DestinyBy PSUBrat
Impending Destiny
The winding passageway towards the Master's chamber was damp and dark. Buffy noted that slime and trickling water covered the walls as well as various eight legged creatures and other kinds of icky insects. Just her luck, she thought as she groped her way along the walls which were guiding her and Spike to their destination, that once again another foe was located in yet another cave. Why did they always have to be in caves? The Master was at least predictable, he had been trapped in a cave the first time around and it seemed that Wolfram and Hart had deemed it appropriate that he be trapped in one again. Why couldn't the last couple of Big Bads take a page out of Spike, Angelus and Glory's playbooks by setting up shop in a nice comfortable, abandoned building? Maybe something along the lines of Angelus' mansion? At least it had been kind of homey and lacking in the critter department. So caught up in her musings about caves, she didn't notice that Spike had stopped moving.
"Ouch," Spike growled in a whisper as he whipped around to look at her. "Wanna watch where you're sticking that thing, pet? I may not be a vampire anymore, but you could still do quite a bit of damage with it."
She looked down at her crossbow, realizing instantly that she had it pressed into his back, the pointy projectile about to damage the leather duster. Good thing for him that she didn't have an itchy trigger finger…yet. "Sorry," she whispered sheepishly.
"Luv, I need you to have your mind here, in the now, not off somewhere in the clouds."
"I said I was sorry, jeez! No need to sound all Giles-y and watcher like. It's not like I actually broke skin or anything." Slowly she took in their surroundings and then she understood why he had stopped. About ten feet ahead of them, light played off the walls, flickering in an eerie way, marking the fact that they were almost there. "Do you think they know we're here?"
"I'm willing to bet my life on it, luv. If Drusilla is in there, well then, it's a given. I'm surprised that they haven't sent the cavalry after us as it is."
"Maybe he doesn't have any backup to spare?"
Spike rolled his eyes and arched his brow, giving her an "are you daft" type look.
She shrugged her response and then quietly added, "I can hope, right?"
"Luv, once we get out of here, you can hope for anything you like," he stated, shaking his head as he began walking towards the light emanating from the chamber up ahead. Sensing her growing apprehension, he reached behind him and caught her hand in his, giving it a reassuring squeeze, hoping that it would calm her enough to concentrate on their next move.
***
After a few more moments of stumbling around the passageway, Buffy and Spike reached the interior of the first chamber, which was lighted by flickering torches hanging on the walls. Scattered shadows danced and jumped along the walls and floor, creating perfect places for evil to hide. Buffy shifted on her feet anxiously. Instinctively, she knew that this wasn't where they would find the Master. No, he would be off in a different chamber, probably heavily guarded, waiting for her…waiting to sink his teeth into her tender flesh. She shuddered slightly as her eyes continued to sweep the chamber, all the while her Slayer senses screaming out to her. Something was with them. She noticed that Spike had probably sensed it too since his jaw was tightly set and the knuckles on his left hand in which he held the sword were turning white.
"Show yourself!" She demanded to the shadows playing on the walls, her hands shaking not from fright but from the anger that was building within her.
"I thought you'd never ask," the voice stated huskily.
That's when they saw the cloaked figure emerge from the shadows, a hood hiding the being's identity. Spike stepped in between the figure and Buffy, deciding instantly that if that thing was here to take out his Slayer; it was going to have to go through him first.
"Such a chivalrous thing to do, William," the form stated, still hiding it's identity from them. "I'm not surprised; after all, you were always quite the gentleman prior to your turning."
Spike cocked his head to the side, eyebrow raised. "Cecily?"
"In the flesh," she stated as she lowered the hood and pushed the cloak off her shoulders, smiling at the two humans in front of her. She had on a black dress with a neckline that plunged to her navel. It accentuated every curve of her body, fitting her like a glove.
"What…what are you doing here?" He asked, puzzlement and horror filling his voice as his eyes swept over her.
Smiling sweetly, she walked towards him, her eyes never leaving his. "Didn't I tell you that I would have my revenge?"
"Revenge?" He asked in confusion. "For what?" Then he understood. She was here to hurt him because he had turned her away and had fallen in love with Buffy instead. "Pet," he began soothingly. "I didn't mean to hurt you. It was the last thing I wanted. People get hurt all the time…"
"Especially when it comes to you and Buffy!"
