Roses for Lucifer

Roses for Lucifer
Chapter 8
Deathwish

Author's note: So here's the last chapter. The quotes I used are from "Seeing Red" and "Fool for Love".

"Get me through this barrier!" Faith cursed.

"We're trying," Wesley tried to calm her.

"It's a powerful spell," Willow agreed, "It uses the magic of the elements, the only trouble is, we don't know which element holds the key. This may take some time."

"Time is precisely what we do not have. What do you suggest?" Wesley asked.

"Since we don't know which element they used to seal the barrier, we'd better proceed in alphabetical order. We'll have to test all of them," Willow replied.

"All four elements?" Spike blurted out in despair.

"Well... not quite," Willow admitted, "Actually, in this case, we're talking about the elements of the periodic table."

*

Buffy had set up four silver bowls on stone pillars, an empty one, one filled with coal, the third and fourth filled with earth and water, respectively. Angel still held the dagger and amulet in his hands.

"Are you okay?" Buffy asked compassionately.

"I'm fine," he confirmed.

"We should begin."

As Angel did not object, but seemed to be lost in his thoughts, Buffy walked up to the first one and sprinkled water on her skin. David recited from a scroll. The language sounded like ancient Egyptian to Angel, a tongue he was not familiar with. Buffy walked further to the second bowl. She grasped the earth with her hands and let it run through her fingers while David was reading the next passage.

*

Buffy held Drusilla's gaze. She felt the psychic energy of the skilled vampire flooding her as Drusilla forced her way into the slayer's thoughts. Buffy was still holding the torch, her hesitation sending nervous murmurs through the audience. For quite some time, Buffy studied the expressions on the faces in the crowd. After seemingly endless moments of reflection, Buffy lifted the torch. She turned to Drusilla and smiled. "I understand," she said aloud. Then she whirled around and used the torch.
The astonished guests did not have time to marvel at Buffy's seemingly sudden change of mind as the curtains and wooden stage burst into flames, an inferno of fire, glorious and sublime in destruction; a sight never to be forgotten, burning itself into the memories of those present, despite its horrors inspiring the audience with awe, the heat and the smoke from the fire leading to disorientation in the lines of those close to the stage. They stared at the fire in trance for a moment before the first ones tried to extinguish it, fighting a hopeless fight because the flames seized everything too easily. Cries, shouts, coughing everywhere.

Angelus's face was like stone.

Buffy held his gaze.

All her memories, good and bad, came back to her as she made the only possible decision, the decision to free herself from his shadow for ever.

There was nothing more to say. She was no longer playing by his rules.

Angelus stared at her, shocked, unable to move.

Buffy's voice was a whisper, the only sound in the silence, as she said one word: "Run."

Then all hell broke loose.

The windows were smashed from the outside as Darla's warriors stormed the headquarters, the ones Buffy had seen from the stage, hidden in the audience, giving up their masquerade and reaching for their weapons. They had used the general confusion to free their leaders from jeopardy. Torches flared up, more curtains were torn down and caught fire, demons and humans alike were fighting on the dancefloor. However, it was only a matter of time before it all ended. The battle was in a hall with few exits, and Darla's troops were closing in, attacking an enemy who had already taken his victory for granted.

Angelus's minions did not stand a chance at the surprise attack, weaponless at their victory party. Yet their fight was uncompromising, frantic and violent, determined to go down fighting and taking as many of their enemies with them as possible.

"THIS was not what I had in mind!" Spike exclaimed.

"You wanted revolution, you got revolution," Buffy replied.

Spike grabbed Dawn's hand. "We'd better get the hell out of here."

*

Buffy hastened up the steps to the east turret. Smoke was slowly filling the building, she could only hope Spike had not lied when he had told her about the location of the mystical gate. She had long lost Drusilla and the others from her sight, running up the staircase; the terrors and the images of the raging battle still before her mind's eye.

Breathless, she threw open the door to the chamber.

