Chapter 21

Location : Rome, Italy
Time : July 31st 1977 20:34

"Luisa? Luisa Vincenzi?" an older English woman asked as the young Italian girl turned around at the sound of her name.

"Who are you?" she asked worriedly, "How do you know my name?"

"There is no need for alarm, Luisa" she was assured by the kindly looking woman, "I am here to help you" she assured her as the waitress backed up further, "My name is Mary Fisher, and I have important news for you. Is there somewhere we might go to talk?"

Thinking she was perfectly safe whilst she was surrounded by so many people, Luisa told her friend she was taking her break now and led Mary over to a table at the back of the cafe.

"What do you want to tell me?" she asked immediately they sat down.

"Luisa, you must promise me you will remain calm as I explain myself" Mary told her, "I imagine you have had some rather frightening dreams the last two nights or more" she guessed, her suspicions confirmed by the young girls surprised expression, "I am here to tell you what those dreams mean, Luisa, to explain to you that the creatures you saw whilst you slept, the vampires and demons, they are real"

"This cannot be" she protested, "Monsters like these do not exist in real life"

"Indeed they do" Mary told her firmly, "Vampires in particular walk amongst us in the night, so dangerous since they are so difficult to detect, but I digress" she shook her head, "I am here to tell you of a long line of warriors, that all started with one girl. She was Chosen to fight the demons and the vampires, and keep a balance on Earth. When one Slayer dies another rises and so it has always been" she said as gently as she could, "Luisa, the latest Slayer was killed two days ago, by a vampire that overpowered her, and the new Slayer was activated. It is you, my dear"

Location : Rome, Italy
Time : September 24th 1977 19:47

"Mary?" Luisa called as she let herself into the apartment. Her Watcher immediately sprang apart from the man she shared the couch with, their passionate kissing completely interrupted by the entry of the Slayer.

"Oh, Luisa" Mary gasped, "It is you... er, you remember my friend, Marco, do you not?" she said with a nervous smile as she straightened her blouse and hair.

"Good afternoon, Senor di Luigi" the Slayer said politely, a smirk tugging at her lips as the man returned her greeting and shot up from the sofa like a scalded cat. He whispered something to Mary before saying he must be going, squeezing past Luisa and out of the door, closing it behind him.

"I did not mean to interrupt" the young girl apologised, "but I had something I needed to speak to you about" she admitted, looking altogether too serious.

"What is it, my dear?" Mary asked with concern, gesturing that she should come and sit down beside her. Over the past weeks the two young women had become more than just Watcher and Slayer to each other, but good friends and right now Luisa needed a friend.

"I went out with Gianni again last night" she admitted, looking down at her hand in her lap, "He is so wonderful, Mary, and I love him so much. He took me back to his apartment and he told me I was beautiful. He promised that he would always love me and that all he wanted to do was show me how much..." she couldn’t say anymore and she certainly couldn’t look at her Watcher right now.

"You spent the night with him" Mary guessed, "You and Gianni, you made love, didn’t you?"

"We did" Luisa admitted, looking so guilty, "I am so sorry, Mary, truly I am" she began to apologise and her Watcher could not understand it at all.

"My dear, it is not my place to judge you on such matters" she said kindly, "If you love him truly and believe he feels the same there is no reason that you should not... be physical with each other" she said some what awkwardly.

"But Mary, you told me I must patrol the cemetery last night" she said guiltily, "I was so occupied with Gianni... we did not leave his apartment until it was light outside"

"Oh Luisa" Mary tried desperately not to laugh, as she hugged the poor girl to her, "Do not upset yourself" she told her, "One night will not make so much difference, I am not angry that you did not patrol" she assured her, "Indeed I must confess Marco has taken some of my time that I probably should have spent on work"

"You believe that love is more important than the work we do?" Luisa asked uncertainly as she pulled away.

"Love is more important than anything, my dear girl" Mary said with a smile, "Do you not agree?"

"I do" Luisa nodded firmly a grin spreading cross her face, "I love Gianni with all my heart and I know we will be together forever"

Location : Rome, Italy
Time : November 6th 1977 23:17

"Hush now, sweetheart, do not cry so" Mary said as she held Luisa to her and rubbed her back in an attempt to comfort her, "All will be well, I am certain"

"It cannot be well" Luisa sobbed and hiccuped, "Without Gianni nothing can ever be well again!" she wailed.

A vampire gang had attacked as they patrolled together. Gianni had learnt of Luisa’s calling and far from being appalled or frightened, he was so proud of his girl and her gifts. He was quite the fighter himself and helped her with her patrols and training sessions when he could. Unfortunately he had not the strength and skill of a Slayer and had been captured by vampires as Luisa had fought for her own life. She got away with minimal cuts and bruises, but knew by now her lover was more than likely dead.

"It might not be too late" Mary told her, "We may be able to save him yet. A locator spell would show us where they have taken him and you know he is strong Luisa, Gianni may still be alive" she said positively, in reality knowing he most likely wouldn’t have survived but also knowing that in her current state, Luisa was of no use as a Slayer.

"You truly believe he may be alive?" the younger girl sniffed, trying to wipe the tear from her face.

