[ again, i don't write a lot of buffy and teddy's bonding and just have it happen off-screen for you to think about on your own, but i shall give you crumbs here and there

also, the end of this really moves fast but i couldn't make the pacing better so sorry if it doesn't pack an emotional punch ]

♡︎

ANGEL DID GO AWAY WHEN HE FOUND OUT ABOUT BUFFY. BUT HE WASN'T ALONE.

[ 5.21 — 5.22 ; angel 2.22 ]

It was all silent in the abandoned gas station. While Tara was peeking through the boarded-up windows, most everyone else was watching Buffy anxiously, who was unmoving. However, when the door opened, it drew their attention.

"Better part of a century spent in delinquency just paid off," Spike told them while moving to Kitty's side. "Hot-wired Ben's auto. Who's for gettin' the hell out of here?"

"All in favor, let's do it," Xander said, raising a hand. Then he looked at Giles. Anya and Teddy managed to get him standing. "You good to go?"

"Oh, don't worry about me," he mumbled, hiding how he winced. "How's Buffy?"

"The same. Still."

"It's been almost a half an hour," Willow said with a frown.

"The Slayer's gonna be all right, won't she?" Spike asked, looking at Buffy as well.

There was a moment of silence, as none of them knew. "You should try it again, Will," Xander said.

"All right, but... I'm not even sure she's, you know, really in there," she said.

"Just try, Will," Kitty told her.

Willow sighed before kneeling in front of Buffy, who was sitting and staring blankly ahead. "Can you hear me? Buffy! Buffy! Buffy?"

But Buffy remained unresponsive, as she had since the moment Dawn was taken. She'd still be out on the ground if Teddy hadn't picked her up and brought her inside.

"Buffy!" Spike snapped impatiently. "She can't just be brain-dead. I mean she's still Buffy somewhere in there, right?"

"Spike, come on, we're not gonna get Dawn back by sittin' around here," Xander said, ready to leave.

"We're not gonna get Dawn back at all unless Buffy comes around," Teddy said, rubbing his forehead. "We're fucked."

"Good, panic. That oughta help," Xander muttered.

"We should move her," Willow said. Then she hesitated. "U-unless we shouldn't. Should we?"

"Couldn't that make it worse? I think I read that somewhere," Anya said.

"I am so large with not knowing," Xander said.

"It's impossible to know for sure," Giles told them. "Losing Dawn, after all that Buffy's been through... I think it's pushed her too far into some sort of catatonia."

"You don't need a diploma to see that. Snap her out of it," Spike muttered. Then he grabbed Buffy's shoulders and shook her. "Slayer! Rise and shine!"

"Spike," Anya said, knowing they'd already tried that.

"Come on, people. Girl's endowed with Slayer strength. It's hardly the time to get dainty," he complained while shaking her harder.

"We tried that," Xander said tiredly.

"Smack her," Kitty suddenly suggested, leaning her head against the wall. And that was just what Spike did. He smacked Buffy across the face, and the only one to feel it was Spike.

"Ow!" he hissed, grabbing his head in pain.

"We didn't try that," Anya pointed out.

Xander yanked Spike back angrily. "Are you insane? We could be dealing with neurological damage here. You want to kill her?"

"It's not neurological damage," Kitty said, coming over. "She didn't hit her head, Xander. This is — we can't even imagine what she's thinking or feeling right now. But Buffy is choosing to shut everything out so that she doesn't have to deal with it."

"Well... maybe so," Xander said, still frustrated. "But don't run around telling Spike to hit every catatonic girl in sight!"

"Oh, you got a better idea?" Spike asked, scoffing. "Someone has to do something."

"Oh, I'll do something!" Then Xander lunged forward and punched Spike in the face. Instead of helping, Kitty sighed and walked over to Giles while the boys shoved each other around — not hard enough to activate Spike's chip.

"Separate," Willow suddenly said. An unseen force pushed Xander and Spike apart. They all stared at Willow in surprise, but she glared at them determinedly. "Buffy's out. Glory has Dawn. Sometime real soon, she's gonna use Dawn to tear down the barrier between every dimension there is. So if you two wanna fight, do it after the world ends, okay?"

Spike and Xander glared at each other for a moment before moving away from each other. Spike joined Kitty while Xander went over to Anya. Willow continued speaking, deciding to take charge since no one else was.

"All right. First, we head back to Sunnydale," she instructed. "Xander'll take Giles to a hospital. Anya's looking after Tara. And Spike and Kitty, you find Glory. Check her apartment, see if she's still there. Try anything stupid, like payback, and I will get Very Cranky. Everyone clear?"

