*Thwack!* She hit the vampire with a powerful kick in the face. "Take that!"

She yelled. "And that! And that! And that!" She screamed as she produced three continuous punches to his face. "Oh, and you could take this too!" She shoved her stake straight into his heart but, before she could see him explode into dust, she sensed another Vamp right behind her, and she sent a strong kick to his stomach.

"So, he had buddies, huh?" She retorted. "'Cause I can take care of that for ya. You can join your friend now." Her forehead was dripping with sweat; her eyes narrowed as she proceeded to flip and twist and avoid every move the vampire tried to pull.

Their shadows danced in the moonlight as she jumped over graves, performing a flowing series of complex gymnastic moves that seemed both endless and extremely powerful; driving the Vampire further and further back. "Do I play too rough for you?" she taunted. "Or do you want more?" she tempted as she delivered another strong blow to his jaw.

"Slayer..." he growled, tired, yet determined not to give up.

"Y'know, it’s been fun, but I think it’s time for you to go now," she remarked, ripping out her stake and poised to finish the fight. But for one moment, one single solitary moment, she did something that she hadn’t done in *years*. She paused.

Within her single moment of hesitation, the vampire grabbed her, twisted her arm and grabbed her stake. He shoved it deep into her side. Once. Twice. Buffy felt a surge of pain shoot throughout her entire body. He jabbed her twice more, straight in the abdomen, and she felt as if her insides were going to fall out. Then he twisted her around and proceeded to shove the stake into her back. One... Two... Three. She moaned softly, "No..."

The vampire flung her to the ground. Buffy knew now that she was completely helpless. He plunged a final blow deep into the middle of her chest, and she croaked out a tiny sound, hoping that someone would hear her. Her eyes fluttered, and she could feel herself slipping out of consciousness as she watched his face morph into an ugly, twisted game mode.

"At long last..." he grunted as he bared his fangs and brought them closer and closer to her neck. Her own words from the past rang clear in her head at that moment.

"Every Slayer comes with an expiration date..."

She used the only amount of strength she had left to shut her eyes tightly and wait for the numbness. Her entire body throbbed with pain, and she just wanted it all to end. Suddenly, she felt something strange on her face... like sand... was this what it was like to die? Or... she opened her eyes weakly.

"Buffy... Buffy... Slayer..." she heard a familiar voice soothing her although, for her, this was *not* the voice that usually made her feel safe.

"S... Spike?" She asked meekly. Although her vision was blurred, she could make out his light hair and white face through the darkness. "C’mon, luv. I gotta get you out of here..." he started to try to lift her, but she winced in agony.

"N... No, she protested, ... and d... don't call... me... th... that." Her face relaxed into a soft smile, trying to make a joke through her intense pain. "B.. Besides, it won’t do any good. I'm... I'm dying."

Spike looked into her glossed over eyes. She looked so pathetic, so beautiful lying there. No... she was too strong. She was *Buffy* for cripes’ sake. "No," he retorted. "You've got your special little Slayer powers. You'll be healed up and kicking my ass in now time. Besides, the Nibblet needs you. You gotta *try* Slayer." He couldn’t just let her go like this. "You've got your bleedin' friends... your Watcher... your sis... and," it was painful for him to say the name, "... *Angel*."

Buffy smiled at him. "Spike, you were right. I'm not invincible. I've got a death wish. One. Good. Day. You said it all yourself. Looks like that vamp just had his one good day. Well, until he went all dusty." She tried to laugh, but another surge of pain shot through her body. She could feel her life slipping away. Her eyes slowly fluttered closed.

"No!" Spike bellowed. "You can't do this to me, Slayer! I'm supposed to be the one who beats you! I said I would be there when you really wanted it! You can't go now!" His love, his Slayer was slipping away from him.

"You *are* here Spike," she murmured. "Finish me off. I want you to. That's how I'm supposed to die."

"What are you...? You can’t be bloody serious, luv! Remember the chip?"

She shook her head lightly and her eyes flew open and pierced his. "It won't go off. I won’t be in pain anymore. *Please* Spike... and it... it's what you always wanted," she pleaded feebly.

He felt tears come to his eyes. "You know how a long time ago I told you I loved you, Slayer? And you ripped me to pieces?"

"Yeah..." she said softly.

"Well... I still love you... as much as you don't believe I can... even after all those years watchin' you with those other guys, gettin your pretty lil' heart broken and breakin' some yourself. Well, I need to know. Did you ever... *do* you love me?" His hand brushed lightly against her face, but instead of giving him a look of disgust, she leaned her face softly against his cool hand.

"Spike," she whispered, and he moved up so close to her that he could feel her shallow breaths on his face. "Why else would I want you to do this?"

He was stunned. She did. Funny, that he always knew she did. "Luv," he hissed, "do you want me to..."

"Shh..." she hushed him. "No. Just end it. Tell Xander and Willow and Dawny that I... I loved them... and I'm sorry..." It was getting harder and harder for her to breathe. Her eyes shut. "Now..." she croaked with her last breath.

In total shock, Spike morphed slowly into Vamp mode. Pressing against her, he shoved his gangs deep inside her neck. She moaned, a bit of pleasure mixed with pain. Surprisingly, the chip didn't go off, just like she had said it wouldn't.

Her blood was the sweetest he ever tasted, and he sucked it out of her softly, enjoying every bit of pleasure it gave him. He moved his body completely over hers, feeling every pulse as her blood coursed through him. "Buffy!" he screamed in ecstasy, gripping her slowly growing limp body tightly. "Buffy! Buffy! Buffy!" He thrust himself against her as he drained her fully. She slumped on him, tangling herself with his limbs. Her life was gone.

He stopped and slowly removed his fangs from her throat. He could feel that she was gone... empty... nothing. Tears began to fall from his eyes. They stung his face. Hot tears. He could feel something was happening.

His game face faded away, leaving his blue eyes vacant and his skin more pallid than usual. He bent down over her body. She was only a body now, just like her mum. He knew they were together now.

"I love you, Buffy," he whispered in her ear, and kissed her tenderly on the lips, and brushed his tongue slowly against hers. "I will always love you."

He grabbed the stake from out of her hand and straddled her. With a scream,

He drove the stake deep into his own heart. It clattered to the ground, as

Buffy now had a thin layer of ash covering her body.

The sun was shining. The birds were chirping merrily. The air was filled with signs of spring -- rebirth. And a light wind swiftly blew away the dust covering the body lying in the middle of the cemetery. Their souls were finally free.

The End