about what does? Sunlight? Fire? Germs?” Giles and Anya can only shrug. “Giles, wthatthat thing guarding the entrance to The First's crib, I can't get to Spike. We need him.” “An insane vampire with a soul who has been killing again. Buffy I really don’t think that’s where your efforts should lie. He’s dangerous.” “No he’s not. He’s a good man who The First was manipulating. He wont hurt them or me. He wont let that happen and neither will I.”
Giles thinks for a moment and pulling Buffy aside tells her, “There is one avenue we haven't tried yet... Beljoxa's Eye.” Anya looking freaked says, “Giles… I told you, no.” “What's a Botoxa's eye?” asks Buffy. “Beljoxa. An oracle-like creature. Exists in a dark dimension.” Answers Giles. “An eternal vortex, more like.” Adds Anya. “Fun.” “Not really. No.” Counters Anya. Giles ignoring Anya says, “The thing is, only demons can open a gateway to it.” “Excuse me. Ex-demon here.” “Still have friends in the fold. Well, murderous acquaintances, anyway.” “There's no reason to think the
Beljoxa's Eye is going to have the answers we're looking for.” “I'll take anything I can get. Anya. Please. We're running out of time. Spike's running out of time.” With that Anya reluctantly agrees.
Buffy and the Potentials, Kennedy, Molly, Chloe, Vi and Rona are all down in the basement discussing the training. “Now you all have had a Watcher except for Rona right?” Buffy gets a round of nods from all of them. “Have any of you seen a real vampire?” Kennedy and Vi are the only ones who nod at that one. “Well Kennedy you first.” “My Watcher he took me on a patrol once. It was a newbie. It still kicked my ass. My Watcher killed it. He was worried that I would go out on my own. He wanted to show me that I wasn’t ready yet.” “My Watcher showed me a photograph of one. A blurry one.” Chloe speaks up, “I’m sorry but I don’t think anyone of us are ready to become the slayer.” Rona asks, “Excuse the newness of me, but just so I understand... If Buffy dies...” “Well, when Buffy dies... I mean nobody lives forever, right?” Molly answers her. “Well actually, I’ve already died three times.” They all turn to look at Buffy. “Well the first time I died it activated a new Slayer. But she died after a year and that called another. She went crazy, killed a human and well, she’s in jail for murder. When I died the second time there was no new Slayer. So I think the line goes through Faith now. The one in jail.” The Potentials leveneven more scared now. “How did you die and why are you still alive?” Kennedy asked. “The first time was my first year here. My second apocalypse, which would prove to be only one of many. I think I have stopped around nine. I’ve only had two years without an apocalypse. Anyway the Master was going to open the Hellmouth. I faced him and he killed me. Bit me and dropped me in to a pool of water. I drowned. Xander did the whole mouth-to-mouth thing. Then I went and killed him. The second time was two years ago. A hell goddess was trying to go back to her own dimension. She opened a gateway to her dimension as well as all the others. To close them I jumped into the gateway. My blood closed it. I was very dead this time. My friends, Willow, Tara, Anya and Xander brought me back using a spell. And last year I was fighting these nerds who wanted to take over Sunnydale. One of them decided to make his name by killing me. I couldn’t kill him because he was huand and Slayer’s don’t kill people, it only ends in disaster, just look at Faith. He came to the house with a gun. I can’t fight a gun. Anyway he shot me. I was taken to hospital and I flat lined. Thankfully the Doctor’s brought me back. He was killed by some demons while he was on the run.” They all looked at her with wonderment. “So how long have you been the Slayer for?” asked Vi. “Eight years now.” “Wow.”
They were about to head back upstairs when they heard a scream from upstairs. All of them went running upstairs to find the First in the guise of Warren. “Hey there Slayer, miss me?” “Warren.” “Who’s Warren?” asked Kennedy. “He’s the nerd that shot me. But it’s not really Warren. It’s The First.” “Well yeah. Anyway just wanted to let you know I'm sending a guest over to visit all you tonight. After the sun goes down, of course. Try to make him feel welcome. Before he rips you all to pieces. Bye.”
