"Spike," Drusilla snapped. "You're supposed to be guarding the Slayer."
Sighing, Spike turned to face his angry ex-lover. "She's not going anywhere with Angel-boy chained to a post."
"She might attack me." Drusilla gestured wildly.
"She looks pretty subdued to me, pet."
"Then go sit over there, out of the way," Drusilla replied in a petulant voice. "I need to prepare the slut."
Spike sidestepped her and sat down on the ground next to Buffy. He turned to watch what Drusilla had in store for Lily.
"Dalton, bring the blood," she ordered, brandishing a small paintbrush she had been keeping in her pocket. The little vampire hurried over to his mistress with the bowl of blood. Dipping the brush in the red ichor, Drusilla began to paint patterns on Lily's skin.
At the smell of blood, Lily's nose twitched, but she held still as Drusilla painted dots on her forehead, Celtic symbols on her breasts and stomach, and streaks down her thighs. In the cool night air, the blood quickly dried and began to itch.
With a satisfied nod of her head, Drusilla stepped back and ran her eyes over the incantations painted on her enemy's body. Handing the brush to Dalton, she looked over at the boys, then down at Spike.
"Spike," she wheedled. "Go make them turn around. They can't watch until it's all done and I've won."
"Huh?"
"I'm going to be naked," Drusilla whispered loudly, then giggled.
Spike rose and walked over to the interested group of idiot vampires. A few words--make that a few threats--and they all turned to face the woods.
Lily kept her face placid as she watched Drusilla strip off her clothes. Returning to her side, Spike took her dress and folded it neatly.
"You'll make sure my coronation gown doesn't get dirty, right Spikey?"
"Yeah, sure pet." He draped her clothes over a low hanging branch, then leaned against the tree, his eyes narrowing as Drusilla revealed her pale nudity.
Naked, she turned to the wide-eyed Dalton. "Now, you remember what to paint, right?"
"Yes mistress," he stammered, dropping the brush, then bending to pick it up. Blinking several times, he dipped the brush in the blood and began to paint symbols on her pale flesh.
"Stop trembling," she ordered. "You mustn't muck this up."
"No mistress. I won't." Forcing his hand to steady, Dalton continued to paint.
"And what are these lovely marks supposed to do, pet?" Spike asked.
"They bind us together, two dark goddesses."
"Uh huh, then what?"
"We go into the pretty pentagram and I sing a lovely song," Drusilla chanted. Giving him a wicked look over her shoulder, she continued, "then I slit her throat and bathe in her blood until she's dead."
After a moment of silence, Spike realized she wasn't continuing. "That's it?" he asked, a little stunned at the ritual's simplicity.
"It's not difficult, once I finally translated it and made it make sense and found *her*."
"The key."
She corrected him. "The vessel, the vessel for the virgin blood. I had to understand it all. The pictures in my head showed me, the rarity of a Slayer turned."
Spike frowned slightly, then said carefully, "So, if this doesn't work, you can try again with Buffy?"
Drusilla shot him a concerned look and waved away Dalton, who had finished. "Why wouldn't it work?"
"Oh, spells can be tricky things," Spike replied lightly.
"As long as the components are in place and are proper, this is simple."
"It can't be that simple or people would have been doing it for centuries."
Drusilla shook her head and glanced up at the moon. "Finding a Slayer turned vampire is rare."
"Okay, that's probably true," he admitted, rising to his feet as Drusilla sashayed over towards him. "But, if it doesn't work, you can use Buffy?"
Drusilla was growing exasperated by his lack of confidence. "It *will* work. There's no reason for it not to."
"If it doesn't work and you use Buffy to try again, I'll die before we can find the next Slayer," Spike explained.
Glaring at him, she snapped a retort. "You're not listening to me. You're being very bad and I don't want to talk to you anymore." Spinning from him, Drusilla walked quickly over to Dalton. "What time is it?"
"Um, eleven minutes to three."
"Is your watch accurate?" she asked sharply.
"Yes, mistress. I checked and double checked with Greenwich mean time."
Noticing that his eyes were focusing on her breasts, Drusilla's eyes narrowed. "Is there something wrong with one of the symbols?"
"Um, no."
"Then go stand over with the boys," she snapped. As he stumbled away from her, flushing as much as a vampire possible could, Drusilla tapped her foot angrily. "Really, males are all alike. Slavering beasts."
"Do you want me to turn Angel around, too?" Spike quipped.