"Indeed" Mary half-lied, "but we must hurry. The vampires that took him must be found and destroyed"

Mary set about performing the spell whilst Luisa gathered her weapons and tried not to cry. Her anger would give her strength, her tears only made her weak, she told herself as she pulled the axe from her weapons chest and strapped it to her body. This was a dangerous mission, going into a possible nest of vampires alone. Whilst Mary could fight she was only mortal and could only do so much to help. It was up to Luisa to save her lover and then herself, not to mention another whom she had yet to mention to her Watcher.

"Mary?" she called across the room as the spell ended, "There is something you should know..." she said, her hand going subconsciously to her stomach. She had spoken so quietly and the Watcher was so intent on doing the spell and getting on with things she did not properly hear her and simply thrust a map into her hands.

"The burn mark here shows where they have taken him" she explained, "The caves beyond the woods. Such a spell as this tells us he is still alive, Luisa, it would not work it he were not"

For a moment the Slayer paused still considering whether to tell her Watcher about the baby she secretly carried, but if she did it was probable she would not be permitted to go into those caves with so much danger all around. Mary cared too much for her to let anything terrible happen.

"Then let us go" she said eventually, "We have no reason for hesitation" she lied as they took up their weapons and left the apartment.

Location : Rome, Italy
Time : November 7th 1977 00:09

"Luisa!" Mary screamed as another vampire lunged at her charge. For fully ten minutes they had been fighting, and still there was no sign of Gianni. No doubt he was being held at the back of the cave, forcing the Slayer and her Watcher to fight through all his captors in order to save him.

Another head rolled to the floor, turning the whole vampire to ash, another fell beside it as a stake pierced it’s heart. One after the other the demons fell at the hands of the two incensed women, determined to win this fight. Alas it was too late as Luisa found when she reached the back of the cave. The body of her lover lie broken and cold. The vampires had tricked her somehow, made her believe she had something to fight for when she had not. If Gianni’s life was gone hers might as well be too.

"He was not worthy, Slayer" said a voice behind her, but Luisa was stunned to the spot and could not react. The vampire slid it’s arms around her body and pulled her to him, "I shall be worthy" he murmured as he vamped out, "You shall be mine" he told her as his fangs sunk into her neck.

"Luisa! No!" Mary yelled but to no avail. The young Slayers life was drained from her body and her Watcher was swiftly hit in the face, knocking her out and keeping her from making further noise.

"The mighty Slayer shall rise again" the evil being that had taken her life smirked, "Because I make it so" he added as he slashed his wrist on the girls sword and forced it to her mouth. Luisa’s instincts told her to drink, though her mind could not properly process what was happening. Her unconscious Watcher had no idea that her charge’s death would also be her rebirth, and for almost thirty years, she would live in ignorance.

Location : Rome, Italy
Time : March 15th 2004, 20:34

"Mama?" David di Luigi called as he let himself into the house, "I fetched the pasta from the store..." he trailed off, gasping in shock as he took in the scene. His mother and father were bound to chairs in the centre of the room, gags in their mouths so they could not speak.

"Oh my God" he said as he moved towards them but immediately a young girl blocked his path.

"So, this is the precious Davy I hear so much of" she smiled in sinister fashion as she put her hand to his face, "He is as beautiful as you said Mary, almost as beautiful as my own child would have been"

"Who are you?" Davy demanded to know, knocking the young woman’s cold hand away. She looked vaguely familiar but he couldn’t think why.

"I am an old friend of your mother, dear boy" she told him, "And you will do for me a favour, if you wish for us to remain friends"

"Mama?" her son asked her with a puzzled look as tears ran unchecked down Mary’s face. The frightened look in her eyes told him this was no ordinary girl before him and the confusion he felt soon subsided as he realised where he’d seen her face before.

"The Slayer" he said softly, "You are the Slayer to whom my mother was Watcher... Luisa?"

The vampire let out an almighty scream as she back-handed poor Davy across the room.

"This is not my name!" she bellowed, "I am the True Chosen! You shall know it, and soon all shall know it!" Luisa yelled. In an instant she was calm again and it was disturbing how her anger came and went like someone flipping a switch.

"You, my boy, shall be the key, my instrument against she that would take my destiny" she explained, "And you will do as I tell you, if you wish to keep your life, and the lives of those you cherish" she smirked, glancing back at Mary and Marco.

"What would you have me do?" Davy asked nervously as he got up from the floor.

"Nothing you cannot handle" Luisa assured him as she moved towards him, carefully took his hand in hers and led him back across the room, "Something that will come quite easily to a man such as yourself" she smiled, seeming suddenly so normal and kind, "All I want you to do is find a girl, and win her heart" she said with a playful grin, "That cannot be so difficult for a beautiful specimen of a man as yourself, now can it?"

Location : Rome, Italy
Time : October 27th 2005 14:29

"She comes!" Luisa smirked, cackling like the evil creature she truly was, "She comes to find me, to kill me" she laughed, "Oh Mary, what a foolish creature this Slayer must be"

"Why do you do this?" her old Watcher cried, "Why must you make so many suffer for your loss?"

"I have no loss!" Luisa bellowed, "Only power! Power shall be mine, the power that was prophesied, that should have been mine!"

"The Prophecy of the Half Light does not speak of you..." Mary reminded her, only to receive a strike across her face for her trouble.

