Buffy was patrolling once again when she heard noises. She turned
back, ready for a fight.
-Wow! Love, you're really nervous. Let me get you more relaxed.
It was Spike with his big grin that never left him since they had
sex. He really thought she couldn't go on without him now. And, what
scared her the most was that he was maybe right. She had all the pain in
the world not to go and meet him the night before but she would never
admit that.
-Spike! She said, showing him how annoyed she was to see him.
He turned around her, taking her in his arms.
-So, slayer? Fighting your urges?
-Spike, I already told you I don't want to have anything to do with
you anymore.
She broke his embrace and began to walk away. Spike stopped her and
asked her:
-Are you sure about what you saying, pet? Coz', if you don't want my
love, I will have to purchase my first goal: killing you.
-Like you could!
-Don't provoke me, girl. I'm not sure you would want me to be against
you once more.
-You never got me, Spike, did you? You will never be able to!
-Now that Angel is not around and that this stupid chip doesn't
prevent me to kill you, I think I could be able to do that.
-Spike? Get lost. You're getting more pathetic minute by minute.
-Okay, so, you're warned. You've made your decision.
Spike smiled and walked away. Buffy sighed and went back home, not at
all worried.
The next evening, as Buffy was in the magic shop, still looking for
what had frozen the guy in the museum with Xander and Anya, the phone
rang.
-Hello? Buffy answered.
-Slayer, baby, come and fight!
-Spike! Buffy sighed. I have other things to do than fight you. See,
you can't hurt anybody other than demons or me…
-Which is the same thing.
-Anyway, you're not a menace, Spike, you're just a pathetic wannabe.
So, I won't lose my time fighting you when I'm fighting real evil.
-Come, love or you will regret it.
Buffy just hung up and didn't go to the cemetery that night. She
wasn't scared at all: Spike couldn't really do anything to a human or
one of the people she loved for that matter.
The next day, Dawn was coming back from school. It was already dark
outside. Spike was waiting in front of her house.
-Spike? What are you doing here?
-You and Buffy are in great danger, you have to come with me in the
crypt, where you'll be safer.
-Ok, but what's the danger?
-A powerful demon.
-I'm coming, but will you inform Buffy about where I am?
-Oh! Don't worry, I will.
Spike laughed saying that.
Buffy headed home that evening after having helped Anya with the
shop. The house was surprisingly quiet. She went to Willow's bedroom.
For five days now, Willow hadn't quit her room.
-Willow? Have you seen Dawn? Do you know where she is?
-No, I haven't. I haven't heard her coming from school today. I
thought she was with you at the magic shop.
-Let's not worry! Buffy said, in fact really worried about her little
sis.
Then, the phone rang once again and Buffy remembered something, a
menace she hadn't take seriously.
-Hello?
-Love? Is that you? Guess who is with me right at this moment? I know
you think I can't hurt anybody but with a big headache, I have been able
to knock her out, so who knows? Maybe, I'll be able to break her neck
too? Sure, I wouldn't be able to do that often but once in a while, who
can tell?
-I swear to god, Spike, if you touch her…
-It's quite funny: I remember the last time you used that phrase. It
was when you asked me not to tell anybody about you shouting when we
were having sex!
-Bastard! I'm going to kill you!
-You know what else is funny? It seems that all the guys you have sex
with turn bad after it. Do you think it's because of you or your
behaviour?
-You're dead.
Buffy hung up, took some arms and rushed out of her house.
She entered the crypt and found Spike sitting on one of the graves,
waiting for her.
-You took your time, I almost killed her, thinking you wouldn't come.
-You can't hurt her, Spike. Even without the chip, you care about
her.
-I don't care about her really. I was just being nice with your
friends since you were able to kill me and I wasn't. It was an act,
Buff, so that I was finally able to fuck a slayer before killing her.
-Where is she? Dawn?
-Buffy! An answer came from downstairs.
-She's still alive.
-I know. But, you're not.
Buffy punched him. He fought back and revealed to be in fact
surprisingly strong, perhaps, even more than she was. Buffy looked at
him questioningly.
-What's the matter love? You didn't know I was so strong? That's
because I've always played with you, now I'm killing you.
Then, he kicked her, put her on the floor and sat on her, holding her
wrist.
Buffy was getting scared. His hold was really strong.
-So, is it that easy to kill you? How on earth have you been able to
stay alive for nearly seven years?
-Spike…
-What is it, pet? Are you going to plead for your life? I didn't
think you were that pathetic!
-Don't touch Dawn!
-I think in your position, I should hear a "please", shouldn't I?
Buffy just looked at him.