"Don't be silly. Daddy's seen it all before. Daddy saw it first," she replied with a lascivious giggle and strolled over to Angel. He stirred, slowly regaining consciousness. The first sight that met his blurry eyes was his blood drawn in patterns on white skin.
"Dru, don't do this," he mumbled.
Gently she ran her fingers over his burned and torn chest, tracing the fading wounds. "I have to," she replied simply. "I want to be happy."
Angel groaned and forced himself to a standing position. His abused shoulders refused to correct themselves and he bit back a scream of pain. "Why is your happiness more important than anyone elses, Dru?" he asked hoarsely.
Her brow furrowed and she stared at him. "Because I'm a princess."
Across the clearing, Buffy had forced herself to her feet, swaying slightly as her back ached and her legs trembled. Spike glanced at her, then over at Drusilla and Angel.
"Let's go see what they're doing, shall we?" Taking Buffy's arm, he dragged her across the clearing, reaching the other side in time to hear Drusilla's princess comment.
"Angel," Buffy cried, trying to pull free of Spike. Rolling his eyes in disgust, Spike refused to let her go, knowing she'd just fling herself against the injured vampire and hurt him more.
Okay, where had that bizarre feeling of compassion towards Angel come from?
As Spike pondered that, Angel groaned again and rolled his shoulder, making the bones grind together.
"Help him," Buffy hissed.
Spike stared down at her in amazement and winced as she clawed at his hand. "Cut that out," he snapped." Looking up, he saw that Drusilla was watching them curiously.
"Pretty Slayer. No more sunrises for you, pretty Slayer." Delicately Drusilla ran her hand over Buffy's cheek. "Light and dark," she murmured, looking from Buffy to Angel. "Just like me and Spike."
"On the outside only," Buffy snarled.
Another groan of agony came from Angel, which drew their attention. "Let her go, Dru. I'll stay with you, I promise. I'll do anything you want, be anything you want."
"You'll do that anyway, my Angel," she replied sweetly. "And Spike would die. I need him." Her voice trailed away and she looked over at Lily. "He needs to be mine again, all mine..." She wandered over to the pentagram and Buffy finally pulled free from Spike's grip.
"Please help him," Buffy begged.
Spike stared into her frightened eyes for a moment, then gave her a resigned nod. Taking hold of one of Angel's arms, he wrenched it back into the shoulder socket. Only semi-conscious, Angel groaned and thrashed his head. Spike performed the same operation on Angel's other arm. By the time both shoulders were realigned, Angel was pasty and shaking, but able to stand on his feet.
Hesitantly Buffy reached out and touched his face, her fingers sliding across his lips. She trembled in sympathy to his obvious pain. "Angel," she whispered.
He replied in a hoarse, pain-filled voice. "Do whatever you must to get away."
"I won't leave you."
"You have to."
The little scholar's voice carried across the clearing. "Mistress, it's three o'clock."
Laughing in delight, Drusilla spun around and clapped her hands. "Show time, my pretties."
Spike felt himself grow colder as Drusilla bounced and clapped. Nine minutes...and he had no idea how to stop her.
"Spike, bring the Slayer," Drusilla ordered.
Obediently, Spike grabbed Buffy's arm and dragged her away from Angel. She struggled and hit at him, but he just ignored her. Drusilla had sidled over to Lily and was unfastening her manacles.
With a hard jerk, she sent Lily sprawling onto her hands and knees. Wrapping her hand in Lily's hair, Drusilla kept her from trying to escape.
"Chain the Slayer, Spike, then help me get your bitch into the pentagram."
As he shoved Buffy back towards the post, she kicked him in the knee and swore, "You son of a bitch! I'll make every day of the rest of your miserable existence a living Hell."
Hopping on one leg and groaning, Spike shoved her against the post and quickly chained her there. "Oooh, I'm scared," he replied in a voice dripping with sarcasm. Turning, he saw Lily struggling to free her hair from Drusilla's iron grip.
Finally, Lily made it to her feet, wincing at the pain in her head. She hit Drusilla in the stomach and screeched as a segment of hair came free as Drusilla stumbled backwards.
"Spike," Drusilla wailed, wrapping one arm around Lily's throat, being careful not to rub away any of the runes.
Spike looked at the two females in his life and shook his head. "You're on your own, Dru."
Her look of hatred nearly burned him alive and she jerked Lily's head back. Lily kicked backwards and caught Drusilla in the shin, causing her to yelp. "Hold her, Spike. If you don't..."