"Hold your noise, or I will hold it for you!" the Vampire/Slayer told her angrily, "I shall have what is mine. My revenge and my power" she muttered, "If the new Slayer must die at my hand for this to be, then let it be so. She will be no loss as my child was!"

To Be Continued...

Chapter 22

"This is the place" Davy said as the group stood outside an old disused house, "She’ll be up there"

"Waiting for the sun to go down" Buffy nodded in understanding, "Only we don’t have to and we won’t. Element of surprise will play to our advantage" she told those who stood behind her.

Willow, Dawn, Andrew, and Giles had taken the children to the hotel at which the visitors were staying, just in case Luisa did get away somehow. Neither she or any of her minions would know where to look for them, and even if they got lucky, the girls were putting up a barrier whilst the guys were ready with weapons to protect little Eloise and Chloe. Meanwhile Buffy and Spike had brought Illyria and Xander with them, and Davy to guide them to Luisa’s location.

"I know you owe me no favours, Buffy" Davy said as he turned to the Slayer, "but please save my mother, she has done nothing wrong, even less than I have done"

"It’s my job to save the innocent, and it’s what I’ll do if I can" Buffy told him firmly, "You haven’t helped your family by going along with this plan, but you were scared, I get that, I have bigger things to worry about than how much you hurt me right now" she said, holding her double-headed axe firmly in her hands and kicking the door in easily in one fluid movement.

"Let’s go" she said as the four fighters entered the building, weapons drawn in preparation for the fight. Buffy was counting on Luisa expecting just her and not a group of opposition, that and the fact she’d have nowhere to run from a third floor apartment in daylight hours would surely be useful.

"You hear that?" Spike asked as they headed up the final flight of stairs. Maniacal laughter was clear from the apartment above, and it was so evil it made Xander shiver involuntarily.

"I’m thinkin’ Little Miss SlayerVamp is more than a few bricks missin’ from her wall" he said warily as he followed on up the stairs. Illyria glanced over at him with what she hoped was an encouraging look.

"I have fought and killed many demons, both sane and insane" she told him, "I have no more fear of this enemy than any that came before"

"Think I could borrow some of your confidence there, honey" Xander asked with a nervous laugh, but Illyria was too stunned by his pet name for her to give an answer.

"Guys, focus" Buffy told them as they all stood outside the door, "Spike and I go in first, you two hang back til we need you, got it?"

"Understood" Xander answered for both of them and they watched as Buffy and Spike brought the door down with ease.

They were a little surprised to find the room was pitch black, especially since it was still only early evening and therefore the sun shone brightly outside.

"Welcome, Miss Summers" said a cold voice in the darkness, "I see you have brought me a meal"

"Guess again, bitch" Spike called back, really wishing he still had his vampiric vision right now, seeing in the gloom would be so much easier that way.

"Oh, the white haired creature has power, or at least bravado" Luisa laughed, "This will not save you" she smiled as a light flipped on in the centre of the room, revealing what appeared to be an averagley pretty seventeen year old girl in a pure white dress. Behind her on a chair was Davy’s mother, her mouth taped shut and her wrists and ankles bound to the seat.

"And what exactly do you think is going to save you?" Buffy asked the girl, thinking this looked all to easy, it just had to be a trap.

"I’m not the one that needs saving" Luisa laughed, stepping back around the chair til she was behind it, "She is" she gestured down at Mary in front of her, "She put me on my path, told me I was the Slayer. She allowed me to be made what I am now, a Vampire Slayer with a child that shall be almighty"

"You got it all wrong" Buffy shook her head, taking a couple of careful steps forward, "Your kid was special to you, but it wasn’t prophesied to be this great being you think it was"

"Your children have stolen the power that should have been that of my own baby!" Luisa bellowed, her demon visage slipping into place, "And you will not stop me from taking it back"

"I got an axe in my hand that’d disagree with you" Buffy told her, taking another step, wary of what the vamp might do to Mary if she made one wrong move. Davy had been right when she’d said the Watcher woman was innocent, and the less innocents that died, the better of course.

"You are so idiotic it is amusing" Luisa cackled with laughter as she leant over Mary’s shoulder and looked the woman in the eye, "They forget your son in all the confusion, do they not Mary, dear"

"Davy?" Buffy frowned, wondering what she was talking about.

"He is so much more than he seems" Luisa grinned evilly, "My precious Instrument... my Vessel"

"Vessel" Buffy muttered to herself, trying to think why that was familiar. A vampire with a Vessel. The Master, he had a Vessel for the Harvest, another vampire who would feed on his behalf so that he could gain Power and leave the Hellmouth.

"Davy’s not a vampire" she said aloud, "He was out in the daylight, and besides I would’ve known"

Luisa laughed once again before she explained.

"Foolish child!" she spat at Buffy, suddenly serious and somehow looking down on the woman who was almost a foot taller than her and had more than five years of age in physical looks over her.

"Some sort of claim or thrall" Spike muttered, catching his Slayer’s attention, "Don’t have to turn the fella to put him under her control, vamp’s got other ways to do that"

"Such a simple boy, it took little effort" Luisa smirked, "And now you see comes your dilemma my friends. To stay, fight myself and save your friend the old Watcher, or go, and try to save your unworthy brats from death"

"Illyria! Xander!" Buffy called behind herself without actually turning. "Head for the hotel, try calling, warn the gang not to let Davy in!"