He sighed in frustration. "Look, just because things between you and me didn't work out, doesn't mean that you had to return to being a vengeance demon…"
"What makes you think that I'm a vengeance demon again, William?" She asked with a smirk.
Frowning, he looked at her intently and then turned to look at Buffy who seemed to be fixated on the woman in front of them. Before he could focus his attention back to his former flame, he heard the familiar sounds of bones shifting into place. His heart sank as the realization of what had become of her hit him full on. Shoulders slumping, his gaze shifted to Cecily's face.
"Don't look so upset, William," she cooed to him. "I'm perfectly fine now and quite capable of protecting myself from the likes of you."
"Cecily," he finally managed to croak out of his suddenly parched throat. "It didn't have to be this way. I'm so sorry, luv." His eyes were full of unshed tears for the woman that he had once loved with all his heart.
"Sorry? Sorry for what?" She asked, running a hand down his arm seductively as she slowly began to circle him. "Sorry that I can now smell the fear rolling off you in waves or for the fact that I'm probably ten times stronger than you now?" She paused and looked him in the eyes when she was in front of him again. "No, I think you're sorry for other reasons than those, aren't you?"
Up until this point, Buffy had remained silent but now the anger that had started to ignite within her, boiled to the surface. "How 'bout he's sorry because he and I are now going to have to kill your skanky ass?" She snarked, as she pointed her crossbow at the former vengeance demon and smiled.
Cecily sighed. "You are so predictable, it's almost sad."
"I may be sad, but at least I'm still pretty which is more than I can say for you at the moment. You do realize that you were probably better looking with your vengeance face on than you are right now, right?"
"Why you impertinent little bitch! I'll show you who's pretty once I've gouged out your eyes!"
Before Spike could stop her, Cecily lunged at Buffy, fangs bared and claws ready to rip open the Slayer's flesh.
***
Just as quickly as she had lunged, Cecily pulled back, remembering that the Master wanted the Slayer for himself. She was allowed to play with William all she wanted, but Buffy was off limits. Instead of sinking her fangs into the Slayer she backhanded her, sending her flying into the wall where she slumped to the ground after hitting her head.
"Buffy!" Spike cried out as he began to run to her side.
Turning on her heels, Cecily spun around and grabbed Spike before he could reach the Slayer. "This is all your fault," she hissed. "If you had just loved me like you were supposed to…" She slipped back into her human face and looked pleadingly into his eyes, deciding to take a different approach. "Did you ever really love me? Even a little bit?"
Spike almost crumbled to the ground seeing the look on her face and hearing the tone of her voice. "Oh god, I'm so sorry pet," he choked. All the guilt of his past transgressions, as well as his inability to properly protect Buffy, suddenly flooded his mind, overloading his senses and temporarily dazing him.
"Sorry isn't going to cut it, William. Not now. Not ever. You do realize that I'm going to have to kill you now, don't you?"
He looked at her, the tears still coming freely. "What?"
"You leave me no choice but to kill you."
"Cecily, you don't have to do this…"
"Yes I do William. It's the only way. You either kill me or I kill you. One of us is not getting out of this cave alive tonight."
"I can't…"
"Then you'll just have to die at my hand," she growled as her hand shot out and gripped his neck, slowly cutting off his air supply. "This whole situation is poetic, don't you think? I mean, you loved me and I loved you but couldn't act upon it. Who knew that my telling you that you were beneath me would set all of this," she said with a sweeping gesture of her free arm, "into motion? You become a vampire, I become a vengeance demon and then, just when we thought we'd never see one another again, we both become human at the same time, a century later. It's the kind of tragedy that Shakespeare would write and with the same type of ending…death and destruction."
"I will not kill you, Cecily," Spike stated firmly, sensing that it was finally time for him to pay the piper for all of his past evil deeds. He threw his weapon down on the ground, disgusted with himself and waited for her to crush his windpipe.
"The only one dying tonight is you," Buffy stated coldly as she pulled herself up from the ground, pointing the crossbow at Cecily once again. "And I'll be the one to do it. Somehow it'll give me satisfaction in knowing that I pulled the trigger and sent you to hell."