He interrupted her in an incredulous voice, "If I don't, what? You're already going to kill her."
Drusilla gave him a crafty look and began to jerk her struggling captive towards the pentagram. "Then she dies in the uncaring arms of one of my fledglings."
As the horror of a future without Lily washed over him, Spike reached out and pulled his love into his arms. Drusilla released her and Lily stopped struggling.
Looking up into his sorrow-filled eyes, Lily smiled. "For all eternity, William. I will love you for all eternity."
"Why do you call me that?" he choked out.
Her fingers caressed his cheek and ran along his jaw, memorizing his face. "Spike is the name of a demon," she replied simply, with complete conviction that the male holding her no longer was under the thrall of anyone but her.
"Spike," Drusilla shouted, petulantly.
Taking Lily's hand, Spike led her into the pentagram, stepping carefully over the blood-soaked pattern.
Pulling on the chains binding her, Buffy tried to free herself in order to prevent Lily's death. Why the Hell was Lily so calm? Looking past the trio moving into place in the pentagram, Buffy's eyes met Angel's. His were still full of pain, but also fear. As he tugged futilely on his chains, she winced, knowing trying to free himself was only causing him more pain.
Buffy was frightened, more frightened than she had been in a long time, even more than when Willow had been missing. They were relying on one thing to stop Drusilla. What if it wasn't enough? What if the virgin blood didn't matter?
What would they do if the spell succeeded?
Tears began to leak from her stricken eyes and she bowed her head, her struggles ceasing.
As Lily turned in the pentagram, she saw the tears falling from Buffy's eyes and her mind ran through the prophecy. '...tears of the innocent will flow.'
Returning her gaze to Drusilla, she found the other vampire facing her, only about a foot between them. Spike moved behind Lily, circling her wrists with his gentle hands. Needing his comfort, Lily leaned back slightly, her shoulder blades resting against his hard chest.
A strange calm had been overtaking her since she had awakened. Her struggles with Drusilla had been almost out of a sense of habit, rather than a true desire to escape. She had never been fatalistic. Something was affecting her, keeping her calm and accepting.
Lily knew that this night meant a great change for her. If it was death, she could and would accept that. For three and a half centuries, she had trusted that God had a plan for her, a purpose for her continuing existence. If this was the end of that existence, then so be it. She had lived long enough to know love again. If she could die saving the world...well, hadn't that been her purpose all along?
"The moon whispers to me," Drusilla murmured. "It's time." As she bent to pick up a wicked, ceremonial knife, Lily glanced up and felt the beam of the crescent moon wash over her.
Drusilla began to chant, but Lily tuned her out, as the power of the moon overwhelmed her, calming her even more. It was so beautiful.
Spike eyes followed his love's and focused on the moon in all its pale glory, so like Lily herself. As Drusilla droned on, Latin tripping from her tongue, he listened to the moon calling to the children of the night.
As the ritual began, Angel stopped pulling on his chains, slumping slightly and moaning at the pain in his shoulders. It would be several days before they were fully healed, but thanks to Spike, he wouldn't be crippled.
He was still a little surprised that Spike had helped him. He was also surprised that no one seemed to be trying to stop Drusilla. Lily was taking her imminent death remarkably well.
As Drusilla's chanting grew, Angel felt compelled to raise his eyes to the crescent moon. It seemed to pulse in the dark sky and it sent a surge of adrenaline through him. As he yanked hard, one chain began to pull free of the post.
Buffy blinked her tears away and looked at Lily, standing so calmly against Spike. They were both staring at the moon. Glancing up, Buffy felt fear flood her. Was the moon getting larger? Chills ran through her, even though the night was warm. Something very bad was about to happen.
Consumed by the moon, Lily relaxed against her lover, feeling energy flowing through her like the flow of fresh, warm blood. Feeling Spike growing hard against her hip, she smiled and pressed against him.
Spike felt his erection, but did nothing to prevent it. The female he loved was in his arms, the moon was sending the blood racing through his veins. He felt like he could do anything...yet all he wanted to do was hold Lily and stare at the crescent moon.
Beneath their feet the Earth began to tremble, at first just a small shaking, but growing in intensity as Drusilla chanted faster and louder, the words spilling from her lips until she screamed at the moon.
The quake hit, its epicenter the pentagram, but the Earth held, not cracking, just shaking. The trio inside the mystical symbol were unaffected, easily standing their ground, their eyes, their entire beings focused on the moon.