The shimmering gate was at the center of the room. Buffy knew even before she entered that she was not alone.

"Hello, lover."

Buffy froze at the opposite wall next to the door and did not proceed further into the room as she saw him. "So you made it here." She was so close to the gate that would lead her home.

Angelus was everything that stood between her and her home.

"Too bad you left the torch behind," he remarked sarcastically.

"I should have burnt you to ashes when I had the chance," Buffy replied, "But I didn't, so do the right thing for once in your existence and let me go by now."

"No, you didn't dust me when you had the chance," Angelus conceded, "And do you know why? Because you couldn't!"

"Get out of my way," she commanded.

"No reason to fool me now, or yourself," he said, "The battle between good and evil is not really downstairs in the hall, but here and now, decided between the two of us."

"Now you're being melodramatic."

He threw a stake in her direction. It landed right at her feet. Buffy stared at it in disbelief.

"Take it," he encouraged her. "I know how much you enjoy a good show."

Buffy picked up the stake. Angelus attacked.

*

Meanwhile, Buffy's counterpart had come to the final bowl, the one of fire. The flames were almost reaching the ceiling. David was reading the last passage from the scroll.

*

"When I get out of here, I will break every single bone in Buffy's body," Faith remarked grimly.

"We'll need an awful lot of luck to make it in time," Wesley said matter-of-factly.

"We'll be late, no matter what we do," Spike added.

"I know," Faith replied. "But you are talking as if the end of the world does not concern you at all."
"It does, Faith, and it makes me think. We've been here before, haven't we? Just in case you have forgotten."

"Do you think I could ever forget?" Faith retorted vehemently.

"You see what I mean. It's been years, and it still feels like yesterday."

"I don't want the world to end now," Faith replied, now more quietly.

"Wanna know what I'm thinking, Faith?" Spike asked her.

"Tell me."

"This time it's real. And Buffy's not around."

*

Buffy let all the rage and frustration she felt—all her disappointment with this person—rain down on Angelus in angry, desperate blows. He fought back as fiercely, but Buffy realized she was much more in pain than a slayer should be. She had worn the burgundy dress for too long. The blood bond was still so strong between them that she not only anticipated his moves, but felt every pang of pain she gave him exactly the same way he did. She hit his back and felt the pain piercing her own at the same time she heard the impact of the blow. Angelus tried to finish her off, knowing she sometimes left her face uncovered when she used her arms. But even as his fist hit her jaw, he felt his own hurting with the burning pain of a thousand nails driven into his flesh. Buffy stumbled back, dazed, to realize her adversary had exactly the same problem. She struggled to get back on her feet and stormed forward. Angelus knew without even looking up and blocked the attack. As she hurt her arm when he pushed her back violently, he groaned in pain and changed into game face. Buffy felt his demon in her own blood, paradoxically fueling her own energy. He threw her over his shoulder and sent her to the floor, yet he regretted it the moment he felt such agony he knew he had broken a rib. Buffy's foot shot against his thorax in a flykick. The next moment she felt she was going to faint from the pain. Her muscles were aching stronger with every move, and she had the feeling a rib had broken and was affecting her lungs.
Angelus's eyes went wide in astonishment. He never breathed, yet something was pressing on his chest, preventing him from moving. The pain cut through his dead nerves. He felt Buffy's pain. He had wounds where she had never hit him, but where he had hit her. They were one. Buffy knew she could not stand this fight any longer. With a desperate effort, she threw herself on his body, sending both of them to the ground, the stake clutched in her fingers. The vampire was too much affected by his wounds as to resist. Buffy held the stake over his heart.

"If you stake me now, you'll kill us both," Angelus told her. "Your human nerves can't take the pain you will feel when your heart is pierced."

"Curse the dress," Buffy hissed. "You can't kill me either, you'd die trying!"

"I'd suggest we stop fighting. It’ll be a draw."

Reluctantly, Buffy got up and let go of the stake. "I can't accept a draw!" she said, "You betrayed me in every way a human being can be betray another one."