Anya and Giles head to an old friend of Anya’s to get to the Beljoxa’s Eye. Eventually convincing him he open’s up the portal for them. As they walk in they are quickly transported to the Beljoxa’s Eye. They find themselves in a noisy vortex, which is blowing a gale. “That it?” Giles yells trying to be heard over the noise. Hovering before them is the Beljoxa’s Eye. “Yep.” “The Eye sees not the future. Only the truths of the now and before.” Anya nods and asks, “Hi Beljoxa’s Eye. We have a question; The First is killing all the Potential Slayers. How do we kill it?” “It cannot be killed... The First Evil has been and always will be... Since before the universe was born... Long after there is nothing else... It will go on.” Giles shakes his head, “I refuse to believe that! There has to be some way to destroy it!” “What am I, talking to myself here? There's no way.” “You're saying The First will succeed in wiping out the line of Slayers!” “The Eye sees not the future. Only the truths of the now and before.” Anya says, “Yes! We all have that! It's called memory! Can you help us with something a little more... demony?” Giles feeling exasperated continues with the Eye, “If The First has been around for all time... why hasn't it attempted something like this before?! Why now?!” “The opportunity has only recently presented itself. The mystical forces surrounding the Chosen line have been irrevocably altered. Become... unstable. Vulnerable.” Anya asks, “Why? Something The First did?!” “The First Evil did not cause the disruption. Only seized upon it. To extinguish the lives of the Chosen forever.” “Then what caused the disruption?! What is responsible for letting this happen?!” Giles asks. “The Slayer.” “What! Why?!” “Because she died and yet lives! Your time is up!” With that Giles and Anya find themselves back in the alley they started at. Anya confused asks Giles, “I just... still don't understand how Buffy's death mucked up the Slayer mojo. It’s not like she hasn't died before. In fact she’s died three times.” “It's not her dying. The Beljoxa's Eye was clear... in its enigmatic way... It's because she lives. Again. Buffy's not responsible for that.” “No. It's our fault. Willow and me and Xander and Tara. We brought her back... Using magic. We're the reason The First is here. The reason all those girls were murdered. The whole world would've been better off if Buffy had stayed dead!”
The gang becomes panicked, mostly the Potentials. Buffy asks Willow for a barrier spell. “I’ll try.” This sets the Potentials of again. Buffy only has one option. She has to kill the Turok-Han. While the Potentials still argue about dying Buffy gets Willow’s and Xander’s attention telepathically and they head into the kitchen. Continuing to talk telepathically Buffy says to them, “I have to slay the Neander-vamp if I'm going to get Spike out of that cave. But I need those girls to see me do it.” Willow gets it, “You wanna put on a show.” “I know the perfect place...” Concludes Xander.

Night has fallen and the gang is all in the living room preparing. Dawn is looking out the window reporting what she sees; “There's more of them now.” There are Bringers everywhere surrounding the house. Molly asks, “Why aren't they doing anything? Attacking?” “They don't want in. They're here to make sure we don't get out.” Buffy answers as she hands Rona a sword. Rona looks at Buffy scared, “Like this'll do any good. I mean, what's the point?” Kennedy goes to Rona points at the tip of the sword and says, “It's this end, right here. Stick that in the bad guys. Any more questions?” Kennedy goes to the weapon trunk where Buffy is, picks up a crossbow and says, “This'll do me.” Buffy asks, “Know how to use that?” “Since I was eight.” Buffy impressed hands her some arrows and walks away.
“Guys it’s here!” The Ubervamp came running at the door, it’s fist pounding at it trying to get it open. They hear the door crack a little; it was breaking. Willow started to recite the barrier spell and just as the Ubervamp came rushing in the house the barrier was up. Willow’s eyes are going black and she is in obvious pain. The girls and Andrew are getting worried. “She can’t hold it.” “Everyone run.” They all run out the back door. Buffy and Kennedy killing a few Bringers that are there. They start running down the street. Buffy stops them, “The Ubervis ris right behind us. Time to split up.” The girls look at her worried. “Split up...? We're splitting up? Is that wise?” Molly asks. Buffy to Willow says, “You take the others... find a safe location.” “I know a place.” Xander answers. Dawn looks at her sister, “What are you going to do?” “Try to slow the Turok down. Lead him away from you guys. Get him to chase me.” “Buffy, you can't take that thing on yourself.” Kennedy says worried. “Willow, you and Xander, get everybody out of here... Now!” With that she takes off toward the Ubervamp. Willow and Xander lead everyone away. Buffy starts fighting the Ubervamp. As he lunges at her Buffy smashes a bottle of Holy Water into his face. He roars in pain and throws her into the ground. She gets up and starts running. The Ubervamp starts chase but he seems to remember something and goes the way the others went. Buffy sees this and gives chase.