Buffy screamed. The post she was chained to was uprooted and she fell backwards, cracking her head. As she lay dazed, only half aware of what was happening, the ground continued to shake, yet still not crack.
Angel pulled one manacle free and began to work on the other one. He needed to be free. The moon wanted him free to join her. As he tugged at the remaining chain, his demon began to assert itself.
Enraptured by the moon and the feel of her lover holding her, Lily didn't even feel the blade as it slit her throat.
As Lily's blood began to flow down her chest, the eyes of the trio in the pentagram fell from the moon. Dropping the knife, Drusilla jerked Lily from Spike's grip and embraced the wounded female.
Lily screamed, the rapture of the moon gone, replaced by the pain of her mortal wound. As weakness assailed her, she felt her legs give out and tumble her to the ground. Drusilla fell with her, her own body growing slick with Lily's flowing blood.
Stunned and dazed, Spike watched it all as if it was happening in slow motion. His arms fell uselessly to his sides as Drusilla rolled onto her back, bringing Lily over her so that the final part of the spell could occur.
"Yes, yes," Drusilla moaned as she was coated in the Slayer's blood falling like hard rain on her own pale flesh.
Lily's eyes fell shut as lethargy flooded her. Her head swam and she fell against Drusilla, their bodies pressed together in a parody of lovemaking.
But, they weren't making love, they were making death.
Still dazed and in pain from the blow to the back of her head, Buffy tried to move in order to catch a glimpse of what was happening. The earth was still shaking and she could hear the sound of trees crashing in the woods around them. The distant sound of sirens from town also could be heard.
She was more concerned about the joyous laughter coming from Drusilla. Forcing her head up, Buffy gaped at the sight of Lily and Drusilla, embracing, Lily's blood covering them both from a nasty wound in her throat.
Spike's legs gave out and he dropped to his knees. He was vaguely aware that the Earth was shaking. His attention was focused on the life blood draining from Lily.
Raising her head, Drusilla buried her mouth in Lily's neck, drinking, still laughing.
Suddenly the laughter stopped. A panicked look entered Drusilla's eyes and she shoved Lily from her.
Nearly unconscious, nearly dead, Lily rolled onto her back and stared at the moon. Was it turning red? Or was that just her vision going?
"Nonononononono," Drusilla babbled, scrabbling to her knees. Her terrified eyes flew to Lily, then Spike, then towards the moon. She screamed.
Ignoring Drusilla, Spike reached for Lily, pulling her nearly drained body into his arms. Her eyes fluttered shut, then open. She tried to smile as he cradled her on his knees.
Desperately, he pressed a hand against her wound, trying to stop the bleeding. How much had she lost? There was blood everywhere. She was covered in it; Drusilla was covered in it; the ground where they had lain was soaked, the markings of the pentagram obscured.
"Bitch," Drusilla screamed. "How, how? No virgin blood in you, none." Grabbing Lily's arm, she tried to jerk her away from Spike.
"Let her go, Dru. It's over," he said sadly.
"NOOOOOO."
As he yanked the other manacle free, Angel looked up and saw the moon turning red. In his head the moon's song disappeared and his demon howled as his soul reasserted itself. Trembling in reaction, Angel looked across the clearing, then stumbled as the Earth shook beneath his feet.
He got a glimpse of Spike and Drusilla on their knees, each tugging on Lily. Lily was covered in blood, a gaping wound across her throat. Her eyes were closed. Angel remembered what Spike had said, that Slayers didn't turn into dust.
Was she dead?
Another glance showed him that the other vampires were pinned beneath a fallen tree. The small one remained free, but cowered on his knees, watching the events unfolding in the pentagram.
Forcing his legs to move, Angel carefully began to circle the clearing, heading for Buffy. He could see her moving, so he knew she was alive. He prayed to God she was all right.
As he tried to push the suddenly psychotic Drusilla away from Lily's still body, Spike felt the wind began to blow hard, sending tree branches swaying and leaves falling.
"You've ruined it all," Drusilla screamed. With a sudden burst of strength, she pulled Lily away from Spike and tumbled them out of the pentagram.
The ground heaved, sending the two female vampires flying across the clearing to land against a tree. Spike started to follow them and was thrown to his knees by the wind. A red haze began to fill the clearing.
He swallowed hard as he realized it was the light of the moon.
