Disclaimer: All belongs to Joss Whedon.
 
Things will begin to get darker for our heroes from here on out. Be forewarned…
 
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Chapter 23
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“When will Giles be back?” Dawn asked over dinner the next day.
 
“His plane should get in late tomorrow,” Buffy said. “He called this morning with his final flight plans.”
 
“Did he figure out what’s coming after you?” Dawn wondered.
 
“He’s pretty sure it’s some demons from another dimension that can only travel to our dimension at specific times. He wants to show us the pictures he has of them and see if it’s the same ones. If they are, we may be able to disrupt their plans if we can just keep them away from us until this special time passes.” Buffy explained.
 
“Did he mention anything else?” Spike asked in between sips of blood.
 
“The phone connection was lousy. But he’ll be here tomorrow, so we can figure it all out then, I think.” The three of them went back to their meal, unaware of forces moving behind the scenes to bring the whole situation to a head.
 
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In the dark cavern that served as the throne room for the Ruler of the Dwak Dlam, a contingent of warriors stood in rows before the throne. The demons were easily seven feet tall, their shiny black skin gleaming in the torchlight, and their twisted, grotesque heads in perfect alignment as they listened for the words of their leader.
 
“You have been chosen as the advance guard,” said the leader in her cold, firm voice. “You must be ready to enter the portal when the Seer gives the command. You will obey her as you obey me. Is that understood?”
 
“Yes, Ruler,” they answered in one deep voice.
 
“Seer! What is your command?” said the Ruler.
 
The crone with the sewn-shut eyes tapped her way forward. “The veil between the worlds is almost at its thinnest. The Dwak Dlam will go to the space between to await the sacrifice. The portal will only open enough for your small corps to go through before that time. We will await a signal from the Kratash spies. When we go through, you must not harm the child. Kill all others you find there, but the mother must be restrained unharmed, lest the child be unfit for the sacrifice. I will perform my duties when you have subdued her. Do you understand?” the Seer asked her aged yet clear voice.
 
“Yes, Seer,” they chorused again.
 
The Ruler stood up. “Assemble all the Dwak Dlam. We travel tonight to the space between. There we will await the coming sacrifice. Our gods will be honored and our power secured!” The warriors cheered and roared, clashing their weapons in a great cacophony. The Dwak Dlam were on the warpath, and none would bar their way.
 
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Buffy woke that morning feeling completely unrested. Her dreams had been dark and disturbing, and in between nightmares the baby had been as restless as she was. Spike was awake as well, her mental and physical discomfort having projected into his mind as well. Ugh, she moaned. I feel like someone dragged me behind a truck all night.
 
My poor Slayer, Spike sympathized. You stay in bed. I’ll go see that Dawn gets off to school alright, and then I’ll bring you up something.
 
Would you? Buffy said gratefully. I don’t feel like I have the strength to waddle down there right now.
 
Breakfast in bed, coming right up. He kissed her forehead and got up, putting on his bathrobe and heading downstairs. “Morning, Nibblet,” he said affectionately.
 
“Morning. Is Buffy okay?” Dawn asked. She was starting to get a little anxious for her sister as Emma’s birth approached.
 
“Yeah. She’s just tired. Emma kept her up kicking all night.”
 
“I guess that’s part of having a mom who’s a Slayer,” Dawn said. Spike sipped his blood and coffee while Dawn had her cereal.
 
“Anything big going on at school these days?” he asked.
 
Dawn shrugged. “I’ve got an algebra test tomorrow. Otherwise, just the same ol’ same ol’.”
 
“Let me know if I can help you study or anything,” Spike offered.
 
“I think I’ve got it. Just let x equal x, right?” Dawn joked. She looked at her watch, chugged down her juice and said, “Gotta run. Tell Buffy to take it easy, okay?”
 
“I’ll be bringing her breakfast in bed momentarily,” Spike promised. Dawn gave him a quick hug and bolted out the door. Spike smiled, finished his blood, and set about getting breakfast for his girl. A short while later he went upstairs with a tray laden with eggs and toast, juice and decaf coffee. Buffy had dozed off again, but woke when Spike came in and sat up sleepily. “Your meal is served, madam,” he said gallantly.
 
