"What?" Buffy said wide-eyed.

Spike turned from her. He went over the entire scene in his mind. Seeing Drusilla in the alley, then in his house in London.

Her fangs in his neck.

Dear God, it was her. But how?

Buffy walked in front of him and turned, scanning his face. "Spike, did Drusilla do that to you? Did she bite you?" Buffy asked, angrily.

Spike stepped back from her. She wouldn't understand. "She came to me. Everything was an illusion. I thought she was... I didn't know!"

He couldn't get the image out of his head. Dust. She turned to dust, and it was all over his boots. His heart pained for her. He knew it shouldn't. He thought she'd eventually meet her doom one day.

But not by his hands.

He almost did her in years ago for Buffy. But he knew after trying it that it would be a lot harder to do. He spent an eternity with her. She needed him. And now she was no more. Did he send her to hell? Spike thought of all the dreadful places she may have been sent to. Her mind, so fragile. Too fragile to deal with...

"Spike!" Buffy shouted.

"I can't believe what I have done," he whispered.

Buffy's face changed to anger. They didn't have time to dwell over the death of an evil vampire. "Do you have to do this now?"

"What? Do you understand what this means? I killed her. Dusted her. I thought she wasn't real. I thought she was an illusion!"

Buffy closed in on him and looked at him hard in the eyes. "She tried to kill you. Hence the bite marks!" Buffy shouted.

Spike felt his neck again. She was right. She was going to turn him. She was going to bring him back to her. Take him away from...

Buffy.

No illusions there. He would have... Lorne's words came to him. His death, one outcome. His and Buffy's baby, another outcome.

Was it possible? He saw the little boy again in his mind. Maybe. Just Maybe...

"I'm sorry Buffy." Let's get out of here," Spike said looking down.

Buffy and Spike walked together through the winding hallways. They didn't say much to each other. He wanted to tell her everything, but now wasn't the time. Their goal was to get the hell out of there in one piece. They approached the foyer. Everyone was there. Dawn turned to see her sister and Spike walking towards her.

"Buffy! Spike!" Dawn cried as she ran to them. She hugged Buffy tightly, then quickly grabbed Spike for a hug. He chuckled at the overflow of affections.

"Hey there, lil' bit," Spike said.

Faith came in for a hug with Buffy. Buffy hugged her back, smiling. "Wow, here I thought you couldn't wait to get rid of me!" Buffy joked.

"Nah, and leave you in this phat mansion? I don't think so," Faith shot back, handing Buffy her scythe.

She leaned in to Spike and whispered. "I'd hug you too, but B would probably behead me for that."

Spike smiled.

"My eyes are pleased to see you," Illyria told Spike. She turned to Buffy and it appeared she even smiled. "And you too."

"Have you guys seen Angel?" Lorne asked.

"Yea, he's giving The Immortal a much earned beat down," Buffy said.

Dawn looked at Andrew then back to Buffy. "You mean, he was responsible for all of this?" Dawn asked.

"Looks like. I'll explain it all in the limo. Angel should be here soon, we'll wait for him then we go," Buffy said.

"What about Jean Trevaud?" Giles asked.

"He's kissing the tiles." Spike said.

Angel appeared in the room. His clothes ripped and covered in blood but he was standing. He didn't seem bothered by any of it. "The Immortal won't be bothering us for a while. Let's get the hell out of here."

They headed for the door. Spike stayed back as everyone left. He stood with Angel.

"Thanks, Angel. Thanks for bringing us back."

"I didn't. You did," Angel told him.

Spike looked confused.

"I'll explain it all later," Angel said.

Spike looked down at his feet.

Angel noticed there was something bothering him. "Spike, what we saw, it wasn't real."

"Angel. I saw Dru. I thought she wasn't real. But...," Spike couldn't say it.

"Right, Eve mentioned that she was involved with the spell."

"I killed her," Spike confessed.

"Are you sure it was her?" Angel asked.

"I didn't at first, but now I know. She bit me. She tried to turn me. I killed her" Spike felt the pain shoot through his heart as he said the words.