Teddy cautiously raised his hand. "Teddy," Willow called on him.

"Um, what about you and me? What do we do?"

"We're gonna help Buffy," she said, knowing that Teddy and Buffy had a connection of sorts, even if Buffy didn't talk about it.

"Okay then."

"The world is spinning," Tara then said, still looking out the window. Willow moved to her side in concern. "Straight to a new day! Big day. Big, big day."

As Willow tried to shush Tara, Spike stepped to the center of the room and hesitantly spoke up. "Uh, Will? Now, uh, don't turn me into a horned toad for asking, but... what if we come across Ben?"

"I-I don't think a doctor's what Buffy needs right now," Willow said, unsure as to why he was bringing up Ben.

"Well, yeah, especially not one who also happens to be Glory," he muttered.

Everyone looked at him, confused. "What do you mean?" Giles asked.

"You know," he said, eying them all. "Ben is Glory."

"You mean... Ben's with Glory?" Willow asked, frowning.

"With in what sense?" Xander asked.

"They're working together?" Anya asked.

"Or, like, sleeping together?" Kitty questioned, tilting her head.

"No. No. Ben is Glory. Glory's Ben. They're one and the same," Spike said, speaking slowly. But everyone was still confused.

"When did all this happen?" Anya asked him.

"Not one hour ago!" Spike exclaimed in disbelief, pointing to the door. "Right here, before your very eyes! Ben came, he turned into Glory, snatched the kid, and pfft! Vanished, remember?"

"Do you have a concussion?" Kitty asked, looking at Spike, worried.

"No, I don't have a — You do remember...?" Spike squinted his eyes at them. "Is everyone here very stoned?" More confused looks. Spike was getting increasingly more annoyed. "Ben! Glory! He's a doctor, she's the beast. Two entirely separate entities sharing one body. Like a bloody sitcom. Surely you remember."

"So you're saying," Xander said, speaking slowly, "Ben and Glory..."

"Have a connection," Anya finished for him.

"Yes, obviously, but what kind?" Giles asked.

Spike laughed sarcastically and ran a hand through his hair. "Oh, I get it. That's very crafty. Glory's worked the kind of mojo where anyone who sees her little presto-change-o instantly forgets. And yours truly, being somewhat other than human stands immune."

Willow frowned as she tried to make sense of it. "So, Ben and Glory... are-are the same person?"

"Glory can turn into Ben, and Ben turns back into Glory," Teddy said, his eyes wide.

"And anyone who sees it instantly forgets," Anya added.

Spike sighed in relief. "Kewpie doll for the lady," he said, putting a finger on his nose and pointing the other hand at Anya.

"Excellent," Giles said, looking around them. "Now. Do we suspect there may be some kind of connection between Ben and Glory?"

"Maybe they're sleeping together," Kitty suggested.

Realizing that they all instantly forgot again, Spike sighed loudly. It was going to be a long day.

♡︎

The gang finally left the gas station and headed back to Sunnydale. It was a tight and uncomfortable fit in the car, but they made it. Then they all split up to do as Willow instructed.

When Spike and Kitty arrived at Glory's apartment, he had to kick the door in. It was dark, so Kitty quickly found a light switch. The apartment appeared empty and was still a wreck from when Willow came and attacked Glory.

Spike made sure to stay in front of Kitty as they moved around just in case any of Glory's minions were still around. There were weird symbols painted in a circle on the floor, the remnants of some kind of spell. Kitty eyed the somewhat familiar room, not exactly happy about being back. But she at least felt safe with Spike.

"Ooh, I was chained to the ceiling there," Kitty said, pointing to the area by the couch. Then she moved her hand toward the bed. "Passed on the opportunity to get absolutely railed by a god over there."

Spike snorted and put his arm around Kitty's shoulder. "Nice to know you made some fond memories."

The two continued to explore until they found a door leading to a room under the stairs. Spike cautiously entered, Kitty holding onto the back of his jacket as she followed. He reached up and pulled the cord on the light bulb hanging from the ceiling.

The room was small with a dirty sink and unmade bed shoved in the corner. There was a table with some books and then a set of blue scrubs handing on a hook. Kitty stepped forward and looked at the ID badge.

"Ben?" she questioned with a frown.

"This is his room," Spike realized. "Where Glory keeps him when she's not out."

"Why does Ben have a room under the stairs like Harry Potter?" Kitty asked, looking at Spike. "Why's he even staying with Glory?"