“Mmm. I could get used to this treatment,” Buffy said. She munched her toast while Spike went down to get himself more coffee before joining her on the bed.
 
“Any particular plans for today, love?” Spike asked as he settled next to her.
 
“I think I will do some heavy duty lounging, followed by loafing, with a heavy dose of lying around,” Buffy said. “I swear, this kid weighs more than I do. I feel like I’m trying to haul a Volkswagen around on the front of me every time I move.”
 
“Hang in there, love. You’ll be back to your own svelte self soon enough,” Spike soothed.
 
“Sometimes I wonder if I’m ready for this,” Buffy mused. “I just can’t get my brain around the fact that there will be this newborn in the house. Like, very soon.”
 
“I can’t wait,” Spike said. “You know me. I’m not one for patience.” He directed his next remarks to her middle. “Emma? It’s your papa speaking. Time to come out now. Enough of this shyness, young lady.”
 
“Don’t think that’s going to help much,” Buffy said with a smile. “If it did, pregnant women would be yelling at their own stomachs in the fifth month.”
 
“Ah well, can’t say I didn’t try to help,” he said with a shrug. The side of his mouth crooked up into a grin as he downed more coffee.
 
They spent the day watching TV, feeling the baby kick, and making out by turns. For some unknown reason, Spike didn’t want to leave her side. He kept looking out the windows, wondering if the spies were there, scrutinizing every car that went past. Buffy finally commented, “You’re way jumpy today.”
 
“Just wish I knew what those Kratash guys were up to,” he said. “Bugs me to know they’re out there. I’ll feel a lot better when Giles gets here later. He’s going to call when he gets in, right?”
 
“Relax, lover. He’ll call when he gets to his place,” Buffy soothed. “Besides, we still have a couple weeks before she’s due. We’ll get everything sorted out by then.”
 
“What if she comes early?” Spike said in a concerned voice.
 
“It’ll be okay. I’ve got my vampire bodyguard, remember?” Spike was gratified by her faith in him, but he wondered if he would be enough.
 
Dawn came home as usual, and the routine of homework and dinner flew past. After dinner the three of them pursued various things. Dawn curled up on the phone in the living room for a chat with Janice. Spike did the dishes and wrestled with the laundry. Buffy was tired again, and went to lie down. She saw Spike’s journal on the bedside table, and picked it up. With her head propped on her hand, she read with growing affection all the messages he had written to his unborn daughter. A recent entry caught her eye:
 
I was raised to believe that the greatest desire of an Englishman should be a son to carry on the family name. But I’ll tell you a secret – I always wanted a girl. Even back when good Queen Victoria was on the throne. I love the hidden power of women. They look so delicate and beautiful, but they can kill you with a smile or raise you to soaring heights with a glance. Never saw women as the weaker sex. I look at all your mother has survived and endured, and how she keeps on going, keeps on fighting and trying and loving, and I know that no other creature I’ve ever encountered has such strength. And to have that strength wrapped in such a beautiful package – that is the mystery of women. I cannot wait to see the kind of woman you will become some day. I know that whatever you turn out to be, I will be proud of you.
 
Love, Papa
 
“I’m going to head out on patrol love,” Spike said as he entered the bedroom. He gave a sheepish smile as he saw what she was reading. “A bit melodramatic, I know, but…”
 
“Spike, it’s beautiful,” Buffy interrupted. “I wish my father had written something like that for me. It’s the most touching thing you’ve ever written.”
 
“You really think so?” he asked hopefully.
 
“I do,” she said with a tender smile. He leaned over to kiss her gently, drinking in her soft, warm lips. “Don’t forget to check on Clem’s place for him,” she reminded him after they reluctantly parted.
 
“I won’t,” Spike promised. “You remember to put the wards up, you hear me?”
 
“Yes, Mr. Pratt,” Buffy said with an eye roll. Then she pulled him down and kissed him again. “I love you,” she said.
 
