13


"I am here to tell you a story unlike any other you have heard before. A story cannot be told without weeping. I shudder to even think of this tale. But I must. For it holds a history, a lesson and a moral for all those who convince themselves they are brave enough to listen. And those who do will become wiser men for it..."

"Fifteen minutes Buffy!" Willow whispered. Buffy leaned out from the crack in the curtain to smile at the red head. She had no idea what was going on. The innocent one whispered, "Did you look out in the crowd? It's another full house."

"Isn't it always?" the blond grinned.

"Yes, but this time it's an entire stadium, not just a tent." Willow smiled knowingly, "And there is talk of journalists and maybe D'Hoffryn himself!"

Buffy looked to her right, and saw them bringing the vampires out onto stage. Darla and Angel were laying on the floor, looking as if they expected grapes and wine glasses filled with blood. But the Slayer only had eyes for the one who stood, looking straight at her. She looked away and back at Willow who continued the conversation as if nothing were different.

"... so do your best! And break a leg!"

"You too." Buffy smiled distractedly. When she looked back towards the cage of vampires, it had moved and was gone from her sight.

It had to be a disease of some sort. All she could possibly think about was Spike. She had no revelations, no insight on her behavior and it scared her to think she didn't have any control. Not over her body and not over her future. She was taunt with fright... and yet strangely excited about seeing him again.

In battle.


**********


Spike was horny as hell. Nothing could consol him. The memory of Buffy running through is head intoxicated him with her scent and visions. All he could think about was touching her and heightening both of their emotions to such a climax that his hairs would stand up on their ends and his toes would curl and his mind would explode. And that was just the kiss.

Think of what sex would do.

To fight and battle over dominance, to claim every part of her body, to watch her squirm underneath his ministrations and to know that she reacted because. In this manner. Fear and excitement mingling in one. Oh GOD was he horny.

Spike started to pace as the curtain rose. Angelus to his right. Darla to his left. And he would be the last to fight her.

************


Riley was grinning like a mad man as he sat down in the front seat with a bouquet of flowers and a bottle of wine. He couldn't wait to surprise Buffy with his romantic night out. He knew she was going through a hard time and their extra distance didn't help. However, he also knew that he had taken two trains and traveled all night to see her. He sold his leather jacket for this front seat ticket. And that was all that mattered.

He watched as she grinned, manically at the crowd, gave her little speech and acted as if she could kill anybody. But he knew the real side, the softer more vulnerable side. The side he loved. That mewled when he touched her and whispered to him in the middle of the night. She couldn't kill anything... unless it was soulless and had no breath. Therefore, it deserved to die.

He grinned back at her, wondering if she could see him, then laughed at his giddiness. Of course she couldn't.

But he would make her see him. Tonight.


************


"Mrs. Summers!" Giles exclaimed with delight, "And Dawn. I am so glad to see you both! If I may ask, does Buffy know that you are here?"

"Sort of, I had told her that we would try to make it out here. We really didn't get much time to see her at home and she's only two hours away by train. But I know she was very distracted before she left and probably forgot." The mother shook her head, "I cant believe how busy everyone is tonight! Everything sold out, so we slipped in with the help of Jonathon and see if we could watch from the side."

"Oh of course!" He exclaimed, "Here, let me wash up for a second and then I will escort you to the balcony seats. You will watch with Willow and Tara. They are doing the protection and safety spells right now."

"Mom, I don't want to watch. I've seen it, like, a thousand times." Dawn looked back towards the door. "Can I go back and hang out with Jonathon?"

"Would that be alright?" Joyce winced with a smile.

Giles nodded, knowingly.

"Just as long as you don't get in the way." Dawn grinned, popped her gum and then half ran, half walked away.

"Well, I guess I will go to the balcony seats." She paused for a second and then asked hesitantly, "Will you join me?"

Giles gave her a small grin.

"For as long as I can."