Spike sighed before snatching a marker off Ben's nightstand. Then he grabbed Kitty's arm and began writing, ignoring her confused questions as she tried to pull away. Then he held Kitty's forearm in front of her eyes so she could read.

Ben and Glory share a body. Ben turns into Glory. Glory turns into Ben. Spell to make you forget.

"Oh, shit! Ben's Glory?"

"Yeah, pet, Ben's Glory. Just keep looking at your arm."

♡︎

After searching the rest of the apartment and coming up empty-handed, Spike and Kitty went to the hospital to check on Giles and get Xander to come with them if he was free. On the walk there, Kitty had forgotten and read about Ben being Glory at least seven times.

As they wandered around, Spike spotted a medical cart full of supplies. Sitting on top was a bag of human blood, which he swiped without being spotted.

"What?" he asked innocently when he saw the look Kitty was giving him. Then he smirked. "Jealous it's not yours?"

Kitty rolled her eyes and shoved him playfully. Then she spotted Xander with Giles up ahead, who was walking unassisted now. She ran forward and interrupted whatever they were talking about so that she could hug him.

"Thank god you're okay," Kitty breathed out, resting her head on his chest.

Giles smiled and ran a hand through her hair. "Yes, I'll be quite alright. Just don't need to overexert myself."

"Checked out Glory's flat," Spike said, filling them in. "Looks like the great one has scampered."

"Gone to, uh, perform her ritual with Dawn and leaving us entirely clueless," Giles muttered.

"Not entirely," he said, earning looks from them. "I know this bloke. Well, not so much a bloke so much as a demon. But still, bookish. All tuned in to the nastier corners of this our magic world. It's a bit of a last resort really, but still, we might persuade him to suss out Glory's game plan. Sound worthy?"

As he spoke, Spike lit up a cigarette. Giles sighed and shrugged, knowing they had nothing better to try.

"Off we go then," Spike said, nodding to Xander. "Meet back at the shop."

"You can't smoke in here," Kitty said as she and Xander fell into step with Spike.

"Says who?" he asked, scoffing. Kitty simply pointed at the no-smoking sign they passed. Spike stared Kitty down for a moment, not caring about the sign. But eventually, he gave in and looked for something to put it out on. After doing so on a metal cart, he tossed it in the nearest trash can.

"Found Ben's room at Glory's," Spike then told Xander. "Didn't learn much."

"Wait, wait, wait. Ben?" he asked in alarm. "At Glory's? You're saying all this time he's been subletting from her?"

"This is gonna be worth it," he muttered. Then Spike smacked Xander upside the head, causing them both to cry out and grab their heads in pain. Kitty giggled as they had to use each other to balance.

Kitty held out her arm for her and Xander to read. And Spike sighed, ready to walk through the explanation again. "Last time. From the top."

♡︎

Spike ended up taking Kitty and Xander to some demon named Doc. They didn't know it, but after Joyce died, Doc showed Dawn how to resurrect her. She and Buffy ended up backing out of it before any real damage could be done.

"It's always open!" Doc called as soon as Spike knocked. The three of them entered, and he continued talking without looking up. "What can I do for you all? Want some cocoa?"

Kitty opened her mouth to say yes to cocoa, but Spike spoke first. "No. We need information. We need—"

"Ben's Glory!" Xander suddenly exclaimed.

Kitty's eyes went wide and she smacked his arm. "Glory's Ben!"

"Who's what?" Doc asked, looking up at them.

Meanwhile, Spike looked at the two in surprise, who hadn't read Kitty's arm to remember. "Look at this. Special Ed remembers."

"Yeah. I do. Ben's Glory and Glory's Ben. It's like this fog's lifting," Xander said.

"Yeah, same," Kitty agreed.

"Wonderful. But not why we're here," Spike said, turning back to Spike. "Hell-god type. Name of Glory—"

"A.K.A. Ben," Kitty chimed in, rocking back and forth on her toes.

"—has gone missing," Spike continued. "She's brewing up some major-league bad, and she's nicked the Slayer's kid sister in the bargain."

"Hmm. That girl you brought here. Sweet little thing. How'd things work out with her mom?" Doc asked. "Changed her mind, didn't she?"

"Yeah," he said, frowning. "You got any idea where Glory would take her?"

Doc seemed to think for a moment. "Glory... Glory. Oh! You don't mean Glorificus. Gosh. What do you wanna get mixed up with her for? That's a sure way to get yourselves killed. I hear she's awfully unpleasant."

"We just told you why we wanna get mixed up with her," Kitty said, crossing her arms. "Kid sister."