"Spike. You're here. And as much as I hate to say it, Buffy needs you. You did the right thing."

Spike nodded. He knew Angel was right. He knew Buffy was right.

It still hurt.


Jean Trevaud wearily rose to his feet. He was weak and dizzy from the impact. He looked over to see The Immortal and his driver lying unconscious. He wasn't sure what had happened? Did his Drusilla come and take care of them? No, something wasn't right. She couldn't have. He limped through the other room where his crystal ball was and gasped.

"Damn it!" he shouted.

He ran through the halls searching for Drusilla. He came upon one of the rooms with the door open. "Oh my god!" he yelled.

Their was a dust pile on the floor. A large wooden cross lying in it. He peered down at it.

Drusilla? "No!" he shouted. His rage built in him hard and fast. "Spike!" he said, teeth clenched.

He ran through the hallway and came upon a room where he kept his best spells. He opened a book called "The Book Of Enlil"

He read this aloud.

"Ssalmani-ia ana pagri tapqida duppira
Ssalmani-ia ana pagri taxira duppira
Ssalmani-ia iti pagri tushni-illa duppira"

Suddenly a large vortex opened. He read the words repeatedly and louder against the strong winds coming from the vortex.


Faith looked up at a vortex hovering over them. "What the fu..." She gasped as the suction pulled at her.

"What's happening?" Andrew shouted.

Buffy looked around and noticed Gunn was closest to Dawn. "Gunn, take Dawn to the limo, and run as fast as you can."

Dawn turned to Buffy with fear in her eyes. "But Buffy what about..."

Gunn grabbed Dawn's arm and ran them to the limo, Andrew following. Gunn hastily opened the door and piled them in, slamming the door behind them. They watched in horror as the rest of the group struggled against the mighty pull.

Kennedy struggled to pull her and Willow back, but it was no use. They both fell in to it, screaming.

Just then, the pull became stronger. Issa struggled against it. Xander pulled her towards him, but it was too powerful. She flew into it, Xander clutching her tightly.


Sergio awoke. His head was throbbing. He gasped when he spotted the Immortal lying unconscious with a sword through his arm. He quickly rose and ran to him and pulled the sword out swiftly.

The Immortal opened his eyes. It took him a minute to get his mind together.

He rose.

Just then the roof of the room was torn off. A vortex hovered over them. He looked on in horror as Sergio flew up into it and disappeared. He tried to run, only getting pulled upwards. He cursed something in Italian as the vortex ate him up.


The girls stood outside the hotel, staring at it. It was huge. It grew bigger and bigger. Before they knew it, it pulled them in, in bunches. Some of the girls tried to fight it, but it was useless. The suction was too strong.

Then all the slayers were gone.

The hotel stood empty.


Cleveland

Robin turned on the news. Word of mini tornados all over the world was making the headlines. He saw the locations of where they were hitting. Brazil, England, California.

His heart froze. He knew these were no tornadoes. "Crap!" he said aloud.

Vi and Rona ran in to the room. Vi looked paler than ever. "Mr. Wood, I think we may have a problem," she said.

Just then the roof was torn off.

Robin ran to them, but it was too late. They were pulled up in extreme force.

Robin watched them disappear.


Jean Trevaud laughed at his success. He was going to rid this world of them, at last. Then he noticed the spell he chose. All the color in his face disappeared. He felt a tug. He looked up. The vortex pulled at him hard. He cursed at himself.

"Not meeeee," he shouted.

Then he was pulled in, cursing the whole way.


Buffy turned to Spike. They were the only ones left standing, but barely. The pull was strong and it hurt to hold onto to anything.

"Spike, we have to go in and help them.

Spike smiled. "Of course we will."

Buffy quickly turned to the limo and spotted Dawn. She saw the look of fear on Dawn's face. She waved to her. Spike let go of Buffy and stood by her side. He wasn't going to let her go without him. They let themselves be taken in by the pull. She grabbed his hand tightly as they disappeared in to the darkness, with the scythe in her other hand.

Then they were gone.

To be continued...

The sequel is now up: Homesick









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