Before Cecily could register the fact that Buffy was now conscious and alert, the wooden bolt was lodged in her back, striking her heart. Spike stared into Cecily's eyes as a look of horror crossed her face. Seconds later, he found himself on the ground as she disintegrated into nothing but a pile of dust.
Buffy walked over to him, a look of sadness covering her face. "Don't ever do that again," she stated quietly as she offered her hand to help him to his feet.
"Do what again?"
"Give up."
"Oh," he said, eyes lowering as he stood. "I'm sorry, Buffy. I just thought…I mean; I felt like I wasn't worthy…"
"Spike, I'm not going to pretend that you haven't done awful things in your past because you have, but you've been atoning for them for years. Granted, it hasn't always been in the best way but you're worthy, Spike. So don't you ever do something stupid like that again! Don't you dare leave me!" Tears were flowing now despite her best efforts to keep them in check.
"Oh Buffy," he gulped as he crushed her to him. He had been so caught up in the pain that he had caused Cecily and hundreds of others that he hadn't thought about how his death would affect Buffy. "I swear; I'll never leave you. Ever."
"Good," she replied, taking a deep breath and wiping her cheeks. "Now that that's out of the way, we have a different problem."
"What's that, luv?"
She backed away from him and pointed to the back of the chamber. "Two tunnels and I'm sure only one of them leads to the Master. We should split up."
"Are you daft?" He demanded, shocked at her suggestion.
"No, Spike. We don't have much time, especially since Cecily distracted us for so long. You're going to have to take one passage and I'll take the other. If either one of us runs into trouble we'll yell for the other."
Spike shook his head emphatically. "No. Bad plan."
"Only plan."
"I just promised you that I would never leave you. Ever. What makes you think that I'm going to go for this plan?"
"Because Spike," she stated firmly. "We have no choice."
"Buffy…"
"Spike. Stop. I promise if I run into the Master that I won't be stupid enough to take him on by myself. Now promise me the same thing." She paused and looked at him, waiting for his reply. When none came, her face hardened and her tone became harsh. "Promise."
"Fine," he finally responded, exasperated and not liking this idea of splitting up one bit. "I promise to not fight the Master alone if I find him first. But Buffy…"
"Not buts," she stated with a smile as she brushed her lips against his, trying desperately to hide the feeling of impending doom that was washing through her. She rested her head on his chest. "You know I love you, right?"
"Buffy…"
"William, just answer me," she commanded as she took his face in her hands and stared into the ocean of his eyes. "I love you."
His response was to crush his lips against hers, pouring all of his love and hope into the kiss. Finally pulling back for air, he ran his thumb over her cheek. "I love you, Buffy. Now and forever."
She reached down, picked up his sword and tossed it to him. "I'll take the right. You take the left."
He nodded as they walked towards their respective passageways. Silently he watched her disappear, praying to whomever would listen that he would see her again, safe and unharmed.
***
The Left Passageway…
Spike maneuvered the passageway as stealthily as a panther stalking its prey, using his newly inherited senses to reach out into the semi-darkness to help him navigate. This passageway was no different than the others he had been through earlier but for the moment, it made the hairs on the nape of his neck stand on end. Evil. It must mean that he was approaching the Master's chamber. Good. At least Buffy wouldn't have to face that grotesque creature again; besides, he had no intentions whatsoever of calling her for help if he got there first. This was his fight, not hers.
He rounded a corner and walked into an empty chamber, devoid of lights and life. Had he made a wrong turn? No, he couldn't have. His senses were still screaming that something evil was with him. Suddenly, a circle of torches surrounded him; the cave melted away and the stars shone down on him.
***
The Right Passageway…
Buffy navigated her passageway with ease, her slayer-senses tingling, bombarding her mind and body over and over again until she thought she was going to burst at the seams from the intensity of it all. This was the way to the Master; she could feel it, almost as if she could just reach out and touch him from where she stood. Suddenly, she had the overwhelming urge to stop and double back to find Spike; to have him come with her so that she didn't have to face her destiny alone. Alone. Isn't that how it always was in the end? She died alone facing the Master and then she died alone jumping from the platform. Her instincts told her that tonight she would die alone again. It was her fate, her destiny.