Doc walked around the room and over to a table. "When it comes to hell-gods, my best advice is get out of the way and stay there."

"Love to. Can't," Spike said flatly.

"Well, uh, other than that, I'd like to help but I-I'm a small-town guy. This Glorificus, if it is her, whoo, she's big city."

"But she's got Dawn," Kitty said again. They wouldn't just give up.

"Right," Doc said, thinking again. "Well, I may know a fella — you know, who knows a fella in... in China. He might—"

"How the hell are we supposed to get to China?" Spike interrupted in annoyance. "Teleport?"

"I guess. You know, if you're in that much of a hurry. Good luck."

Kitty eyed Doc up and down suspiciously. "Spike, I don't like his vibe."

"Kitten's right. You're lying," Spike said, mirroring her crossed-arm position as they glared at Doc. Both he and Xander looked at Spike in surprise at the accusation. "And what's more, I believe you're standing right in front of the very thing we need."

Kitty spotted a wooden box that Doc had been half-hiding with his body. But before she could inspect it more, Doc smiled and suddenly leaped forward. He ended up behind them. They turned just as Doc grabbed a sword and held it to Spike's throat.

"Idiot," Doc sneered. He moved to attack, but Spike smacked the sword out of his hand. Doc knocked Spike to the floor and then opened his mouth. A super long tongue rolled out and smacked Xander in the chest, knocking him into a wall. Then it came around and hit Kitty in the face.

"Ew," she whined while holding her head in pain.

Doc stood over Spike, the tongue now back in his mouth. "You think only underworld bottom-feeders worship the beast?" He kicked Spike in the face before grabbing the box off the table and throwing it in the fireplace. Then he moved back to Spike and picked him up by his shirt. "Her day is coming, boys! And when she returns, then you're gonna see something."

Xander jumped up and kneed Doc in the chest, freeing Spike. As the two fought off the demon, Kitty scrambled toward the fireplace. She took a deep breath before yanking out the box, which hadn't fully caught on fire yet.

"Ow, ouchie, ow!" she hissed, dropping the box as soon as it was clear of the fireplace.

She looked back and saw Spike holding Doc down as Xander grabbed the sword. He got up on his knees and then plunged it into his chest, causing dark blue blood to spurt up at him.

"Ew," Kitty whispered as Xander wiped the blood off his face. "But box!" Spike came over and picked up the still smoking box.

"What do we got?" Xander asked, eying the container.

Spike glanced at Doc's body. "Something worth dying for."

♡︎

The three of them brought the box back to the Magic Box, where Giles instantly started researching what was inside. And what they learned from the sacred text was horrifying. But when the door opened, they all looked up.

The others had arrived, and Buffy was the one leading them, now fully alert and ready to end this.

"Buffy? She's back," Giles said, standing quickly.

"You're okay?" Xander asked her.

"Yeah. I'm okay," Buffy said, coming to the table. Willow led Tara to a seat while Anya moved to Xander's side. Teddy smiled in relief when he saw Giles doing better and came over to hug him. "Hear you found the ritual text."

"Uh, something like that, yes," Giles said, referring to what was in the box.

"Did you know that... Ben is Glory?" Xander asked Buffy. He also grabbed Kitty's arm and held it out.

"So I'm told," she muttered. "What do we know?"

"Um, well, uh, according to these scrolls, uh, it's possible for Glory to be stopped," Giles said. But he paused, and Buffy gave him a look, telling him silently to continue. "I-I'm afraid it's, um... well, Buffy, I've read these things very carefully and there's not much... margin for error. You understand what I'm saying?"

"Might help if you actually said it," Buffy said bluntly.

Giles nodded and set his cup of tea on the table before sitting. "Um, Glory plans to open a dimensional portal by way of a ritual bloodletting."

"Dawn's blood," Buffy specified.

"Yes." Again, Giles paused, dreading what he'd have to tell her. "Once the blood is shed at a certain time and place... the fabric which separates all realities will be ripped apart. Dimensions will pour into one another, uh, with no barriers to stop them. Reality as we know it will be destroyed, and... chaos will reign on earth."

"So how do we stop it?" she asked, wanting a plain answer.

"The portal will only close once the blood is stopped... and the only way for that to happen is, um..." Giles couldn't look her in the eye. "Buffy, the only way is to kill Dawn."

♡︎

No one even thought to leave the magic shop as the end drew nearer. They were all trying to think of spells and plans as they combed through books for ways to get Dawn back and stop Glory.

"Anything?" Buffy asked, looking at Giles desperately.