"We shall" Illyria said back as she and Xander scrambled back down the stairs.

"Guess that just leaves you, me, and the skank" Spike smirked almost evilly as when he was a demon as he looked at the creature who would take his children’s lives.

"Still a dilemma though" Luisa grinned back at him, "Would you risk dear Mary’s life to take mine? What do you say, dear sweet Watcher?" the crazy Slayer asked the woman as she tore the tape from her mouth.

"Buffy" she gasped as she looked over at the blonde, "Save your children, and mine, I beg you. Kill this creature, she is not Luisa any longer"

"’S where you’re just a little bit wrong, luv" Spike cut in before Buffy could speak.

"She is not wrong" Luisa snapped, "For once she is right, I am better than the lowly creature I once was. I am the True Chosen"

"You are a silly bitch with illusions of grandeur" Spike told her, "And yeah, it sucks you got turned and lost your kid, but you are not gonna take that out on my kids, you stupid, trumped-up, whore!" he yelled, ready for her attack that came within micro-seconds of the insulting words leaving his lips. Luisa crashed into Spike, bringing him to the ground as Buffy ran to untie Mary and get her out of the room.

"Go!" she yelled as she got her as far as the stairs.

Though Luisa was strong, it was soon obvious that Spike was stronger. He’d been a vampire for almost a century more than the Italian girl, and his kids lives were at stake. There was just no way he was going to let this skank win. With a powerful kick he dislodged her from his body and sent her hurtling across the room, and Spike scrambled to his feet.

"Slayer, make sure your Watcher woman gets out of here" he called to Buffy, "then go back up the gang. The kids matter most here, right?"

"Sure you can deal?" she checked as Luisa rose up from the ground, growling like a wild animal.

"This is me we’re talking about here, pet" he smirked and with a swift nod and a look of trust and love she left him to the fight, pelting down the stairs and helping Mary along too.

Back in the apartment Luisa laughed as she scrambled to her feet, emerging from the dark with a weapon of her own that Spike was wary of. It looked like some kind of fire but it sat in her hand without burning as flames would torch a vamp.

"Your precious lover would leave you alone to tackle me" the creature smirked as she stepped around the room and Spike did the same, til the two of them were circling each other like predatory animals, "She does not understand my power. Not one amongst you could comprehend"

"See, that’s where you’re wrong" Spike told her, still breathing a little unevenly from the scuffle, "Done two Slayers in my time, know their strengths and weakness. Should know vamps too seein’ as I was one for so bloody long"

"Yes, indeed" Luisa nodded, still smiling in frightening fashion, "You are why I exist. William the Bloody, murderer of she who wielded the power of the Chosen One before I"

"‘M not him anymore" Spike shook his head slightly, mindful of keeping his eyes on the target and ever wary of the apparent fire in her hand, "but yeah, s’pose in some way it’s down to me you’re standin’ there now"

"And how will your lover feel" Luisa smirked, "when she realises this is all your fault?"

"She won’t give a toss" Spike scoffed, "She’s seen the best and the very worst of me, and she loves me all the same" he explained, "Just like I love her. That’s stronger than anything you can throw at us" he told her smartly, casting a glance at the flames that still roared within her palm.

"Love for your woman" she nodded, "But what of the love for your companion, the blue girl"

"I’m fond enough of Lyri, but she can take care of herself" Spike smirked, thinking how stupid this bint was if she thought Illyria needed anyone’s protection from anything.

"Really?" Luisa checked, "The power of the mind is a wonderful thing, William" she told him, raising her right hand in front of her so the fire ball spun and flickered, "This I have learnt, and this you should know"

Watching the ball of flame, Spike saw images, pictures within it of great suffering and torment of random people and creatures.

"What the...?"

"Her visions" Luisa explained, though Spike had not completely asked the question, "Pretty pictures in her mind, illusions that can be altered..."

"You!" Spike yelled suddenly understanding, "You messed with her head! Made her think Red was attacking before, and that other vision first day we got here knocked her out too long"

"It should have killed her" Luisa told him coldly, "She is much stronger than I gave her credit for, but still human" she reminded him, "I can affect what she sees, what she feels, though the Powers That Be send her these visions, the power I possess can warp and alter. One wrong move from you" she threatened, "and I will scramble her mind so far beyond reach, no-one will ever find her"

"You evil soddin’ bitch" Spike seethed, knowing if he still had the demon in him he never would have been able to keep this image of calm up for so long, since it was killing him now.

"It was simple before" Luisa laughed maniacally once again, "Now you make a real choice. Take a chance to save your precious children, or let me go and save your friend" she smirked, thinking she was victorious.

"If that’s the choice" Spike said, letting his battle stance go, "What else can I do?" he shrugged as if he’d given up. Looking to the ceiling he sighed.

"I’m sorry, Lyri"

By the time Luisa realised he had fooled her, it was almost too late and she barely had time to cast her spell before Spike ran at her full pelt.

Still, the blue-haired one would suffer, the blonde Slayer would no doubt stop to try to help as was her way, and the Vessel would be granted access to the children. If she could just hold Spike off for a while longer, soon Luisa would have the power to bring him, and this whole miserable world, to it’s knees.

