Disclaimer: All the characters and stuff belong to Joss Whedon. Just having fun with them.
 
Thanks again to all my reviewers, both the ones who have been here since chapter 1 and those who just tuned in! Hope you didn’t have to wait too long.
 
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Chapter 29
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The Scoobies had spent a long night, desperately seeking something, anything that could help Buffy and Spike. By the time eleven o’clock rolled around, Willow was nearly in tears. “What can we do! It’s almost midnight!”
 
“And where are Buffy and Spike?” asked Xander. “Shouldn’t they be here, helping out?”
 
“I’ll call them,” Giles said wearily. He dialed Buffy’s number from memory. The phone rang and rang until the answering machine picked up and Dawn’s cheery voice said, “You’ve reached Dawn, Buffy, and Spike, please leave a message!” Giles winced at the sound of Dawn’s voice, but said, “Buffy, it’s Giles. We were wondering if you could come to the store so we can make contingency plans. Call us if you get the message.” He hung up.
 
“Where could they be?” asked Tara. “They can’t still be out patrolling, can they?”
 
Wesley made a point of studying the book in front of him more intently, trying not to catch anyone’s eyes. Anya spoke in a worried voice. “If they don’t stop the sacrifice, what’s going to happen?”
 
Giles threw himself into a chair and tossed his glasses on the table. He was at a loss for what to do. His best fighters had disappeared, and they were out of time. “If they are not stopped, the Dwak Dlam will break out into this dimension. They will kill indiscriminately. It may be the end of the world,” he said soberly.
 
“And we’re just sitting here, waiting for it to happen?” Xander cried. He turned to Willow. “Do a locator spell. Find Buffy and Spike, right now! We’re wasting time.”
 
“No,” said Wesley in a low, firm voice. “You need to know that they are doing everything possible to stop the sacrifice. You can’t help them at this point.”
 
The Scoobies all turned to stare at Wesley. “What did you say?” Giles asked, looking at him intently.
 
Wesley sat back and took a deep breath. “They had a dream, while you were all gone. I confirmed their suspicions in one of the texts. The space between is the hellmouth.”
 
“So what does that mean?” Tara asked, not really sure she wanted the answer.
 
“They need to enter the hellmouth to rescue their daughter.”
 
Xander jumped to his feet. “Why didn’t you tell us?” he cried. “We should be there helping them, not sitting here!” Xander grabbed his coat and started toward the door.
 
“Stop!” yelled Wesley, and his voice was so commanding that Xander found himself obeying. “They begged me not to let you go.”
 
“But why?” asked Willow. “We’ve always been a team.”
 
“This mission calls for stealth, and even then there is very little chance of success. They knew this. They didn’t want your deaths on their consciences. If they fail, we’ll know. If we dive in there now, we’ll more likely give them away and get ourselves killed then we will help. This is not our battle,” Wesley explained.
 
Xander turned to Giles, furious. “Do you hear this? You trust this guy?”
 
“Xander, he’s right,” said Tara quietly. They turned to look at her. “These things defeated the Slayer with almost no effort. There are probably a ton of them down there. We can’t help them this time.”
 
Xander looked desperately at all the faces and saw sorrowful agreement. Frustrated he kicked a small trash can, sending it flying across the room. “Dammit!” he cried. He sat down abruptly and dropped his head into his hands. “Dammit all to hell,” he said more quietly. Anya sat next to him, rubbing his back soothingly and putting her head on his shoulder.
 
“I guess there’s nothing to do but wait,” said Giles. The Scoobies looked around at each other with frightened eyes, and waited. They paced and idly flipped through books. The two couples comforted each other while the Watchers drank scotch. They watched as the clock crept slowly toward midnight. At the moment the wall clock started striking the hour, they all tensed, counting the strokes. As the last stroke sounded, the earth rumbled. They grabbed at the table as the room rocked and small items fell over on the shelves. Then all was still.
 
“Was that an earthquake? Or something else?” Anya wondered.
 
“I don’t know,” said Wesley. “We’ll just have to see what happens.”
 
Restlessly they milled about the store, looked outside, called Buffy’s house again, but there was no sign of anything. The night was dead still, clear with a full moon high overhead. Finally after another hour had gone by Giles said, “We don’t know what’s going on. I propose that we all stay here and try to get some sleep. The store is fairly defendable, and we have weapons and supplies for spells. If something happens, we’ll be better off being together than scattered.”
 
The others saw the wisdom in that statement. They all trooped into the training room, pulled out various mats, and stretched out. Despite their fears, they were all exhausted and soon dropped off to sleep.
 
Tara woke first the next morning. She untangled herself from Willow, who was lying on the mat beside her, and got up. She walked into the next room and looked through the window. Seeing nothing amiss she opened the door and stepped out onto the walk. The morning was warming up already, and the first faint pinks and purples of sunrise were painted across the sky. The street was as they had last seen it – no signs of violence or upheaval whatsoever. She returned to the training room to find the others beginning to stir as well.
 