By clinging to trees and forcing his body through the wind, Angel reached Buffy and dropped to the trembling ground. With savage strength, he broke the chains and freed her. Pulling her into his arms, he cradled the back of her head. Buffy moaned and moved away from his hand.
Blood dripped off his fingers and he gently examined the gash on her head from where she had hit the post. It wasn't deep and the blood flow was slowing.
Whimpering in pain and fear, Buffy clung to Angel, burying her face in his sore chest. He winced, but let her cling. It was so good to feel her in his arms.
If the world ended now, this was where he wanted to be.
Spike crawled into the wind, desperately trying to reach Lily. Drusilla was shrieking and clinging to Lily's still body, both females slumped against a tree.
Suddenly, Drusilla stiffened and fell silent, her eyes raising to the sky. A shaft of reddened moon beam hit her in the chest, driving her and Lily down into the shaking ground, pinning them on their backs, Drusilla's hand clutching Lily's arm.
In horror, Spike watched the beam envelop Lily as well, causing her to jerk and scream in agony.
Drusilla just shook, her whole body flailing as if it was being pounded from the inside out.
Diving towards them, Spike flung himself against Drusilla, shoving Lily out of the way, breaking the connection. The beam hit him and he screamed. The moon tore at him, pounded into him and through him into Drusilla.
She remained silent, her eyes open and full of agony...and something else.
With all her fading strength, Drusilla shoved Spike off her, sending him out of the moon's furious beam. Collapsing next to Lily, trembling in pain and feeling intensely weak, Spike watched the beam continue to pour into Drusilla's jerking body. One minute passed, then another. Finally, the beam began to fade and the energies depart.
The quaking of the Earth stopped, the wind calmed and an eerie silence filled the clearing.
Raising to his shaking knees, Spike's eyes went from one still female to another.
And he began to pray...
As the wind stopped howling, Buffy pulled back from Angel and looked up at him with shining eyes.
"Angel," she whispered.
Angel nearly choked on the emotions she created in him. "Buffy." Gently he pulled her to her feet, cradling her sore head against his chest.
"Did we win?" she asked hesitantly.
Slowly they turned to find Spike kneeling between Lily and Drusilla. Both females were still and silent, their bodies covered in blood and bruises. Lily was skin and bones and the wound in her throat still oozed blood.
"My dream," Buffy whispered in horror. Pulling away from Angel she stumbled over to the trio and fell to her knees beside Spike. "Is she dead?" she cried.
Spike looked up and Buffy gasped at the terrible grief inscribed on his face. "I don't know," he mumbled and a tear fell onto Lily's white cheek. He trembled weakly and gripped one of Lily's hands.
Angel crouched down next to them. "If she's alive, she needs blood and a lot of it."
Spike extended one clawed finger to his wrist. "She can have mine. I can't live without her," he choked out.
Angel caught his hand, preventing Spike from cutting himself. "And Lily won't want to live without you. That's not a viable option." He quickly glanced around the clearing and spied the other vampires. "Ah..."
As Angel approached, Dalton moaned and scampered into the woods. Ignoring him, Angel dragged one of the semi- conscious vampires from under the fallen tree, knocked him unconscious and lugged him across the clearing. Dumping him next to Lily and straddling him, he looked at Spike.
"I'll bite him. If Lily won't drink, we'll have to pour the blood into her."
Nodding Spike lifted Lily onto his lap, wincing at how light she felt. Her skin felt like dry paper and she was growing thinner and paler by the minute. Desiccation was setting in...
Angel bit the male vampire and Spike quickly pressed Lily's mouth to the wound. After a moment Angel shook his head. "It's not working; she's not drinking," Angel said.
"She's dead," Spike replied in an empty voice. He cradled Lily close, his hand caressing her lank hair.
"Buffy, get the bowl," Angel directed. Buffy hurriedly obeyed and handed Angel the ceremonial bowl. Together they turned the male vampire and drained him until the bowl was full.
"Um, what about Drusilla?" Buffy asked.
As he held the bowl to Lily's open lips, Angel glanced at Drusilla. "Is she conscious?"
"Doesn't look like it."
"She didn't lose any blood, so, she's probably not in danger of dying immediately." Angel began to dribble blood into Lily's mouth while Spike caressed her throat, making her swallow.
"She's swallowing," Buffy exclaimed.
Angel answered her in a guarded voice, "We're making her throat muscles work."