“Love you too, Buffy,” he answered. He turned and went down stairs, waving to Dawn and heading out the door.
 
Buffy sighed, realizing that she really should get up and put up the wards. Why did they make the spell so I need to be standing at the door to say it? I mean hello? Pregnant lady here! Stairs kinda suck when you can’t see your feet! She lay on her side, reading a few more lines in Spike’s journal, until she found herself dozing off with her head on her arm.
 
Spike did his usual patrol, although he tended to move pretty fast these days. He supposed he was probably missing a fledge here and there, but he figured the extra vampires could be taken out later. As the weeks had gone by, he found himself more and more reluctant to leave Buffy unguarded. He knew that she could probably still hold her own for a while, but she was so close to the end, and so tired all the time, that he was out of his skull with worry whenever they were apart.
 
He finally got to Restfield toward the end of his route. He poked his head into the old crypt, but everything seemed secure. He was about to turn to go when he felt Buffy’s thoughts and emotions surge into his brain. What the hell? Dawn? She was frightened, angry, clearly going into defensive mode. Then her voice screamed in his head, Spike! Help me! Please!
 
Spike turned and sprinted out of the cemetery, running faster than he had ever run. Buffy’s voice in his head ceased to be coherent words and became an endless scream of agony. Hang on, Slayer, he pleaded as he flew through the streets to Revello drive. As he ran up the walk he felt a great wave of power sweep through him, and a great wind sprung from nowhere, knocking him backward. “Buffy?” he yelled as he recovered and reached the door. He burst through and stopped dead, his mouth gaping in shock.
 
Dawn lay on the living room floor, motionless. No… He knelt at her side. She was perfectly still, beautiful and unmarked, except for her clearly broken neck. Nibblet…oh no…Dawn… Then another voice crept weakly into his mind. Spike…
 
“Buffy?” he roared again, dashing upstairs. He ran to their bedroom and once more found himself unable to move.
 
The scene from his nightmare had come to life. Buffy lay on the floor, her bathrobe torn open, the front of her body soaked in blood. Blood had splashed on the walls and soaked the carpet. The little pig that Dawn had named Baby Gordo, intended for little Emma, was splattered in red as well. There were ragged slashes across Buffy’s abdomen, and Spike realized with mounting horror that someone had cut the child from her body, leaving her to bleed to death.
 
In another moment he was kneeling at her side. Buffy, stay with me love, he pleaded.
 
Buffy half opened her eyes. Took her… Emma… heard her cry… Buffy’s thoughts were rapidly becoming unfocused.
 
Who took her, love? Is she alive?
 
Alive… dark ones… find her… Buffy’s eyes closed, and Spike could feel her slipping away.
 
“No, Buffy please, don’t leave me.” Tears rolled down Spike’s cheeks as he cradled his wife’s body. He fought a rising panic. Dawn was dead, his baby daughter was out there, somewhere, and Buffy was dying. Slayer, don’t leave me. I need you. Emma needs you. Gotta tell me who took our girl. But Buffy was so far gone that her presence was like a guttering candle in his mind. He realized that there was no way help could get to her in time. Her breath was becoming shallow, and her heartbeat slowing. If she was gone, he would have no way to find their daughter. He also realized that without her he wouldn’t be able to go on – the broken claim would drive him mad within days. Weeping helplessly, Spike realized there was only one thing he could do, something he had previously ruled out as unthinkable.
 
He vamped, gently moved her hair out of the way, and sank his fangs tenderly into her neck. I love you, Buffy. Forgive me. He drank more deeply from her than he ever had, spurred on by the urgency of her fading heartbeat. Then pulling away he drew his fangs across his own wrist and held it to her lips. Drink love. Need you with me. At first the blood ran into her mouth with no response from her, but after a moment she swallowed, and weakly fastened her lips to his wrist. She swallowed twice more, and her eyes fluttered open for a moment. She fixed him with a long look, then fell back. Spike heard her heart beat once… twice… then stop. He had killed his third slayer.
 
TBC