"Nothing you want to hear," he admitted. There were several books open around him. "The ritual is, uh..."

"Explain it again," she requested.

"There's nothing new to—"

"Go through it again," Buffy interrupted. All of them eyed her nervously.

Giles nodded and removed his glasses. "The key was living energy. It needed to be channeled, poured into a specific place at a specific time. The energy would flow into that spot, the walls between the dimensions break down. It stops, the energy's used up, the walls come back up. Glory uses that time to get back into her own dimension, not caring that all manner of hell will be unleashed on earth in the meantime."

"Um, but only for a little while, right?" Anya asked anxiously. "The walls come back up, uh, n-no more hell?"

"That's only if the energy is stopped," Willow said. "And now the key is human... is Dawn."

Giles continued to read from the book. "The blood flows, the gates will open. The gates will close when it flows no more — when Dawn is dead."

The grim silence was then interrupted by Tara. "I have places to be!" They all looked at her, who was curled up in a chair to the side.

"Why blood? Why Dawn's blood? I mean, why couldn't it be like a, a lymph ritual?" Xander questioned.

"'Cause it's always got to be blood," Spike muttered. He was perched on the ladder that led up to the loft, while Kitty was sitting on the edge of the loft, anxiously running her hands through his hair.

Xander rolled his eyes at Spike's response. "We're not actually discussing dinner right now."

"Blood is life, lackbrain," he said, scoffing. "Why do you think we eat it? It's what keeps you going. Makes you warm. Makes you hard. Makes you other than dead. Course it's her blood."

"Pretty simple math here," Buffy then said. "We stop Glory before she can start the ritual. We still have a couple of hours, right?"

"If my calculations are right," Giles said, sighing. "But Buffy—"

"I don't wanna hear it," she interrupted, turning away.

"I understand that—"

She whirled back around to yell. "No! No, you don't understand. We are not talking about this."

Giles jumped up to shout right back at her. "Yes, we bloody well are!" They all looked at him, shocked by his outburst. "If Glory begins the ritual, if we can't stop her..."

"Come on. Say it," Buffy said as Giles trailed off. "We're bloody well talking about this. Tell me to kill my sister."

"She's not your sister," he whispered.

"And Kitty's not your daughter?" she shot back, pointing at Kitty. Giles shut his eyes in frustration. "Know what? No, Dawn's not. She's more than that. She's me. The monks made her out of me. I hold her and I feel closer to her than..." Buffy looked down and sighed sadly. "It's not just the memories they built. It's physical. Dawn is a part of me. The only part that I—"

When she stopped short, Willow spoke up. "We'll solve this. We will. Don't have another coma, okay?" she asked, earning a small smile from Buffy.

"We're not asking you to kill Dawn," Teddy told Buffy softly. "We know that's not an option."

"If the ritual starts, then every living creature in this and every other dimension imaginable will suffer unbearable torment and death," Giles said quietly. "Including Dawn."

"Then the last thing she'll see is me protecting her," Buffy told him.

"You'll fail. You'll die. We all will," he told her.

"I'm sorry," she said. Giles slowly walked away as everyone else looked at her. "I love you all... but I'm sorry."

There was a beat of silence before Anya spoke up loudly. "Okay," she said, raising her hand. "All in favor of stopping Glory before the ritual. Suggestions, ideas? Time's a-wastin'."

"Uh, I feel it's safe to assume when you say you love us all, you don't mean me—" Kitty slipped her hand over Spike's mouth to keep him from talking. He rolled his eyes before shoving her hand off and settling for holding it.

"Willow," Anya said, looking at the witch. "I bet you've got some dark spell a-brewin'. Uh, make her a, a, a toad? Little hoppy toad, we can hit her with a hammer?"

Tara giggled at that. "Hoppy toad."

"What about Ben?" Xander then asked. "He can be killed, right? I mean, I know he's an innocent, but, you know, not like Dawn innocent. We could kill a... regular guy." It was a dark thought that they all considered. But even Xander was disgusted at himself for even thinking it. "God," he muttered to himself.

"But what if that's the only option left?" Kitty dared to ask. Ben was dead either way — they killed Glory, Ben died and if Glory managed to open the dimensions and go home, Ben also died. But still, there was a difference between letting someone die and actively killing them.

"It's doubtful he'll surface again this close to the ritual. We can expect it's Glory we're dealing with," Giles said. Just because Xander said it first didn't mean he hadn't already contemplated killing Ben.

"We don't have to kill her," Willow then said. "Uh, we just have to stop her from doing the ritual. I mean, there's only the one time that she can do it, right?"