"I'm not a human being, Buffy."

"I know. All too well."

"You betrayed me first. You pretended to be the Buffy I killed once. We've betrayed each other, we've tried to kill each other, we've failed. We can still start from scratch."

Buffy tried to put her dress and hair in shape. She knew she looked burnt out and exhausted, it was how she felt. "I'm leaving."

Angelus rose as well, as much weakened by their fight as she was. He was back to his human guise.

"What do you have to gain in your world? We're two of a kind. You can't change me, you know it. And yet you still want me in your life. That's what pisses you off the most. Why do you want to leave? Do you think my image won’t haunt you for the rest of your life? Listen to your inner voice, you know I'm right."

She held his gaze. "My 'inner voice', huh? I don't want you in my life!"

"Maybe. Maybe not. Can you tell the difference between love and loathing, slayer? You were disgusted with yourself for killing Faith, weren't you? And yet you fucked me right beside her corpse, the scent of her blood still on your skin, in your hair. You loved it. It turned you on. You are obsessed with me, Buffy, and you hate yourself for it because it makes you realize how much you are drawn to the darkness, and it is destroying you. You hate yourself, and you hate me, because you can see yourself in my eyes."

He was correct, she saw how she was mirrored in his eyes. She could see the tension in his muscles, the grace in his movements, his image burning itself into her memory forever. It was the way she wanted to remember Angel's dark side.

Buffy slowly walked towards the gate. The pulsating surface was just waiting to embrace her, to consume her, to take her back. "I've got nothing to say to you."

Without warning, he vamped out and closed his hands around her shoulders so hard she knew without question they would show serious bruises. "Still don't see what I am?"

Holding his gaze, she replied: "I know perfectly well what you are. Still don't see what I am? I'm a slayer, and I'll still fight you even when there’s only one drop of blood left in me!"

Angelus ran a hand through her hair. "One day you will beg me to take your life."

"I wouldn't wait for it," Buffy said between clenched teeth.

"You're not even saying good-bye?"

Despite her distraction, she heard someone coming through the door.

"Get away from her!" Spike commanded, aiming a crossbow at Angelus.

"Careful, he's put a spell on me, if you kill him, I might die as well," Buffy warned him as she slowly stepped away from the two vampires and towards the gate.

"Go," Spike told her, "I will take care of things now. When you get back to your world, the effects of the spell will wear off. You will still feel his death, but it won't be lethal for you."

Angelus smiled coldly. "You think you can take me?"

Spike shrugged. "At least I'll die trying." He looked at her impatiently. "Go!"

Buffy nodded gratefully. Spike's crossbow still aimed at Angelus, the two men vanished in a blur of colours as the gate consumed her.

*

Buffy took a deep breath as the ritual was nearing its completion. She walked up to Angel and held out her hand.

"It's time. Just one more line of the spell we must say. Now, give me the dagger and the amulet."
Angel hesitated.

Then he was deprived of the decision. The air began flickering, a storm seemed to howl in the middle of the room and the darkness was set on fire, the room was full of colors and brightness, flashes of lightning accompanied the appearance of the gate between the worlds. Thunder broke the silence as a figure stepped through a gate made of fire and smoke.

"I wouldn't do that," Buffy's voice suddenly cut the silence.

*

"It's neon!" Willow shouted enthusiastically, "We're through!"

Faith walked through the door, which was now no longer blocked by a barrier. "Now someone's moment in the limelight will soon be OVER," Faith decided and seized her weapons.

"Let's go, we have an apocalypse to prevent," Wesley added. "Thank God it was not zenon."

"This is taking too damn long," Spike complained and headed off into the darkness, Faith following close behind.

*

Angel stared at the two identical women in confusion.

"Don't give her anything, she plans to destroy the world!" Buffy shouted. "And David's your enemy as well!"

"Don't listen," her counterpart warned Angel, "She's just my shadow!"