**************

"So, what do you do?" Dawn asked/

She has gum, Jonathon thought. And she's popping it. Does that mean she likes me? Is my hair ok? Oh, god. What if I start talking about Star Wars? Does she like Star Wars? What about the Force? Can I make her go away with the Force? But do I want her to go away?

"Um. I push buttons." Oh god, am I starting to sweat? I hate it when I sweat. I get hot and... um... sweaty. The doctor says that it's not a big deal, just that I repel deodorant. Does she smell it? Damn the doctor! He should have given me the stuff that causes cancer so I didn't have to go through this! Why is she looking away from me? Can she not look at me because I'm so repulsive? Am I ugly?

"Cool. What are the blinking lights?" Jonathon jumped off his seat and pressed the light while putting on a pair of headphones, only to hear Xander's screaming voice on the other end. It must be the pixies. Xander hates the pixies.

"Shit! Yeah, Xander. Sorry, I got distracted. Yeah. Don't worry about them. They bite, but it's not infectious. Yeah. Sorry!" He looked up at Dawn who looked very interested in the conversation, "Listen this is serious work. You can't talk to me when I'm working."

"Whatever." Dawn rolled her eyes and got a magazine out of her enormous purse. "I just figured that you would eventually die because the vampires hate you so much. And then I could take over your job and get out of Sunnyhell."

Jonathon straightened up.

"The vampires talk to you?"

"Duh."

He leaned towards Dawn.

"Um. What else do they say about me?"

************


Darla was easy. For some reason, she just wasn't a challenge. A few kicks and punches, then she was gone. It was almost boring, Buffy thought. So when Angelus came around, she thought she would take it easy on him. However, he apparently had a different thought.

When he sauntered in, Buffy found him calm and cocky. His normal self. However, instead of circling, getting used to the tension and waiting for the adrenaline, he pounced. Unprepared, Buffy punched him awkwardly. He flipped her and grabbed two bottles of blood in the process. Buffy smacked against the ground, rolled over, and got back up in one fluid motion. He drank them with satanic relish, and then smashed them against the ground.

Buffy realized she would have to pull out her game, one that would leave her exhausted when facing Spike. In her mind, she calculated how exhausted she would become, then decided she was pro-benzedrine. She took out her flask of water. She looked to her right for a brief moment, to see if Giles was standing by with his glare. But she didn't see him. In a swift motion, the envy of all con artists, she took the two pills taped to the inside.

Then stared at Angelus.

He had a grin the size of Texas upon his face because he had seen what she had done. Buffy shivered as they started to circle once more. He lunged at her and she jumped back. Angelus laughed and then twitched again. This time, Buffy didn't swerve from her original path.

"How long does it take to kick in?" the vampire asked wickedly.

"Usually after I beat your ass." The Slayer responded. Then flew at him raining down punches and throws. He blocked and blocked until the blond did a back flip to gain more distance between them. Angelus was sporting a growing bruise on his cheek and Buffy wiped the blood off her lip. Angelus had taken another vial of blood.

Buffy needed to get him near the cage, so she ran forward, bent down and did a low round house kick to get him off balance. Angelus was ready though. He took the glass vial and smashed it against Buffy's side.

She didn't have much time to react, as the pain started crawling up her hip. The crowd gasped in horror as blood bloomed across her side and dripped down to the floor. They watched as the Vampire Trainer crouched down on the ground, near Angelus' legs. As he came forward, she continued to stayed low. And then when he was almost on top of her... her hand went out, she grabbed his balls and squeezed, digging her nails into his sensitive flesh.

"I call this the pill popper."

She squeezed his testicles harder.

"And my meds haven't even started."

A collective gasp from the male members of the audience and a small mewl from Angelus told her that she had done well. She used her other hand to hit him in the stomach with such force, he stumbled back into the cage, hit the side bars. And then collapsed.

The women applauded with fantastic passion. The men groaned.


It was Spike's turn.

*******

"That was awesome!" Dawn squealed, "Does this monitor have a rewind button, cause I am dying to see that again!"

"Oh my god," Jonathon whimpered.

*******

Riley was shocked.