"Yeah," Spike said, perking up. "We get her on the ropes, we just gotta keep her occupied till it's too late."

"Okay. But I'm still not hearing enough ideas. She's a god. Let's think outside the box," Anya said.

"Why don't you go think outside the bleeding box," he grumbled, leaning back against Kitty's legs.

"Yes, Anya," Giles said, sighing. "Apart from your incredibly uninfectious enthusiasm, have you anything else to contribu—"

"The Dagon sphere!" she suddenly exclaimed.

"Sorry?" Giles asked, confused.

"When Buffy first met Glory, she found that magical glowy sphere that was meant to repel Glory," she specified.

"Shit, I forgot that's more than just Kitty's nightlight," Teddy said, his eyes wide. He glanced at Kitty, both excited. "It's on the nightstand at home. It might drive her away or hurt her."

"Exactly!" Anya said excitedly. Then she glanced at the display case. "Ooh! And Olaf the troll god's enchanted hammer. You wanna fight a god, use the weapon of a god."

Spike shook his head, remembering that fight. "Uh, nah, that thing's too heavy to—" Buffy walked to the case and easily picked up the hammer. Spike bit his tongue as Kitty giggled. "Yeah. Good."

"I like this. Thanks," Buffy said to Anya.

"Here to help. Wanna live," she said brightly.

"Smart chicks are soooo hot," Xander said, gazing fondly at Anya.

Willow smiled at him. "You couldn't have figured that out in tenth grade?" she asked, clearly amused.

"Well, we have some ideas, if we could actually get Glory on the run," Giles said. "But, um—"

"But, we still have no idea how to find her," Buffy finished for him.

"Big day!" Tara suddenly spoke up, wobbling in her seat. "Oh, it calls me! I have to be there! Big day!"

"Actually, I think someone does know how to find her," Teddy said, watching her carefully. "Kitty, say goodbye to your nightlight."

"Damn," she muttered, pretending to be heartbroken. "Never gonna find another glowy thing as good as that one."

♡︎

Kitty was sent to the apartment to retrieve the Dagon sphere. She brought Spike along for protection even though they knew Glory was too busy to be tracking any of them down.

"Okay, so I'm gonna be super bummed if this thing ends up getting broken," Kitty muttered, rushing inside. "Gonna take Buffy and Dawn nightlight shopping after this—"

Kitty made it to the stairs before she realized Spike wasn't following. "You coming?" she asked, moving back over to him.

"Uninvited, remember," he said, shrugging. "Courtesy of Buffy."

"What was it I said the first time around?" she asked, smirking. Then Kitty did a little happy wiggle. "Come on in, Blondie Baby."

Spike chuckled before stepping inside. Then Kitty led them upstairs and to her and Teddy's room. Just as expected, the Dagon sphere sat on the nightstand, all glowy and magical. As Kitty picked it up and studied it, she sighed.

"What?" Spike asked, frowning as he picked up on her mood shift.

She turned to look up at him. "What if you get hurt? I mean, why are you even helping fight, Spike? Shouldn't you be leaving because you don't care, and then that way, I don't have to worry about you getting hurt?"

Spike stepped closer and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "I'm helping because of you — and Platelet, who I kind of sort of don't hate. I'm fighting to keep loving you, Kitten. I won't lose you."

Kitty leaned into his touch. "I love you too," she whispered.

"I never thought you would," he admitted sadly. "And I know I'm a monster. Truthfully, I'm scared to question what you see in me because I've had this dream before — I don't want to wake up if it is."

"You're not dreaming, Spike," she promised. Then Kitty let her wings manifest, and Spike's eyes fell on them. "See these? These were gone for good, but you brought them back. Don't ever doubt how much I love you. Your jokes, your touch, your heart, mind, these feathers — they're all reasons why. I'm yours, Spike. Forever."

Spike surged forward, his hands cupping Kitty's face as he kissed her passionately. The Dagon sphere slipped from Kitty's hand — good thing it didn't break. She gripped the front of Spike's shirt as she kissed him back just as forcefully. As he backed her into the wall, he slipped his tongue into her mouth, exploring every inch freely.

Kitty wound her fingers in his hair to pull him even closer. And when Spike broke the kiss, she whined in protest. But it turned into a whimper when he began kissing her neck roughly.

"God, I love you so fucking much," he muttered against her skin. "I burn for you."

"We should—" Kitty stopped to gasp and lean her head against the wall, giving Spike a better angle. "—be ge-getting back."