"I can explain it," Buffy protested, "The gate you see behind us is a pathway between two parallel worlds."

Reluctantly, not knowing whom to believe, Angel took a step back, getting some distance between the two Buffys and himself.

"Don't believe her," evil Buffy cried, "Angel, she's an impostor!"

Buffy looked at Angel "Remember what I told you that day at Angel Investigations? Maybe given enough time, we will... forget."

Their eyes locked. No one else had that kind of information. Angel attacked David without hesitation.
David was resisting well enough with the little magic and fighting prowess he had. He had a chance of stalling Angel until his Buffy came to help him.

"So," the evil Buffy added, slowly approaching the gate, "I take it you've got my life now. You're getting by?"

"Practice makes perfect," Buffy said dryly.

Her evil counterpart grinned and walked up to her. "Just like Willow with her magic, huh? Just hope you're more successful."

"Well, sorry to break it to you, but I ruined your sweet little empire."

The shadow Buffy grinned. "Did Spike help you? Did you sleep with him? Of course you did, I can see it in your eyes."

Buffy glared at her counterpart. "Shut up, bi..."

She never got to finish the sentence, since she was violently knocked off her feet. A leg went up against her face, a shoe hitting her eyes so hard she felt them burning and was unable to look up, crying out in pain, as another blow came, and another one. She struggled to keep conscious and get ready for combat.

"You're no more than my replacement. And a replacement," her evil twin said triumphantly, "is just a fake, after all."

Buffy was gradually overcoming the pain and struggled to get back on her feet. "Beg to differ," she replied and hit back, "given the fact that Angelus killed you, but I survived."

The doppelgänger stumbled, then she returned the blow. "Ah, yes, Angelus. The one who killed me!"
"Told me to say hi for him!" Buffy managed to get her leg behind the doppelgänger's, pulled hard and made her lose balance.

Evil Buffy rose and attacked again.

Angel had knocked David down at last and tried to come to Buffy's aid. At that moment, evil Buffy tossed her cape away, and he was faced with the crucifix on her chest. Weakened, he stumbled back.

"Sorry, lover, this is a girl thing," evil Buffy remarked sarcastically.

David got back to his feet and attacked Angel from behind. Evil Buffy lunged at Buffy once more.
Buffy managed to block the attack – too late to realize it had been a mock attack. Suddenly, the shadow was behind her. It grabbed her and threw her against the wall; bricks came raining down from the ceiling. One of the bricks hit Buffy's head. Everything before her eyes went black. She heard voices from far away. She struggled, but could not do anything to prevent evil Buffy from forcing her body into her iron grip.

It was enough for Spike to aim the crossbow at the traitors and fire. He did not miss. David went down with a cry of loss and despair, dealt a lethal wound straight into the heart. Evil Buffy did not hesitate to go after her attackers as they ran up the stairs into the room. Before she had reached them, Spike's weapon struck her down. He shot again and again, until he had completely run out of bolts, and the other woman was lying at the foot of the gate as a lifeless form.

The fire of the elemental spell was still burning, the sizzling of the flames the only sound left.
Buffy nodded at Spike. It was the first time she was face to face with him since he had given his life for her back in Sunnydale. Spike let the crossbow drop. They understood each other without words.
Angel was shivering, the pressure of once more sacrificing his own good to that of the world was taken from his shoulders. The course of events was still beyond his comprehension, and he was in a state of shock.

"Buffy... what's happening?" he asked.

Buffy tried to sound reassuring and confident as she explained to them where she had been. Yet her voice often trailed off and she interrupted herself frequently. Angel listened with as much attention as possible; sometimes he was astonished, sometimes he did not know how to react. But she did not leave out any detail of her time in the parallel universe. "Now I'm here," she closed. "And I'm glad I came in time to prevent the destruction of the items."

"The Shanshu prophecy," Spike said in a low voice, almost inaudible.

Buffy hesitated and looked at the three items in her hands. "This is the moment when someone like Whistler should show up and prevent me from giving you those," she said. "Hello, Powers That Be, are you sleeping? No interruptions this time?"