“Did you see anything unusual?” Willow asked sleepily, pushing her red hair out of her eyes.
 
“No. It’s completely quiet out there,” Tara replied.
 
“Is that a good sign, or a bad sign?” asked Xander, getting stiffly to his feet.
 
“I guess we need to go and find out,” Giles said. Gathering themselves together, they left the store, heading for the old high school and whatever they might find there.
 
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Buffy and Spike landed hard, after what felt like a two story drop. The space they were in was pitch black, but a faint orange light shone from an opening in the distance. They both vamped out to see better as they moved quietly through the space, stretching every sense to the limit. As they approached the opening, they heard a deep, murmuring noise. A strong odor hit their nostrils at well. I think that’s them, Buffy said silently. Smells even worse with the upgraded senses.
 
They crept up to the side of the door and looked in. They saw a corridor, twisting off into the distance, with torches lighting the way sporadically. They cautiously made their way toward the sound, which resolved itself into a sort of chant in a strange, harsh tongue. Side corridors split off from time to time, some lit, some not. They rounded a corner to see that the end of the tunnel was in sight, but was blocked by two very large Dwak Dlam warriors. They were facing into the room beyond, which seemed to be the source of the loud, echoing voices. They jumped back as they heard the guards respond to the chant, as if a litany was being spoken. Peering around again, they saw that a side corridor opened off a short distance behind them. Stay close, Spike said silently. The next time the guards responded to the litany, they dashed quickly into the side corridor and flattened themselves against the wall, weapons at the ready. After a tense few moments, they decided they had not been heard and made their way down the new hallway.
 
They realized that this new corridor ran around the outside of whatever central chamber there was. They came to a hole in the wall and cautiously peered into the large room. There was a raised altar at one end, with a large demon standing behind it wearing elaborate robes. Next to this creature stood the small, twisted form of the Seer, and Buffy shuddered involuntarily. That small one, with her eyes sewn shut. She’s the one who… who took Emma from me.
 
Steady on, love. We need to concentrate. Spike squeezed her hand, then continued assessing the situation. The room was packed with demons. There had to be a thousand of them at least, all chanting and responding to their leader. There were some doorways beyond the altar, each with a guard in front of it.I think we need to get around in back there somehow. Buffy nodded, and they followed the corridor onward.
 
They got to a junction of several corridors and paused, sniffing the air and peering around. Suddenly, Spike caught a whiff of a welcome scent – a human. I think she’s down this way, Spike said. Buffy caught the scent as well, and they moved off down the corridor.
 
The scent got stronger as they made their way toward the source. Peering around a corner, they saw a guard leaning against the wall of the tunnel, keeping one eye on the tunnel, but being distracted by the sounds coming from the large chamber. Spike gripped his battleaxe tightly. Next time he looks the other way, I’m going to take him out. Be ready to run. Buffy nodded and flexed her fingers on her sword.
 
The chanting grew louder, and the guard turned toward the sound. Spike bounded forward and swung his axe. The guard turned at the last moment, causing the axe to embed itself in its shoulder, rather than taking its head off. Buffy sprang forward and stabbed it through the throat with her sword before it could raise the alarm. She withdrew her sword, watching as the demon coughed and choked. Bringing his axe around, Spike finished the job and left the demon’s head rolling on the floor.
 
Buffy vaulted the body and entered the next room. Another guard stood next to a crude stone cradle. Spike was on him and snapping his neck with a ferocious twist before he could even turn around. Buffy made her way over to the cradle. With shaking hands she reached in and scooped up her daughter. Emma was wrapped in a piece of what looked like black silk. She was tiny and perfect with dark blonde hair. As Buffy gazed in wonder at the baby her eyes opened. She had Spike’s brilliant blue eyes. Spike came over and joined Buffy in her moment of awe. She’s beautiful, Buffy thought. That she is, Spike agreed, gently stroking the baby’s silken hair. But we need to get out of here. Clutching Emma close, Buffy followed Spike into the tunnels.
 
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“For millennia we have waited. Make us worthy to hold the power!” chanted the Ruler of the Dwak Dlam in their harsh, grating tongue.
 
“Make us worthy, we beseech you!” responded the assembled demons in one voice. This ritual was ancient, steeped in the earliest traditions of their history. The litany went on and on, invoking their gods. The assembled demons had spent ages filing up to add their blood to a large basin, which was then to be poured on the altar before the moment of the sacrifice. The Seer stood beside the ruler, listening to the sacred chants, the sound wrapping around her like a cloak. That this has been granted to me… to be the Seer at the moment of our fulfillment. The gods have favored me.
 
Suddenly, the Seer felt something. Standing straighter, she reached out with her mind. Something’s wrong. She reached out her bony hand to the warrior next to her. “Check on the child,” she whispered. The guard rushed out, and within seconds was back. “The sacrifice! It’s gone!” yelled the guard.
 