"Mhmm," he hummed in agreement, the noise muffled as he scraped his teeth across her neck. "We'll go."

But as soon as Spike removed his lips from her neck, Kitty desperately leaned forward to kiss him again. The force sent Spike barreling backward and onto the carpet. Kitty stayed on top, straddling him as she deepened the kiss. Then it was her turn to kiss along his jaw and under his ear.

As she did, Kitty moved her body against his, drawing a low groan from Spike's mouth."We don't have — shit — time for all the - the things I want to do — oh, goddamn — to you, Kitten."

"Your fault for kissing me first," Kitty murmured, placing featherlight kisses on his collarbone, having stretched the collar of his shirt down. "Where's the... sphere?"

As Kitty continued to kiss Spike, he let his head rest against the carpet as he searched the floor for the Dagon sphere. He spotted the glow almost immediately. "Under the bed."

Then Spike gently guided Kitty's face away from his neck. Her swollen lips hovered over his as she looked down at him. "We're gonna kill that bitch. Then you and I aren't leaving the crypt for a week."

Kitty smiled and leaned down to kiss him softly. "I like the sound of that."

♡︎

When Kitty and Spike made it back to the Magic Box, Willow was busy telling Buffy about a potential spell that might weaken Glory and get Tara's mind back. But when Kitty entered while holding the Dagon sphere above her head, they all gathered around.

"I present to thee... my nightlight," Kitty said, holding it out dramatically. But she and Spike noticed how all of them were staring at Spike, clearly unimpressed with something. "What?"

"Spike has glitter lipgloss on his neck," Anya said plainly.

Spike cleared his throat awkwardly and turned away to avoid the glares on Giles and Xander's faces as he wiped that off his neck. Kitty looked down and dragged her toe across the ground sheepishly.

"But what's important," she said, "is that we got the Dagon sphere."

"Thank you guys," Buffy said. She was too tired to be disgusted by the lipgloss incident. "Giles, do we have time for me to grab some more weapons?"

"Yes, if you hurry."

"I'm looking for something in a broadsword," Xander declared.

"Don't be swingin' that thing near me," Spike muttered as Buffy took the sphere from Kitty to examine.

"Hey, I happen to be—"

"A glorified bricklayer?"

Xander looked around at the others, knowing Spike was fairly right. Kitty quickly moved to his side. "He's a swell bowler!"

"Yeah!" Xander agreed. "Swell!"

"Has his own shoes," Anya added.

Spike sighed. "The gods themselves do tremble," he said sarcastically.

"Spike, shut your mouth," Buffy instructed. "Come with me and Teddy."

Spike looked surprised but did follow after Buffy and Teddy when they left. Kitty huffed and chased after them, not wanting to be left out when Spike and Teddy were both involved. "I'm coming too."

Buffy didn't protest Kitty tagging along. The four of them went to the Summers' home, getting the last few things they'd need to save Dawn and stop Glory. Just like at the apartment, Buffy rushed into her house without giving the vampire any thought as she ordered him around.

"Spike, the weapons are in the chest by the TV, Teddy and I'll grab the bigger ones upstairs," she instructed while moving to the stairs.

"Uh, Buffy," Spike said slowly, stopping at the threshold. As Buffy stopped to look at him, Teddy and Kitty stepped to the side, knowing it was up to Buffy to invite him in. But Buffy frowned, like she'd forgotten he couldn't enter. "Kitty can just hand them over the threshold if you tell her what to get. She doesn't know all the names of things—"

"Come in, Spike," Buffy said softly. They all looked at her in surprise. But Spike had proved himself enough to her in the last week.

Spike stepped into the house with a smile, happy that Kitty's friends didn't hate him as much as they used to. "Hmm. Presto. No barrier."

Then Spike led Kitty to the weapons chest. "Um, won't bother with the small stuff. Couple of good axes should hold off Glory's mates while you take on the lady herself."

As they focused on weapons downstairs, Buffy took Teddy upstairs. But once they reached the top, Buffy paused and turned to look at Teddy.

"What's up?" he asked quietly.

"We're not all gonna make it," Buffy said to him. "You know that."

"I do," Teddy said, his throat feeling tight. It hadn't been that long since they lost Joyce, and Teddy wasn't ready to lose anyone else — especially his family. "But going down fighting, for you and Dawn, that's worth it for all of us."

"I'm counting on you... to protect her," she told him.

"Till the end of the world," he promised. "Even if that happens to be tonight."

Buffy nodded but didn't turn to go get the weapons. She continued to look up at Teddy, an unreadable emotion swimming in her eyes. "You have no idea how much you've helped me keep it together these last few months — even if it doesn't seem like I'm keeping it together."