-Ow, I get it! You're just too proud to save you sister's life.
Spike laughed and continued:
-You know, the other way of saving her would be your accepting to be
hold here in her place.
-Dream on.
Buffy kicked him and got up. She took a stake and placed it over
Spike's heart. He was the one on the floor now. She seemed to hesitate.
-Can't you kill me, slayer? I'm a vampire. Can't you do your job
anymore?
His face changed into his vampire form. Then, he rolled over her and
bit her. Buffy didn't react at first then, she pushed him back. Some of
her blood was still on his lips. He changed back into his more human
form.
-I have to say: the slayer's blood is still as good as it was.
She punched him and kicked him harder and harder as she was
experiencing the humiliation of his victory. Spike seemed to be beaten
down at first but he finally took her wrists and pushed her hard on a
wall.
-Just surrender, you know you want to.
At this moment, Buffy kissed him. As he let her go to kiss her back,
she took a stake in her pocket and plunged it in his stomach. It didn't
kill him but it hurt him enough to let her go and look after Dawn. Her
sister was tied to the wall with chains, really impossible to break. The
same chains kept her here nearly one year ago.
-Slayer, no use trying, you won't break those.
Dawn looked really scared. It wasn't surprising: she had always
trusted Spike and now, he was tiding her on the walls and using her as a
bail.
-Give me the keys, Spike. Now!
-Come and get them.
-Spike? Please! What are you trying to do? Untied me! Dawn asked with
a pleading tone.
-Don't worry, kiddo. I will detach you in a moment.
Spike told her that with a really gentle tone and Buffy knew she was
right: he would never hurt her little sis, but he would hurt her. Dawn
looked in fact reassured.
-Come on Spike. The game is over. Let her go. I will stay.
-Like I would believe that.
-You should because I'm not going anywhere until one of us is dead.
-Okay, take the keys.
He gave her the keys and she freed Dawn.
-What's going on? Buffy? Spike? Why are you fighting? Aren't you
supposed to be on our side?
-Dawn, go home. Willow needs you.
-I can't walk through the cemetery by myself when it's dark outside,
can I?
-That's true. I'll go with you.
Buffy answered her.
-No, you're not, you have something to finish here first. Spike told
her
-I'll finish that later, Spike. I'll kill you later. Dawn's
protection is more important than that.
-You're not going to walk away!
-Spike, I'm giving you a chance here! Next time, I could plunge that
stake a bit higher!
-Next time, I could go on biting you and take all your blood.
Dawn looked at them, scared now of what was going on. Buffy and Spike
were probably to two people she was the closer of. She didn't want any
of them to die, especially because of the other.
-I don't want you two to kill each other!
-Dawnie, he's a vampire and I'm the slayer. It's my job to kill him!
-He has often helped us. And you haven't always said that. What's
your problem now?
-Dawn! Don't talk to me like that! We're going home now.
Spike went to Dawn too quickly for Buffy to react and took her by the
neck.
-Spike, please! Dawn told him.
-I'm sorry, kiddo, but I have to show you sister that, if she chooses
not to be on my side and rather to be my enemy, she'll regret it.
-Buffy! Why can't you just be on his side?
-Dawn, he's a vampire and I can…
-But, he's going to kill me! Spike, it's not my fault if she's not on
your side, I would be!
-Is that right Dawnie? Which side are you going to choose? Hers or
mine?
Spike asked her looking at Buffy.
-I… I can't…
-Come on, Dawnie, you have to choose. I couldn't possibly break the
neck of an ally.
-But she's my sister, I don't want her dead either.
-You can save yourself, Dawn.
-Dawn, don't answer. Spike, let her go. You know she can't possibly
choose if you're menacing her.
Buffy was worried for her little sister, but she was also worried
about the choice she was going to make. It would kill her if Dawn would
rather be with Spike than with her.
-Dawn, don't tell me you can choose a sister who's that bossy!
Spike asked laughing. He obviously found that situation very amusing.
-Buffy, why can't you be on Spike's side like you have been for a
long time now? Then, everything will be over.
Dawn didn't understand what had happened to make them fight like
that.
-Listen to your little sis, Slayer. It's your only way to save her
life.
-I'm sure there're plenty of others.
Saying that, Buffy jumped and kicked him. Spike fell on the floor,
keeping Dawn with him.
-Ow! Dawn shouted.
Spike was lifting her head as if he would break her neck. He was not
feeling pain yet because he wasn't trying to hurt her.
-Love, stop fighting or I swear I won't hesitate, Spike told Buffy.
-If that was true, you would already have done it.