"Whistler?" Angel asked, first reluctantly and quiet, then louder. "Whistler!"

Buffy joined the calls. Louder and louder they called, reaching heaven and hell with the word, so loudly that it would have to reach the Powers even in the most remote corner of any possible dimension. However, they were calling, waiting, and fearing, in vain. They finally gave up.

Buffy sighed and took the ring from her finger. "Looks like we got away with it this time. So, that's it, Angel: the Three Winters' Amulet. Dagger of Lazarus. Ring of Regha." She was about to give Angel the items, when....

"Stoooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooop!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

Faith's voice thundered through the room as she darted towards them, Willow, Wesley and the others in tow. "Don't trust her! Don't give her anything," she screamed, "She's evil, she's from a parallel universe, she wants to..."

Then she saw the bodies of Buffy and David lying in front of a strange, pulsating object.

Spike still had the crossbow.

"Oh... I'm late," Faith realized.

Despite the situation, Buffy could not conceal she was amused. "Sorry," she said, "Can't save the world this time, it's already done." She smiled at Spike gratefully. "So, how have you been?"

Spike eyed her suspiciously. "Well, let's see... undead, dead, ghost, undead... fine, I guess."

Faith stepped forward, weapon in hand. "Which of them are you?"

"This is the real Buffy," Angel said.

"Oh... okay." Then Faith saw the silver ring in Buffy's hand. "That's not the Ring of Regha, is it," she asked, puzzled and excited at the same time.

"It is," Buffy confirmed. "Now take it, Angel, before anything happens!" She tried to blink away the tears as she handed him the dagger and the amulet.

Angel hesitated. He did not take them.

Buffy stood and stared. C'mon, what are you waiting for?

Buffy shook her head, and turned to Angel. "You are determined to let the moment pass, aren't you?" she reproached him.

Angel looked at Buffy expectantly.

Her eyes were full of questions. "What are you waiting for?"

"For you, pet," Spike said quietly. "You know what these items do. Immortality, human life span, whatever you want. He wants to know if you're gonna be there for it."

Buffy looked from Spike to Angel and back.

Angel held out the items to Buffy. "Forever. That's the whole point. Right?"

Buffy felt her hands were shaking. This was the moment she had feared. She seemed to have made her choice, but was it the right one? She had loved Angel when she was seventeen, no doubt, she had loved him more than anything in the world, but so much had happened since then. She was sure the was not the same person any more. But she could not turn back now, could she? Suddenly a shot tore the silence. Buffy was startled and dropped the ring, which rolled between her feet. A wall of green energy had materialized out of thin air, between her and Angel. Angel pressed his hands against the wall, hit it with his fists, but to no avail.

"Forever, that's the whole point! You make me wanna puke!"

Next to the slowly fading gate between the dimensions, Buffy saw... herself. Standing not exactly upright, for her severe wound did not allow it, blood staining her clothes, more dead than alive, with nothing left to lose, and therefore of the most dangerous kind of enemy. A perverted version of herself, flashes of green energy streaming from her fingernails. "A little parting gift from our friend David! You're not going anywhere," the evil Buffy said. "Killing my Watcher is not exactly polite! By the way, Buffy, thanks for getting me the Ring of Regha, so I get both immortality and an apocalypse, feels like Christmas. Put the dagger and the amulet down. Slowly."

Buffy quickly looked around. Angel and Spike were behind her, trying to get through the barrier, while Willow was murmuring counter spells.

"Don't look around for help. They can't do anything for you now. In the end, Slayers always make lonely decisions."

Buffy put the amulet and the dagger down on the floor to get her hands free and walked slowly towards the gate, her eyes fixed on the enemy.

"You're not a slayer, you're a coward, you're hiding behind a wall," Buffy said.

"Maybe I'm a coward, but an immortal coward, as you are a dead slayer."