To Be Continued...
 

Chapter 23

"Oh God" Xander gasped, just trying to get oxygen into his body. He was finding out just how fast Illyria could move and it turned out it was way faster than he himself could manage. He stopped momentarily, bending at the waist and sucking in lungfuls of air.

"C’mon Illyria" he said to himself since she would never hear him at this range, "Can’t you slow up for just a second?"

As if she’d heard him, Illyria immediately stopped moving and turned back, calling to him. Xander was just thinking how weird that was, wondering vaguely if perhaps she had enhanced hearing to go with her strength and running abilities, when suddenly Lyri fell to her knees.

"Illyria!" he yelled, dragging himself up and hurrying to her, his lack of energy and breath forgotten when he realised she was in pain, "Illyria, talk to me" he urged her as her hands went to her head and she writhed in terrible pain on the ground, "Is it a vision?" Xander checked, not entirely convinced. This seemed much worse than the episodes she’d had before.

"I...can’t... make out..." she gasped out before screaming loudly and making Xander physically wince.

He dropped down beside her and tried to hold her but she pushed him away, trying to concentrate on the images that flashed through her mind and finding it impossible. All she could feel was the pain and suffering of so many, all she could see was bloodshed and horror. She forced her eyes open and found Xander still with her, looking so concerned. He was stunned and worried to see an orange light that swirled behind the usual bright blue of her eyes. Something wasn’t right here, this was so much more than just a vision.

"This is not the Powers That Be" Illyria confirmed, moaning in agony for a moment before she found the strength to continue, "Something... is inside my mind" she gasped out, "It means to frighten... it shall not succeed" she said panting for air as Xander held onto her, wishing there was something, anything he could do to help her.

"Xander" Buffy called as she caught up to them, "What’s happening?"

"I don’t know" he shook his head, "Something’s wrong. This isn’t just the visions, something’s making it worse"

The Slayer looked down at the girl with the blue streaked hair with worried eyes who held her head and tried to breathe through the sheer agony that shot through her whole being.

"Oh God" Buffy gasped as blood ran from Illyria’s nose, and Xander tried to hold his girl, ripping at his shirt so he had something to catch her blood with.

"It has to be Luisa" he realised, yelling over the noise of Illyria’s painful screams, "Some kind of spell or something... Buff, we have to do something"

"No" Illyria coughed, breathing hard, "You must go, save your children" she told the Slayer, "You must go" she repeated and Buffy didn’t need to be told again. As much as she hated to see her new friend suffer, her babies were in danger and they had to come first right now.

"Go, Buffy" Xander agreed, knowing it was the right thing, "I’ll stay with Illyria"

The blonde nodded once before running off in the direction of the hotel, only hoping she could make it before Davy did, or that the gang wouldn’t let him through the barrier until she arrived.

"Don’t cry sweetie, it’s okay" Willow told the baby in her arms, but poor Chloe was inconsolable as if she sensed the terrible situation she and her sister, and indeed the whole Scooby Gang were in. The adults tried to reassure them and keep them calm, but they were a little panicked themselves, wondering if their friends would make it through the fighting.

Dawn went to Ellie who had picked up on her sister’s distress and joined in with the screaming and crying.

"Come on, Buffy" she said to herself as she looked out of the window, "All of you fight, please" she said, offering up a silent prayer to the Powers That Be that her sister and her friends would come back alive and in time to keep the kids safe too.

A frantic knock on the door made everybody jump and Giles told them all to be quiet as he went over and called through to the hallway.

"Who is it?" he asked.

"It is me, Davy" said a panicked voice, "Luisa, she is insane. She knows I told you things about her plans and she wants me dead, you have to let me in!" he cried. They couldn’t see that the expression on his face was far from anguished, merely straight and plain. His eyes glowed a strange green colour as the effects of the thrall really took hold. Luisa had used threats alone to keep Davy under her control till now but when her prize demon warrior had been killed by the Slayer and her band of followers, she knew she needed more guarantees where Davy was concerned.

"We can’t let him in" Andrew said nervously, "Can we?"

"I don’t know" Dawn shook her head, "I mean, he could really be in danger"

"But we don’t know that we can trust him" Giles pointed out, "He’s been working with Luisa, we have no guarantees that it was against his will, only his word on it"

"Please, I beg you, do not let her catch me" Davy begged, "At her hand I will surely die for my betrayal"

"Oh God" Dawn gasped, feeling awfully mixed up. He’d been so good for Buffy after Spike was gone, and they seemed so happy. Now they found out he had betrayed them, but whether he’d been forced or not was unclear, as was the fact of his possible evilness.

"We can’t risk it" Giles told them as the children screamed, "If he is still on Luisa’s side..."

"I can tell you" Willow realised as she passed the still crying Chloe over to Andrew, "The barrier will hold everyone and everything out for at least another hour, but the spell can penetrate it without making a hole" she explained as she came towards the door and gestured for Giles to move aside. Closing her eyes the witch concentrated, the palms of her hands hovering near the surface of the door.

"Black for dark, white for light" she muttered, "define and show us, wrong or right"

A mist appeared between Willow’s hands and the door glowing a variety of colours from red to blue, and green before finally settling to grey.