All around him were women screaming, men crying, and then he was in the center, holding his balls protectively in the cups of his hands. The woman who had so carelessly grabbed the vampire's genitals and smashed them into submission had also lovingly touched his.

He really couldn't speak.

**********

"Ouch Ahn!"

"Sorry! But Xander, I need to get this cleaned!"

"Damned pixies! With their biting teeth! I hate them! I just hate them!"

"I know, honey."

"Xander!" A deep voice called from behind him. The wounded man turned around, "How are you doing?"

"Ben Wilkinson. What an unexpected surprise." Xander's eyes rolled to the ceiling. Anya was standing next to him, putting more bandages on his shoulder. She gave Ben one look over, then went back to her work.

"Anya, D'Hoffryn sends his love."

"Of course he does. Now what do you want? I want to have sex once I'm done."

"I want to see Buffy and tell her some bad news."

"Is everything ok?"

"Oh yes. Business wise. But I'm afraid that our relationship has hit a rocky point." He looked at the couple, "You know how it gets."

"She's on stage right now. I think she just grabbed the vampire's balls." Anya smiled at his shocked expression, "Why don't you wait in her dressing room until she's done. I am sure you are the first thing she wants to see."

*******

"Wow." Joyce said in a reflective tone. Giles' eyebrows were sky high and devoid of glasses.

"Yes. That... ahem... was—"

"GO BUFFY!" Willow screamed, "You go girl!"

"Right on!" Tara shouted.

"quite impressive."

"I take it you didn't teach her that." Joyce remarked. Giles cleaned his lenses with passion and vigor.

"Certainly not, I don't know—"

"Wahooo! I am HOT that was so feminist!" Willow squealed.

"I love you!" Tara panted.

"I love you too, baby." And they kissed. Passionately.

"Would you just let the third murdering vampire out of the magical circle please?"


******* ***** ****


Spike stood there and looked at Buffy.

She stared back at him. Despite the noise and pain, they both felt as if they were the only two people in the world. It didn't stop them from killing one another but the battle had been redefined.

Spike could smell her from twenty feet away. She smelled like sex and blood. Her hair was matted to her head, her shirt had a dark stain of blood, yet she was still standing. Why wasn't she moving? Why wasn't she fucking him right now? He moved towards her.

The effects of the Benzedrine started moving in trickles. Buffy could feel the air getting warmer and her movements getting faster. The pain was going away. She looked down for a second, to pull out a long shard of glass from her side, barely gasping when it hit the floor. It didn't hurt, only it looked like it should. Buffy looked back at Spike, who had gotten closer.

She wanted him.

Hit. Duck. Hit. Punch. Touch. Duck. Swerve. Block. Block. Hit. Punch. Swerve. Block.

They were moving so fast that they were just reacting. The crowd had stopped focusing on the faux pas of grabbing balls to watch the blurs.

Duck. Hit. Hit. Punch. Swerve. Duck. Punch. Caress. Smack. Punch. Hit. Punch. Smack.

Buffy back flipped and Spike ran after her. He grabbed her thigh, and pulled her closer. She hit his chest with one arm and grabbed his shoulder. His arm grabbed hers and he kicked her in the stomach. She pulled him down to smack him against the floor. He rolled and let go, ducking underneath her foot, which whipped around. His hand smacked her in the back.

Punch. Smack. Duck. Hit.

Each touch hurt and yet, neither could stop. It told him he was alive and it told her she was numb. The war between them raged on.

Spike was two seconds away from throwing her down on the ground and having sex in front of the entire auditorium. Buffy wanted him to submit so that she could throw him against the wall. Finally, after minutes of constant contact...

Hit. Smack. Bruise. Grab. Punch. Block. Duck. Swerve. Hit. Hit. Hit. Stroke. Hit

They let go. Spike stood there, in absolute shock that he was alone. And Buffy, did what she did best. She grabbed his shoulders and kicked him, propelling him towards the cage opening, where he landed near Angelus.


The audience roared. The curtains closed. The show was done.


****************