The shadow slayer straightened her shoulders as she was approaching, walking past the last of the bowls intended for the ritual. One line was missing to their spell, then the items would have delivered the magic energy for the apocalypse by their destruction. The fire was still burning, she could feel the heat.

"I may be a dead slayer," Buffy replied, "But that makes two of us." She moved like lightning picked up the Ring of Regha from the floor and cast it into the magic flames that consumed it in an instant.

"No!!!!" the evil Buffy cried in despair ---- and released the energy she had used for the wall. The magical current hit Buffy with full force as the barrier broke. The slayer went down. Angel and Spike ran towards the gate. Buffy's evil twin, seeing all her hopes turned to ashes, hardly attempted any resistance, knowing that a fight against two champions would have been futile even had she not been fatally wounded. Spike knocked her down with a single blow and snapped her neck.
Angel immediately looked after Buffy.

"How bad is it?" Spike asked, his voice trembling.

"She'll be okay," Angel said in a low voice.

Buffy smiled weakly. "I won't and you know it."

"What's going on?" Dawn asked desperately, about to run towards them, "She's my sister, I want to be by her side now!"

"Wait," Faith caught her wrist.

Fred ran off to call an ambulance.

"Lie still," Angel said, "Fred's getting help."

Spike saw all the blood and knew exactly what it meant. All their ancient tomes of knowledge and the magic of witches and demons were useless. The blood all over the floor and Buffy's body spoke an obvious language. Not even a slayer could survive. And Buffy was aware of it.

"I'm so sorry," Angel whispered hoarsely, "If we still had all the items..."

"I had no choice, I couldn't let her take them," Buffy tried to comfort him.

"It's my fault," Angel said desperately, "If I hadn't fallen for her stupid scheme..."
Buffy sought his eyes. Her voice was faint, every word hurt incredibly, however, she tried to sound resolved and clear. "It's ---- not ---- your fault." She gasped, breathing becoming harder with every minute. Listen to me, I don't have much time. Do you still have the dagger and the amulet?"

"They are here."

Buffy's eyelids fluttered. "Angel... Destroy the dagger and the amulet... there is still enough energy left in them to fuel the gateway to that other realm..."

"No," he refused, "You're delirious, I won't send you back!"

Her hand closed around his. "I know what I'm doing! Please, it's the last and only thing I will ever ask of you. Help me get up. Send me back!"

Angel shook his head. "No."

A battle was raging within Spike's mind. He swore silently. Then he took the Dagger of Lazarus, along with the Three Winters' Amulet, and cast them into the flames.

The gate flashed, and grew once more, one last time, to its full height, opening the gateway to another world.

Angel lunged at Spike, almost crushing his windpipe. "Idiot! What have you done?"

"What you couldn't do," Spike managed to say, "Complied with Buffy's last wish."

"It's okay," Buffy said, her breath shallow, her head spinning. She was so cold. "No fighting."

Angel let go off Spike, not without casting him a dirty look. Spike helped Buffy get up and steadied her steps, supporting her body with his arms, as they approached the gate. Wordlessly, Angel helped him take Buffy to the gate. She gave both of them a watery smile. "I love both of you. I could never have made a choice. I needed you to know that."

Buffy let go of Spike's hand and let herself fall into the current of the gate, which closed irrevocably behind her.

*

At first he took it for an apparition when the gate he had seen disappear before his very eyes was suddenly re-opening, someone was emerging from the other side. She was like a vision to him as she stepped through the gate, surrounded by light and brightness, shining in all the colors of the rainbow.

"You've come back," he said, "Hurry, Angelus has escaped, he's..."

Then the vision broke. The gate faded away, collapsing in itself, and was gone.

Reality was hard on Spike as he was suddenly confronted with it. Buffy swayed, and fell. He caught her before she hit the floor.

He held Buffy in his arms, could feel the blood, smell it, as it was streaming all over him, the spark of life just very faint in her eyes. "You're hurt."