"She can't be dead," Spike murmured, continuing to manipulate the muscles as Angel poured.
"Oh...well, should I stake Dru?" Buffy asked hesitantly.
"Please...don't." Spike said softly.
"But, it's my duty," Buffy replied delicately.
"Buffy, not now," Angel said. "Tie her up for now. I saw some rope over by the post they chained me to."
"She tortured you, may have killed Lily and tried to destroy the world. She should die."
Spike growled low in his throat.
"Don't push it, Spike," Buffy snapped. "I should be staking you, too."
Using his free hand, Angel pushed Buffy towards the rope. "Not now. Once we get Lily revived, we can sort all the rest out."
"Giles is not going to like this," Buffy muttered as she walked over to get the rope.
"Her timing really sucks," Spike growled.
Angel wanted to defend his girlfriend, but ended up shrugging. "She's young." The bowl emptied, Angel drained the rest of the vampire and watched him explode into dust. Returning the bowl to Lily's mouth, he again began to pour the blood, wondering just how much was needed.
Suddenly, Lily swallowed on her own. Spike's eyes lit up and joy leapt in him. "Did you see that?"
Nodding, Angel poured a little more blood in and Lily drank it. Before their eyes her body began to fill out, her hair to soften, her pale skin to take on the appearance of near life. As Angel fed her, Lily began to drink greedily, her lips moving on the bowl. She grew heavy in Spike's arms.
He began to cry silently, tears falling onto her beautiful face. "Thank God."
Angel's eyebrow went up, but he refrained from commenting. He handed Spike the bowl. "Can you handle this on your own?" Spike nodded. "I'm going to fetch one of the other morons for her to feed on."
As he rose, Angel saw that Buffy had propped Drusilla against a tree and had tied the rope around her hands, then around the tree. Grabbing Drusilla's velvet coat, he draped it over his former lover.
Crouching before Drusilla he watched her eyes flutter open. "Angel?" she whispered, then moaned as Buffy yanked the rope tight.
"Drusilla," he replied evenly.
"Did I win?" she asked in a pathetic voice.
Angel shook his head. "No, Drusilla, you didn't."
One silver tear leaked from each stricken eye and she whimpered. "The moon hurt me. Hurt me inside. Daddy? Make it better?"
Gently Angel caressed Drusilla's pale, trembling cheek. One touch and he knew the truth. Drusilla was dying again, from the inside out, and it was going to be a nasty, painful death. As before, she would linger for years before the end came.
Perhaps it would be a mercy to have Buffy end her suffering now...
Rising to his feet, Angel caught a glimpse of Buffy watching him. Turning, he took a couple of steps towards the pinned vampires before she caught him. Taking his arm, Buffy forced him to turn and look at her.
"How can you be so nice to her?"
Angel saw the look of total bafflement in Buffy's eyes, but didn't have the strength to try to explain it to her. Buffy saw the world in black and white, evil and good. All he saw were varying shades of grey.
Yes, Drusilla had done horrible things, had tried to destroy the world and kill Lily and Willow.
But, he had done so much worse. He couldn't let Buffy kill Drusilla, no matter how much she deserved to pay for her crimes...because he needed her alive to remind him of his own.
"Please, Buffy, later. We can talk about all of this later."
Gently Buffy touched the now healed hole around his nipple. The bite mark remained and the flesh was tender, but no longer bled. "You think you deserve this," she said softly, then met his eyes, shaking her head. "You didn't do any of this."
Dipping her head, Buffy turned and went to gather Lily's clothes. Shaking his head, denying her words, Angel went to fetch more food.
The bowl empty, Spike set it aside and watched as Lily's lips smacked together. Her tongue darted out, licking, and her fangs extended. There was no other movement, no other sign of life.
"Lily," he whispered. "Please come back to me."
Nothing. No response. Except for the movement of her mouth, there was nothing. Spike pulled her closer, gently rubbing the dried blood runes from her skin. Her own blood covered them both, slowly drying in the cool air.
When Buffy knelt down beside him, Spike didn't look up. "I brought her dress," she said softly. Moving to Lily's feet, Buffy began to slide the dress up her body. Spike helped by lifting Lily, but refused to let her go. "She looks a lot better..."
"She has to live..." Spike replied, his voice so incredibly needy it left Buffy speechless.
"Then I'll live," Lily whispered. Her eyes fluttered open and she tried to focus. "William?"
"Lily?" and all the love in the world rang in his voice.
End Chapter 21