The Ruler stopped dead in mid-chant. Quickly she called to the assembled masses, “The tunnels! Seal them up! Find the child!” She followed the Seer into the antechamber, saw the dead guards and the empty cradle and cursed. “Through the passage! Now! The time of the sacrifice is almost upon us! We must find the child!”
 
Buffy and Spike had been making their way quietly back through the twisting maze of tunnels. Spike was in front, battleaxe at the ready, while Buffy followed close behind, cradling the baby with one arm and clutching her sword with the other. They came to a crossroad, and Buffy started to wonder Which way? Before Spike could answer they heard the rumbling of the chant stop, then the sound of voices raised in wild shouts.
 
Shit. Run!  Spike urged. They fled as rapidly as they could, following their own scent as they made their way along the corridors. Up ahead they saw the opening in the side of the tunnel which looked out on the main room. We’re close to where we came in. We’re going to make it!
 
They rounded a corner and skidded to a halt. The end of the tunnel was filled with demons. When Buffy and Spike came into view the demons roared and came after them. The vampires whirled and ran back the way they came, desperately trying to get to a side tunnel. They had not gone far before they saw the shadows of demons approaching in the torchlight. Back to that opening! Buffy said.
 
They turned once more and ran, hoping that the opening in the wall would afford some means of escape. But they had gone about fifty yards when the mass of demons appeared in front of them. They backed away, Spike in front of Buffy ready to defend her and Emma. Spike behind us! Buffy warned. Back to back they jockeyed for position between the two groups of demons. They were trapped.
 
Buffy backed toward the wall, clutching her daughter to her chest as Spike roared in frustration. One of the demons had had enough and rushed at Spike, and was rewarded by a savage blow to the head from the battleaxe. More demons fell to Spike’s axe and Buffy’s sword, wielded awkwardly while she shielded the baby. The demons seemed stunned at the ferociousness of the two smaller figures, until the Ruler cried, “You are many! They are two! Take them!” The throng surged forward as one and overpowered them by sheer force of numbers. Spike found himself disarmed and thrown to the ground, being kicked and shredded by razor sharp claws. Buffy screamed and struggled, but the baby was wrenched out of her arms and she too fell under the vicious onslaught. Spike struggled to remain conscious and reached out with his mind, Buffy… answer me…
 
Spike, she replied desperately, they took her again… She screamed in agony as one of the multitude of demons stomped on her arm, breaking bones like twigs. The onslaught continued and she started to wonder how much more she could take when that same rough voice spoke in the demon tongue.
 
“Cease!” cried the Ruler. The hordes parted before her as she strode through to stand before the vampires. They were bruised and bleeding, barely conscious. Spike felt like all his ribs had been broken, and Buffy’s arm was crushed. The Ruler reached down and grabbed each of them with a clawed hand, digging the nails cruelly into their flesh as she dragged them upward. They dangled like rag dolls, inches away from the terrible black face of the Ruler. “You will not thwart us,” she said in a mangled version of English. They gasped and moaned as she released them roughly and they collapsed back onto the stone floor. The Seer came forth, bearing Emma, who had started to wail at the commotion. “Bring them,” snapped the Ruler to the nearby demons. “They will witness their failure firsthand.”
 
“There is not much time, oh Ruler,” said the Seer, moving rapidly as possible down the corridor. “We must perform the sacrifice at the appointed hour.” The Seer could sense that the hour was slipping away, and practically ran in her haste to reach the altar. The Ruler followed her, leaving the guards to drag Spike and Buffy in her wake.
 
Back in the main chamber, Buffy and Spike were dumped in a heap in front of the altar. The Seer took her place to the left of the Ruler, holding the wailing infant as the Ruler resumed the ritual. Buffy was vamped out, snarling and weeping at the same time. “Leave her alone you bastards!” she growled. Spike too was vamped out and trying desperately to sit up, his broken ribs grinding agonizingly with every movement.
 
The Ruler was pouring the enormous basin of blood on the altar. “Blood of our people, freely given, now mix with the blood of the One.”
 
“No!” Spike roared. He staggered to his feet, followed by Buffy, and they used every ounce of their strength to rush the altar. But other than knocking aside a couple of guards, they were too battered to accomplish much. A guard thrust his clawed hand into Spike’s midsection, dropping him like a stone, while another shattered Buffy’s knee with a devastating kick. They fell back to the floor, their thoughts a blur of pain and despair.
 
“Hear us, gods of our ancestors!” cried the Ruler. She took Emma from the Seer and held her, naked and squalling, high over her head. “Take this power and make it ours, now and for all time!” She placed Emma on the bloodstained altar and reached for the black stone knife that lay there. Raising the knife in both hands she cried, “Let the prophesy be fulfilled!” Buffy screamed as the knife flashed down.
 
TBC