As she rounded the corner, she could feel the vast presence of the Master before her. This was his chamber and she would face him alone and save the world. She had no doubt now that her death was near, but at least it would not be in vain. Taking a deep breath, she raised her crossbow and stepped into the chamber, looking for all the world like the true warrior she was.
***
"What the…?" Spike asked, trailing off as he looked around.
"It is your turn to face your judgment, Spike."
"Drusilla?" He asked, squinting his eyes as he tried to discern her location.
"It is me, my love," she cooed as she stepped into the circle of light.
He watched as her eyes fell on him, looking him over appreciatively. It made him nervous and somewhat nauseous.
"My darling, you've come back to me!" She hurried over to where he was standing and embraced him lovingly. "I've missed you so much, my dearest. But you've been very naughty. You let that wicked Slayer kill our sister."
"Dru…"
"Shhhh, my dear," she stated, brining her finger to his lips. "You almost smell like my Spike." Stepping back with a twinkle in her eyes, she whispered to him. "You even look like my dark prince again."
He didn't know what to say to her. How could he possibly explain that he was no longer the man she sought? Before he could respond, she continued to chatter on, drawing him to her.
"The stars are singing, my Spike. Can you hear them?" She asked looking up at the sky and swaying her hips to music that was heard only by her. "They sing for us to be together again. We will be together again, won't we my dearest Spike?" She pulled him into an embrace, rubbing her nose against his cheek and then playfully biting his earlobe.
He closed his eyes and breathed in her scent. It was intoxicating, familiar, bringing back over a century of memories that they shared. He had loved her like he had loved no other, intensely and without concern for himself.
***
"Welcome, my dear," the Master called to her as he sat on his makeshift throne. "I've been expecting you."
"Well I'm here now," she stated with a smirk, sauntering deeper into the chamber. "So can we just get on with this, please?"
"Tsk, tsk, tsk. Children are so impatient these days. Don't you want to stay and play a while?"
She snorted. "Not really. I'd rather we just got down to the killing, you know, me killing you."
His eyes narrowed but he never lost his smile. "I've been looking forward to this day ever since Wolfram and Hart resurrected me. I knew that you were meant to be mine from the first time I laid eyes on you."
"Uh, newsflash for ya, tall, pale and ugly," she snarked. "I'm taken. In a serious relationship so I'm thinking I'm not too high up on the availability list. In fact, you may have heard of him." She paused for effect. "William the Bloody… Also known as Spike?"
The Master laughed. "He is no match for me, I'm afraid, especially in his current condition…human."
"Is that so?" She asked as she stalked her prey, never faltering or showing the fear that she knew must be rolling off her. They didn't know that Spike had powers, powers that even she didn't understand. That was a plus for the good column she thought.
"My dear…why would you want a boy when you can have a man and eternal life?"
"I really don't want what you're offering, so give it up already and let's just fight."
He sighed theatrically as he stood up. "Oh, very well then. This won't take long."
"You're right," she replied as she aimed her crossbow at him. "This won't take long at all.""I think you may want to put that down," he said soothingly, lowering his arm as he spoke. He watched as she did what she was told.
***
"You still love me, I can feel it," Drusilla cooed to him. "It radiates off you, even now while your Slayer faces her death."
He stiffened, coming to his senses at the mention of Buffy. "Dru," he growled, grabbing both of her arms and shaking her violently. "I am not your Spike any longer." He stopped shaking her when she started laughing at him. "Do you hear me?"
"I hear you my darling Spike. You may not be mine now, but you could be again, if you just let me help you. Let me help you, Spike."
"Help me? What could I possibly want your help with?"
"Coming back to us. Let me help you come back to the Order, Spike. Let me make it all right as rain again."
"I have no idea what you're yammering on about, Dru, but I am not going anywhere."
"Grandpa-pa said that you would join us again and that I could be the one to help you." She turned her head to the side and let her vampiric features come to the fore as she stepped closer to him again. "It'll be just like it was before," she whispered as she ran her tongue down his neck, pausing just over the artery which was pulsating with the life of warm blood.