"Define and show us, wrong or right" she demanded more loudly as the mist swirled violently. It soon became obvious it was becoming darker and darker, till it was black as night.

"He’s bad" Andrew whispered, "He’s bad, he’s evil, he’ll kill us all!" he almost shrieked and Dawn snapped at him, telling him to calm down because he was only upsetting the children more.

"You must let me in!" Davy wailed, continuing to pound on the door as Dawn and Andrew held Chloe and Ellie tighter and backed away from the door.

"It’ll be alright" Giles assured them, "Just so long as the barrier holds, he can’t get further than the door" he said as Davy made attempts to break it in.

"If the barrier holds" Willow said worriedly, "There’s no way to know exactly what Luisa has done to him" she told the Watcher, "If he can channel her power somehow..." her sentence trailed away but the look on her face told everyone just what she meant.

Each person in the room stepped back from the door, all hoping and praying that whatever was happening with their friends and Luisa that it would end in the Vampire/Slayer’s death, and very soon.

"Talk to me, Xander" Illyria begged of him as she lay on the ground in the alleyway with her head in his lap, shaking and writhing at intervals when the pain became to much and caused her whole body to spasm, "Your words keep me here" she told him as tears ran from her eyes and blood from her nose.

Xander himself felt like bawling as he held the girl as best he could and stroked her hair in what he hoped was a comforting way. If this went on too much longer, he was worried he was going to lose Lyri either mentally or completely. He couldn’t lose another woman, not after the tragic loss of Anya and even Cordelia. He’d known Illyria such a short time but already he had deep feelings for her, maybe love at first sight wasn’t such an unbelievable thing after all.

"Sure, talking" he said, trying to sound as upbeat as he could, "Shouldn’t be a problem, I could talk for my country. Willow and Buffy said I should get medals for the rambling, shame it’s not an Olympic event" he smiled painfully as Illyria yelped from pain once again and shifted awkwardly in his arms.

"But y’know I can be action man too" he told her, saying anything just to try and keep her grounded, "I can fight, beaten my share of demons down. Sure Buffy helps, and Willow, and Giles, hey even Spike when he got all non-evil, but I always did my part. Did I tell you the story of how I lost my eye? That was some fight"

"Tell me now" she gasped and coughed before continuing, "Tell me your heroic tales, I wish to hear all" she told him, "I want to know everything, and time will not last forever"

To Xander it sounded as if she might be giving up and he wouldn’t allow that.

"Time lasts longer than you think" he told her, "Hey Spike’s been around like a hundred years, that’s a way long time, and Angel he was like two hundred and forty something. I knew a girl once that clocked over a thousand years" he ended more quietly than he’d begun and Illyria noticed the waver in his voice.

"One you loved?" she guessed, trying to look up at him but finding it almost impossible to raise her head at all.

"Yeah, one I loved" Xander agreed, still stroking her hair, "She was special... just like you are"

"You believe I can be special to you?" Illyria gasped as pain shot through her being once again.

"I already know that you are" he assured her, "and when all this is over you and me are gonna be special together, for a long time yet" he said firmly, "Least we could be, if you wanted"

"In this moment" Illyria swallowed hard, "I want nothing else"

Xander closed his eye and prayed to any Power that would listen that she would come through this intact, and that Spike could kill Luisa before it was too late.

"You were spoken of as such a great warrior in times past" Luisa yelled at Spike as they fought, "The mighty William the Bloody, and now reduced to this, a pathetic human" she smirked, "The only thing you shall be known for now is dying at my hand"

"Not bloody likely!" Spike yelled back at her as he jumped and grabbed the light fitting, swinging forward and kicking her square in the face. Luisa went sprawling but Spike knew he had just micro seconds before she was back on her feet. Blood running into his eyes almost blinded him but it didn’t matter. Reaching out a hand he caught the edge of the thick material at the window, and as he fell to his knees he pulled the covering away, just as Luisa made a dive at him.

The scream she let out was beyond anything Spike had ever bore witness to, so loud and pain filled it nearly deafened him as the sun burnt Luisa’s flesh until her body crumbled to ash before his eyes.

"It’s over" Spike gasped, not quite believing it as he breathed heavily from the exertion of the fight. As tired and broken as his body felt from the awesome battle, he got to his feet once again and ran to the door. He belonged at Buffy’s side, with his children. Though he knew he must’ve killed Luisa before Davy got to his kids, he still needed to see they were safe before he could fully believe it, before he could truly relax and say the right side had won.

To Be Continued...

Chapter 24

"Something’s changed" Willow said suddenly, "I can feel it, something’s shifted" she said as silence reigned beyond the barrier. As the group edged towards the door there was a loud knocking on it that made them all jump back in alarm.

"Guys! Willow! It’s me!" Buffy yelled.

"Buffy!" Dawn called back, "Davy was out there!" she warned.

"He still is" the Slayer explained, "but it’s okay, you can let us in"

With just a moments hesitation, Willow summoned up her power and it took just a few minutes before the barrier came down in a flash of light. She hurried to open the door and Buffy came in, dragging an unconscious Davy behind her.