Buffy looked at Spike. "I'm sorry..." she began. "I'm sorry I couldn't bring her back for you."

He shook his head. "No, you're not, and I won't even bother to thank you for saying it!"

Buffy shrugged, the shrug turning into a shiver. "That's alright. Have you missed me... a little?" she managed to say.

"Buffy, you..."

"The chip," Buffy whispered, "You've been cold and evil to everyone after they re-programmed your chip to disable the goodness in your soul. But it didn't work with me. Maybe because I had died before and come back, different. You loved me the first time you saw me, the chip is useless when it comes to me. I knew it the night I killed Faith." She clung to the words like a drowning perrson. "You love me, and the Powers That Be were generous enough to let me know before I..."

"You're not dying," Spike protested.

"I know," she sighed, "You're not gonna let me. You mustn't. Angelus is still out there, I have to be there to bring him down... even if I recovered, I couldn't possibly kill him while there is still that magically reinforced blood bond. The only way to sever an existing blood bond..."

"... is to create a new one," Spike replied. His mouth was dry.

Her heart was pounding in her chest. "I know. A vampire with a soul is quite normal here. One more shouldn't make much of a difference." Though it was an effort for her to speak, her eyes were determined. With a trembling hand, she bared her neck to him. "We're running out of time. You're not Angel, so will you stop brooding and weighing arguments, please?"

"That's right," he said slowly, "I'm not Angel. But you know I'm not the Spike of your universe either, don't you? I don't have the history he's got with you."

Buffy gave him a strange look. For a moment, a younger Buffy in a grey bathrobe [let yourself feel it] flashed before her eyes [let it go], a searing pain in her back [Spike, no, stop], bruises, and more tears.

She nodded slowly. "That just gives me a good reason to do this."

Spike nervously ran his hand through his hair. "Buffy, you're weak, you don't know what you're saying... there are always consequences. You're asking me to kill you. You're asking me to feed you my blood. You're asking me to turn a vampire slayer into a vampire. It's never been done before, how can we know if it will work at all?"

She sighed. "Yeah, I should read the fine print! Can we get this done now?"

His hands were trembling when he pulled her closer, his face turning into the face of the vampire.

"What if I take too much? What if I stop too late?"

Buffy tilted her head. "As always, I'll have to rely on your excellent timing."

Their eyes locked. "I can't believe you're gonna trust me on this."

Buffy smiled weakly. "Trust is for old marrieds, Spike. Great love is wild ... and passionate and dangerous. It burns and consumes."

"Are you sure? I mean, the 'life' I can give you is different from the one you have now."
Buffy squeezed his hand tightly. "Sunglasses are expensive, fragile and I leave them everywhere. I
won't miss them too much."

"You won't have any children. Ever."

Uncle Spike promised me I can borrow his chainsaw. "I think I can accept that. Maybe we could adopt a Chinese water demon," she joked.

"There are many other disadvantages, such as..."

She blinked. "... supernatural strength, everlasting youth and beauty, no more trips to the dentist and unbelievable sex for all eternity? I agree, you should let me die."

Spike sighed. "Don't say I didn't warn you!" He ran his fingers over the skin of her neck, caressing her, but undoubtedly trying to determine where to bring his fangs down.

Buffy would never have admitted it, but that moment, when she looked into his golden eyes and became aware of his arousal in the face of the kill, she was scared. At the same time, she was anxiously waiting for him to make a move. Sooner or later, you're gonna want it. And the second- the second- that happens... You know I'll be there.

Buffy felt her whole body shaking as his fangs broke her skin. Her heartbeat was racing, making her feel more alive than ever before, forcing her blood out of her body as she surrendered to his embrace. She closed her eyes and felt the taste of his own blood, as he took her life and rewarded her courage with immortality.

THE END (?)


Thank you all for staying with me till the end of the story, especially my beta Cile, who has proved of invaluable help. If you would like to submit some feedback, please review, send me an email or use my new LiveJournal, http://www.livejournal.com/users/charliesjournal/