***
Buffy shook her head, trying to clear her mind, which was quickly becoming foggy. Looking down at the hand that held her weapon, she realized she had lowered it and had no memory of doing so. The Master had done this to her the first time, put her in a thrall. Taking a deep breath, she closed her eyes and called upon her slayer strength to help her through this. "I won't be that easy the second time around you nitwit."
Stunned that she had spoken, he took a menacing step towards her and growled. "You will be mine!"
"Ya know, you're starting to sound like a broken record…at least that's what my mom would say. I'm not all that sure exactly what a record is since they were kinda phased out before I was old enough to understand the saying, but being broken and all, I'm thinking it's definitely not of the good."
"You stupid little girl. Silence!" He studied her intently, watching for any sign that his hypnotism was working its magic on her. After several moments of complete quiet, he was convinced that he had prevailed. Stalking towards her, he reached out and stroked her cheek when he neared her. "See, isn't this better? You're so much more attractive when you're quiet."
Looking up at him through half closed lids, she smiled evilly. "You think I'm attractive when I'm quiet? I'm flattered. I wonder if you'll feel the same way while I'm screaming." She suddenly smirked and then let loose with a long, high-pitched scream.
***
Spike felt Drusilla nuzzle his neck as he closed his eyes, taking in her familiar scent and having it overwhelm him once again. Suddenly, in his mind, he heard Buffy scream. "Buffy?" He asked, his eyes snapping open. Violently he shoved Drusilla to the ground. "Buffy where are you?" He screamed as Drusilla began to whine and yell shrilly at him.
(By the crimson and the gold…by basilisk and bloodstone…)
"You are coming back to me, Spike! The pixies told me!"
"Damn your pixies, Dru!" He growled as he began to stalk towards the edges of the circle.
"I won't let you leave me! You're mine!"
"I'm not your bleeding boyfriend anymore, Dru. Get used to it!"
"Don't make me kill you!"
"You couldn't kill me even if you tried, pet. I'm not that same sniveling poet I was all those years ago when you found me. I'm more than that and I'm loved."
"She'll never love you like I loved you, Spike. Never."
"And tell me exactly how that's a bad thing? It's not like you and I were exactly Mr. and Mrs. Cleaver, pet."
"You're not going anywhere, Spike," she growled, gathering herself up as she stood. "You'll have to kill me in order to save her. Besides," she said smiling wickedly. "I think Grandpa-pa has taken care of the nasty Slayer all by himself. I knew he would."
Something inside of Spike snapped as he heard those words. Suddenly he was running at her yelling gutturally, sword raised above his head. He intended to decapitate her and end both their misery but that's when he heard Buffy's voice. I love you, Spike. Forever. "No!" He screamed as he stopped short, the edge of the sword drawing blood from Drusilla's neck. "I will not do it, Dru. I will not kill you."
"Then you will die," she spat at him.
***
Buffy stopped screaming and smiled as the Master placed his hands over his sensitive ears. Knowing that vampires were graced with sensitive hearing, she figured she could use that to her advantage. Getting him close enough to scream her head off had been almost too easy. She hoped that it would knock him off guard enough that she could gain the upper hand. It seemed to have worked. Quickly, she aimed her weapon and pulled the trigger, the arrow flew straight and true, finding its mark. However, nothing happened.
(By dragon's blood and salamanders…by horses when their hooves strike sparks…)
The Master laughed at her while he pulled the wooden projectile out of his chest. "Doesn't your watcher teach you anything, you foolish child? The Last Judgment has arrived. I am invincible. Nothing can stop me now."
"Nothing? I highly doubt that. I'll just have to take you out another way." She threw down her crossbow and raised her fists; all she had to do was distract him long enough for the others to do the spell. That is, if they were still alive. The screaming should have alerted Spike, so she figured he would be there any minute now to help her fight the beast before her.
"You think that your friends will help you, don't you? The ones that were out in the woods trying to conjure up a spell to defeat me? Well, I think it's safe to say that they are probably long dead by now. I sent my two best men to take care of them. And as for your Spike, I'm sure that my darling Drusilla has brought him back to the order already. She's really quite…convincing, as I'm sure you know."
She began to shake with rage. "Spike will never allow her to turn him again. Never. So just get that thought right out of your head!"