"I don’t know what happened to him exactly" she admitted, "I got here, he turned and looked at me, something flashed in his eyes and then bam, he was out"

"Let’s get him on the bed, take a look at him" Giles suggested, helping Buffy to do just that. Moments later the Slayer ran to her children and hugged them both tightly to her, so relieved to find them still alive and okay.

"Buffy, I think it’s over" Willow told her, "Something changed. Is Luisa dead?"

"I guess so" the blonde nodded, "I left Spike fighting her, and if the battle’s over she must be gone. There’s just no way I can lose him" she said, getting tearful suddenly.

"Never gonna lose me again, luv" said a familiar English voice from the door and tears overcame Buffy as she let up her grip on her little girls just long enough to go to Spike, put her arms around him and help him from the door further into the room. He had a few nasty injuries, but nothing that wouldn’t heal in a few days thanks to his powers.

"Thank God you’re okay" Dawn cried too as she hugged her brother figure, "We were so worried"

"Wasn’t exactly havin’ a ball myself, pet" Spike told her, "but I knew I could beat that bitch down, had to really, for my girls" he smiled as he dropped to his knees on the floor where his children sat.

"Dada!" Ellie grinned reaching for him, and attracting Chloe’s attention to the fact he was there. Spike hugged them both, injuries and pain all momentarily forgotten just for a second or two. He had Buffy and two gorgeous kids, he had his humanity and the love of a family. Again he wondered what he had ever done to deserve so much happiness, but thanked the Powers That Be he had them all the same.

"Where’s Xander?" Willow asked after a moments silence.

"Yeah, and Illyria?" Andrew chimed in.

"They were on their way here when Illyria had a vision" Buffy explained to the group, "but it was more than just the regular kind, it was like too many all at once"

"It was Luisa" Spike filled in closing his eyes and cursing internally to himself, "She did a bloody spell or whatever, sent this fire ball thing into the air, told me it’d mess with Blue’s head. I couldn’t stop her, it was her or the kids, I... I had to make a choice"

"And you made the right one" Illyria told him as Xander helped her into the room.

"Bloody hell, Lyri, look at the state of you" Spike said as he scrambled to his feet and made sure his friend got to a comfortable chair as quickly as possible.

"You have a use for mirrors these days, William" she pointed out, "Take a look at yourself" she smirked slightly, noting the blood and dirt that covered him too.

"I think what we look like should be the last thing on our minds" Giles pointed out as he walked over to them, "It would seem Davy is back to normal, just unconscious" he explained, "I hazard a guess that when Luisa was defeated, all her power over him ended"

"Over Lyri too, I’d wager" Spike nodded, "Brain pictures give in a few minutes ago, did they luv?" he checked as Buffy came to stand behind him and put her arm around him, just so glad to know he was alive.

"They did" Illyria nodded her head slowly, "Though some of the pain remains in my skull, the bleeding has ceased, as have the images I would sooner forget"

"I still say you need to be checked out at a hospital" Xander told her as he sat on the arm of her chair and held her.

"And I repeat that I have no need for such a place" Illyria snapped half-heartedly, "Though I shall admit this young man has pleasing qualities I am quite certain his concern for my welfare shall drive me to distraction in the future" she rolled her eyes heavenward as she used the sarcasm Spike had taught her well these past months.

"You better believe it, baby" Xander told her, kissing her forehead.

"So, what now?" Dawn asked, "I mean, it’s all over now, right?"
"So it would seem" Giles agreed, "I cannot speak for anyone else of course but I think the next item on my own agenda would be sleep" he admitted.

"Don’t think you’re alone in that, Watcher" Spike smirked as not just the kids but also Buffy yawned loudly.

"I’m okay" the Slayer told him, "I think maybe you and me could use an over due talk before anything else" she said and Spike nodded she was right.

After much hugging and relieved tears the gang finally went their separate ways. Xander took Illyria down the hall to his hotel room, whilst Willow said she’d stay with Giles and take turns to watch Davy till he came around. After that they’d have to make sure all the spells used on him were definitely over and then help him get home. That left the witch’s room empty so she offered it to Dawn and Andrew, who were eager to give Buffy, Spike, and the kids, some space. The little family deserved at least one night alone, in particular the Slayer and ex-Vampire who had so much they needed to say.

It was a couple of hours after the battle had ended. The sun was low in the sky and Buffy was just tucking the kids into bed having had a shower and a change of clothes, and was now waiting whilst Spike took his turn. She was just coming out of the kids bedroom when he emerged from the other door in just a pair of jeans.

"Hey" Buffy half-smiled as they stood their staring at each other for a moment.

"Alright pet?" Spike checked as he looked back at her.

Tears welled up in her eyes as she took a step forward and reached about a hand, fingers running down the side of his face where blood had run just hours before from the gash on his head that was already healing. A few nasty looking bruises marred the skin of his chest and arms and she hated to see him hurt like this. It only served to remind her of all the beatings he’d suffered at her own hands, how badly they’d hurt each other up to now.

"Oh Spike" she cried as she finally fell into his arms, sobbing her heart out, "I was so scared of losing you again" she admitted as they held each other tight.

"Can’t say I was lovin’ the idea myself, luv" he told her as he rubbed her back, "but it’s alright, I’m here now. We’re here together, and nothing is ever going to spoil what we have, not again"

"You can’t know that" she cried into his chest but he was quite adamant about it, and pulled away til he could see her face.