Willow and Xander bring the group to one of his construction sites. “Everybody spread out. Take positions…” Rona is panicking, “That’s it. That’s the plan. That thing is gonna kill Buffy, then
come for us. For all we know, it's killing her right now.” Kennedy sees something, “Or it could just skip that part and come straight here.” They all turn to where Kennedy is looking. The Ubervamp is at the other end of the pit. Willow, Xander, Kennedy and Dawand and their ground for the moment as the others back away terrified. They look around and see that there is no escape route. All of a sudden floodlights flash on. The Ubervamp advances on the light source when another lot of lights flash on illuminating Buffy. The Ubervamp makes it’s way to Buffy. All the girls are astonished. Willow speaks to them all, “Just watch... It's Showtime.” Buffy speaks to the Ubervamp, “Think you've won, don't you? Got us trapped...all scared of a un killable monster. They have nightmares about you. But I'm the thing that monsters have nightmares about. And right now, you and me are gonna show 'em why. It's time. Welcome to Thunderdome.” Andrew quite happy with the remark finishes it, “Two men enter, one man leaves.” Willow and Xander grab Andrew away from his happy ringside seat and together, they usher the group quickly to a construct of scaffolding. They begin to climb to relative safety.
Buffy and the Ubervamp circle each other for a few moments, sizing each other up. Then, Buffy attacks. She's strong, in control. But the Ubervamp's still stronger. He keeps knocking her down but she continues to get back up and continues to attack. Dawn looks at Willow, “This... You planned this. Letting the barrier fail. Bringing us here. You and Buffy...” Willow never takes her eyes off the fight, but nods briefly. Buffy and the Ubervamp continue fighting. Buffy starts looking the worse for wear. She is thrown into the scaffolding causing Kennedy to drop the crossbow. Buffy picks it up and fires at him. It hits his chest; the Ubervamp could care less. Buffy picks up a pickaxe and deals a few blows. The Ubervamp grabs a hold of Buffy’s throat and lifts her off her feet. “We have to do something!” Molly yells to Willow. “Wait.” Buffy reaches down to the arrow protruding from the Ubervamp's chest and turns it. The Ubervamp grunts from the pain she's inflicting and squeezes harder. Buffy snaps the arrow in half and plunges the broken shaft into the Ubervamp's eye, exploding it. The Ubervamp stagers back, taking the opportunity Buffy unleashes a series of bone crunching punches and kicks. The Ubervamp is having trouble fending her off now with only one eye. Buffy continues her assault until she spots some barbwire. She grabs the end of the barbed wire coil, gets behind the Ubervamp, who's been beaten to his knees, and wraps the wire around his neck. The Ubervamp struggles as the barbed wire cuts into him. Buffy pulls on the wire as hard as she can until finally the Ubervamps head decapitates and dusts, seconds before the rest of the body follows.
The Potentials stare at Buffy in amazement. Buffy is bloody, bruised and winded, but still alive. After a moment she looks up at them she pulls herself up to her shaky feet, holding out her hands, shaking off the Ubervamp's dusted remains. “See... Dust. Just like the rest of 'em. I don't know what's coming next, but I do know it's gonna be just like this. Hard. Painful. But in the end it's gonna be us. If we all do our parts, believe it, we'll be the ones left standing.” Buffy begins to walk off, as she does she says, “Here endeth the lesson.” Everyone watches her go. Then, Kennedy starts to follow her, then Molly, then Rona and the others. As they leave The First in the guise of Warren still watches looking furious.
Later that night Buffy goes back to the cavern that she first met the Ubervamp. She sees Spike and walks up to him. He begins to smirk, he thinks it’s just The First, “Can’t hurt me I know that…” He stops as she moves in and starts to cut his bindings. Spike looks in her eyes. They are full of pain and empathy. And in that moment, he knows. It's Buffy. Without a word, Buffy finishes cutting the bindings tying Spike's hands to the wall. He starts to fall, but she catches him. Holding him up. He looks at her surprised. She smiles at him and together they walk away.