"You don't sound so convinced now, do you? Now that you know you're all alone. Just you and me. Nothing to stand in my way of finishing what I started six years ago. When I drink from you this time, I will savor it and it will make me stronger than ever before!" He reached out and grabbed her hair, pulling her to him.
He was so close to her now that she could smell his breath. She struggled, trying to beat at him with her fists but finding that nothing was helping. Thrashing as he moved around behind her, she desperately tried to bring her knee up to his groin, but failed. Suddenly, she felt his breath on her neck as he tilted her head to the side and gently, but firmly, snaked an arm around her middle. She screamed again as his fangs pierced her skin.
Death is your gift…
***
(We cut the cords and unlock the chains…we sever all the ties by which they were bound and with impenetrable walls our voices surround…)
Spike's eyes began to glow fiercely, causing Dru to gasp. Drawing from his inner strength, he stood tall and his voice bellowed. "I'm not going to die and I won't kill you."
He pushed the sword deeper into her skin, driving her hard enough so that she stumbled and fell to the ground. "Get out of here. Now."
Her features receded and were replaced by her human face. She cowered at the anger and determination that she heard in his voice; it wasn't a tone that he had ever used with her before and it was frightening.
"Get up and get out of here, Dru. Now!"
She scrambled to her feet, whining incessantly. "We will meet again…"
"It better not be in this lifetime, pet, because I will kill you if I ever lay eyes on you again. Stay away from me and stay away from Buffy. If you even so much as set a foot back in Sunnydale, I won't think twice about letting her stake you. Now get out of my sight!" He roared at her, unleashing a century of pent up anger along with a power that was now coursing through his veins.
As she ran off into the shadows, the circle of torches faded, leaving him standing in the empty chamber once again. That's when he heard the scream, Buffy's scream, echoing off the walls. He picked up his sword and began to run blindly into the darkness, praying that he wasn't too late.
***
Spike ran faster than he had ever run, both in his life and unlife. Within seconds he was in the Master's chamber, just in time to witness Buffy's body slump against the Master's. Fury and rage erupted inside of him as he rushed towards the demon whose blood had once pumped through his veins. He was unaware that he was screaming incoherently, but it didn't matter, nothing else mattered but getting to Buffy.
The Master looked up as his one time childe rushed into the chamber, but instead of seeing eyes the color of azure; he saw eyes that glowed with the brightest of blinding white light. He could sense the power that now engulfed Spike and he feared it. Quickly he threw the Slayer to the side where she landed in a heap; face down in a pool of water.
"Nothing can stop me!" The Master roared at Spike. "It is too late, the Last Judgment has arrived and your Slayer is gone!"
Spike stood in front of the being, all fear having left him the moment he saw Buffy die. "You have no idea who you are dealing with, mate! It's too late for you."
"You bore me, human. I will wrap my hand around your throat, crush you and then I will drink from your dead body."
"Really? I figure it for the other way around."
"You are too late, William the Bloody. The sun will come up in a few hours and I will rule the world. Darkness will descend and chaos will engulf the living. Humans will become my slaves as well as my minions. They will beg for me to kill them, to turn them, but I will refuse. Join me, Spike. Join me and sit at my right hand. Rule with me."
Spike bellowed as he raised his sword, swinging it at the Master's neck, waiting for the satisfying thump, but none came. Instead, his sword splintered in his hand.
This only infuriated the Master. In response, he punched Spike in the stomach, full force. "Join me or die!"
(Against thy power and its source. Against thy evil and its force. Osiris, Isis, Horus and Thoth we beseech thee and call upon the powers of the Twelve to defeat our enemy!)
Suddenly, Spike's eyes snapped open and he flew to his feet. Instead of white light streaming from them, they turned blood red. When he spoke, it was with the voice of all those who had faced their Judgments before him. "Your time has come to an end, Heinrich Joseph Nest." As Spike spoke these last words, he floated off his feet, his arms outstretched, as if hanging on a cross. "Return to hell!"
As the Master looked on in horror, helpless against the powers that were called upon to defeat him, fire shot out of Spike's mouth, burning him wherever it touched. "No!" He screamed before he burst into flame and turned to dust.