"Now you listen to me, Slayer" he said, holding her chin in his hand and making her look at him, "I love you, Buffy Summers" he reminded her, "Love you more than I ever loved anyone in my whole bloody existence. You and the kids, you mean everything to me, and nothing and no-one could ever make me leave you, you hear me?"

"I hear" she nodded as more tears came to her eyes and she reached up to kiss him tenderly, "I love you Spike" she whispered against his lips, "God, I love you so much, I can’t even tell you"

With no words left to explain how they felt anymore, the only other option was to show each other just how deep their love ran. Both of them had waited far too long for this day and both were strangely nervous as they went into the bedroom and lay down together. Still these nerves meant nothing as they looked into each others eyes and the old fire ignited between them, made stronger and more special by the love they now shared.

As they made true love together for just the second time in their relationship, neither could hold back tears. It was all too special, too emotional, and like nothing else they’d ever shared before.

As they lay spent together afterwards, Buffy sighed, snuggling as far into his embrace as she could get.

"I wish I’d figured out sooner what you meant to me" she said as her head lay on his chest, "Things could’ve been so different"

"Different doesn’t necessarily mean better, luv" Spike pointed out as he kissed the top of her head, "Thinkin’ about what we have now, yeah it’s been a rough ride getting here but, there’s nothin’ I’d really change" he told her.

"I missed you" Buffy replied as her reason for wanting things to have been different, "Those months without you were so hard, if it wasn’t for the kids I don’t know how..." her sentence trailed away and Spike felt a damp patch forming on his skin from her tears. He held her tighter and tried to soothe her.

"I missed you too, sweetheart" he told her, "Every bloody day, and I so wish I hadn’t been such a petrified little nancy boy and come and found you the moment I had the chance" he explained, "but I can’t change that, I can only say I’m sorry that we both had to go through so much pain, and that I love you and don’t have plans to ever, ever leave you again"

When she looked up at him, he hated to have to see the tears in her eyes and did all he could think of to do to ease her pain that still existed. He leaned down and kissed her gently, his hands sliding down her naked body beneath the covers.

"Spike" she gasped, as his lips left hers and travelled down her throat, "Marry me" she whispered in his ear.

"What did you say?" he asked, suddenly stopping what he had been doing and looking into her eyes. With a slight laugh she repeated her words.

"Marry me" she said, without a hint of nerves or regret, "I love you so much and I can’t stand not having you in my life" she explained, "So I thought maybe you’d want to marry me?" she said, waiting for some kind of reaction and unable to read any expression on his face other than confusion.

"Way to throw a fella off his game, pet" he said a moment later, blinking in shock, "You really do believe in bleedin’ girl power and all that, don’t you?"

"I believe in certain guys giving answers to important questions before certain girls explode from the anticipation" she said, feeling suddenly nervous about her question.

"Do I want to marry you?" Spike echoed her question back, fingers running through her hair as he looked at her, "Buffy, luv, I want nothing else" he assured her, "Yes, I’ll marry you" he smiled as she practically threw herself at him and kissed him deeply. They ended up making sweet love again, and the near full moon was high in the sky when they next paid attention to anything but each other.

"Remember this?" Spike smirked as he pulled a ring from his finger and showed it to the woman in his arms.

"How could I forget?" she smiled, as she saw it was the silver skull ring he’d given to her during their fake engagement years ago, under another of Willow’s botched spell attempts.

"I know you did it your way" Spike said as he shifted away from her and pulled himself up til he was on his knees beside her, "but I’m an old fashioned sort of bloke, and now we’re gonna do it my way" he smirked, taking hold of Buffy’s hand in his as she pulled herself up to a sitting position, both of them still naked from their earlier activities and not caring at all.

"Buffy Anne Summers, I’ve loved you for years now, possibly since the very first time I laid eyes on you in fact" Spike told her, "We’ve come a bloody long way since then, had our good times and plenty of bloody bad ones too. We’ve both died and lived longer than we should, we’ve made two soddin’ gorgeous kids together, and I can’t tell you how much you mean to me. I love you so much, Slayer. Will you marry me?"

"I will" she said with a tearful smile as he slid the old ring on her finger and then kissed her again, what would have been another round of physical love proving being interrupted by Chloe crying from across the hall.

"Bugger" Spike cursed, though he was smiling as they both got out of bed to go to their kids, Buffy pulling on her dressing gown and Spike going for his jeans again since he had nothing else there. Annoyingly, by the time the pair reached the children’s bedroom door, their girl was silent again.

"Must’ve been talking in a dream or something" Buffy whispered, "She seems fine now" she said as she stood in the doorway, Spike right behind her with his arms around her waist.

"Don’t reckon I’ll be dreaming at all tonight" he told her just as softly, "What’s left to dream for when I already have you and them?" he shrugged as Buffy turned in his arms and gazed up into his bright blue eyes.

"I was just thinking the exact same thing" she smiled, right before they kissed.

The End

A/N2 : Had to end on the Spuffy, it was the only way I know! Final reviews would be very much appreciated. I’ve loved writing this fic, which has been a little different to most of my others, and again I thank everyone who has taken the time to read and review.