Dawn was surprised with that answer, was Buffy willing to risk Dawn's
life?
-Oh! That's because I'm waiting for the girl's answer. And what would
that be, Dawn?
-How can you tell him that Buffy? Don't you care if I live or not? I
choose your side, Spike!
-Ow! That must hurt a lot, slayer! Spike said laughing.
He let Dawn go but she didn't move.
-So, Dawn, you're choosing the side of someone who's menacing your
life? Haven't I taught you anything?
Buffy asked, angry. In fact, she was sad but she wasn't going to show
either of them that.
-He wouldn't have killed me coz' he cares about my life, not like
you.
-Dawn, I died for you.
-Easy to make me feel guilty about that too!
-Dawn, just go home now.
Spike intervened:
-Dawn, if you have chosen my side, you'll stay with me. And, Slayer,
if I were you, I would join my side as well.
Then, he did as if he was breaking Dawn's neck without letting her
new ally see that. She saw he was holding Dawn's wrist. She also
wondered for the first time if Dawn's life wasn't really in danger. With
the game Spike had just played, she wondered if he wouldn't be able to
kill her little sister as well.
-Ok…
-Ok? You're going to join my side? Just attach you wrist to one of
the chain then.
-Do you always attach your allies?
-Only when I'm afraid they're going to betray me.
Buffy did as he told because she was getting really scared for her
little sister.
-Ok, Dawn. You've been a big help tonight. Just go home now and as
soon as you're there, phone here and let it ring three times so that I
will know you're not in danger.
-Don't hurt her please.
-I won't, don't worry. Go back home, now.
Dawn left and Spike turned to Buffy.
-Demons must really be idiots if none of them have been able to kill
you before.
-Two of them have been.
-Yeah, that's right, but you always have friends to bring you back,
don't you? So slayer, ready to love me back?
-In your dreams! You could kill me, I wouldn't kiss you again.
Spike went to Buffy and punched her, nearly knocking her down. Then,
he detached her. Buffy collapsed onto the floor.
-Come on then! Kill me!
Buffy stood up with an angry look. She took a stake of her clothes.
-Bloody hell! How many stakes have you taken? How many times were you
planning to kill me? Or maybe, you knew already that you wouldn't have
the advantage.
-Come on Spike! You want to die? Come and fight.
Spike got closer to Buffy and took her by her shoulder.
-I don't want to fight, Love. Just kill me.
-You're not worth it!
Buffy just walked to the stairs, but Spike took her by the elbows
once again.
-You have to choose, Buffy. Either you kill me or you kiss me. I
won't let you get away like always, trying to humiliate me.
Buffy then punched him.
-We'll see that. Fight, Spike if you have a little pride left.
Spike punched her back at these words and projected her at the top of
the stairs. As he joined her, she kicked him and he fell on the floor.
She punched him then shouting:
-How can you do that to me? How can you, knowing what I've been
through? I hate you! I want to kill you! You're nothing to me! I hate
you! I hate you!
Spike didn't react but then, he took gently her wrists.
-I'm sorry pet. I love you. You know I do. I just showed you what
it's like to be treated like you have treated me.
Buffy fell on her knees. Spike kneeled in front of her and kissed her
gently. Buffy didn't kiss him back, she didn't try to push him away
either.
-Buffy.
-Spike, that was our last kiss. Nobody could possibly understand why
we would be together. You're a demon: that's the reality. You don't have
a soul. Someone can change but nobody soulless can act as if it's
normal.
-Buffy, you're attracted to me. Why on earth would you fight that?
Why can't you never surrender, realise we're meant to be, understand
you'd rather get lost in my arms than kill me?
-We're not meant to be, Spike. We're against all forces of nature.
We're disgusting.
-Don't say that Slayer!
-However, I can't understand why I don't want to leave this grave,
why I can't just kill you and go on with my life.
-Kill me and you won't have to wonder anymore.
-You're always asking me that, do you want to die?
-I can't go on existing without you.
-You will have to.
Buffy got up and headed to the crypt's entrance. Spike was really
surprised. He thought he had succeeded. He thought she would let it
happen.
He got up and took her arm:
-What the hell do you think you're doing?
-If I stay, Spike, I won't be able to contain myself anymore!
-I'm not asking you to.
Then she kissed him hard, passionate. They made love until they both
fell asleep exhausted. As the morning rose, Buffy opened her eyes and
looked at him lovingly. Then she took a stake that fell on the floor
when they were fighting and she plunged it into his heart. His pretty
face disappeared as he opened his eyes and looked at her, shocked.
-I'm sorry.
She got up and headed back to her home, finally feeling free.