"Hey," he said, nudging her shoulder. "That's what Watchers-in-training do."

"No, not in a Watcher way," Buffy whispered. "In... a different way. A way that I can't really focus on... right now. I'm sorry for that. But maybe - maybe after... if we all — maybe I can let myself feel that way..."

"Buffy," Teddy interrupted softly. He smiled and tucked a strand of hair that'd fallen from her ponytail behind her ear. "Don't apologize. The only thing you need to worry about right now is yourself and Dawn. Don't feel like you have to... make some proclamation just because we're going into battle. And I'm gonna be there for you no matter what."

"Thank you." Buffy smiled sadly up at him and leaned into his touch as he left his hand by her ear. Teddy leaned down to gently kiss her forehead.

♡︎

Once back at the magic shop, all was ready to begin. As the four of them entered, loaded down with weapons, Buffy looked around.

"We on schedule?" she asked.

"Yes, it's time," Giles told her.

Buffy nodded and looked at Willow. "Will?"

She moved to Tara's side, who was staring at a display case full of shiny merchandise. "Tara, baby? Is there somewhere you should be?"

Instead of looking at Willow, Tara looked at Buffy. "They held me down," she said.

"No one's holding you," Willow told her. "It's the big day, right? Do you wanna go?"

Tara looked anxiously from Buffy to Willow and back again before beginning to walk to the door. As she passed Giles, she pointed at him. "You're a killer," she accused, surprising him.

"Stay close but don't crowd her. We'll follow in a minute," Buffy told Willow quietly, who started to follow Tara. Then Buffy addressed the rest of them. "Everybody knows their jobs. Remember, the ritual starts, we all die. And I'll kill anyone who comes near Dawn."

Buffy turned to leave and Teddy was only a few steps behind her. Kitty glanced at Giles, who was holding his sore side as he got a weapon from Spike.

"Well, not exactly the St. Crispin's Day Speech, was it?" Spike asked Giles.

"We few," Giles began to quote. "We happy few."

"We band of buggered," Spike continued, all of them leaving the magic shop.

Kitty shook her head and sighed. "Going into battle with a bunch of nerds."

♡︎

Tara walked mindlessly across the city, picking at her cast the entire time, desperate to get it off. The others followed a few paces behind, but it wasn't like Tara would notice if they were just two feet back. Then when she came across a tall, metal tower, they paused and looked up at it. It must have been where Dawn was being kept.

"Shpadoinkle," Xander mumbled. Kitty nodded in agreement.

"What is that?" Anya asked.

"The portal must open up there," Giles supposed.

"Will, you're up," Buffy instructed.

"Need anything?" Giles asked her.

"Could use a little courage," she muttered. In an instant, Spike had a flask of alcohol in front of her face. It made her smile. "The real kind. But thanks."

Spike nodded and went to take a sip of the flask, but Kitty stopped him. She needed him sober for this fight — she needed him to live.

Things happened quite quickly after that. It didn't take long for Glory to find Tara in the crowd of her minions. Willow got a hold of them and reversed Glory's effect on Tara, which restored all of Tara's mental faculties and weakened Glory, giving Buffy the opportunity to attack. And Kitty's precious nightlight — the Dagon sphere — weakened her further.

While Glory fought Buffy, she sent her minions and the mindless people to guard the entrance to the tower. "Stand fast! Kill anyone who dares approach! This will be our day of glory!" a demon shouted.

"Oh, that's a sick pun," Kitty whispered as their gang approached.

One of the fellow demons thought so as well. "Well punned."

"Well, it just called out to me," he replied.

Suddenly, an arrow pierced his chest, courtesy of Spike, who was wielding a crossbow. Anya, Giles, and Kitty were beside him, and they all rushed forward to fight.

Kitty was wielding a baseball bat that Xander hammered a bunch of nails into — she wasn't really strong enough to fight with the heavy, real weapons for a long period of time. Though they were all preoccupied with fighting, Giles and Spike both made sure to keep an eye on her throughout the hectic time. Surprisingly, she didn't have to jump on any heads in order to fend the demons off.

But fending off and winning weren't the same thing. The mob of people and demons beat them back until they had to retreat and hide behind a large, above-ground water heater.

"Has anyone noticed we're going backwards?" Anya then asked.

Spike straightened to peek over the top of the machine only for a brick to hit him in the forehead. He ducked back down, looking more annoyed than hurt. Kitty moved his face down to check his head, which had a small scrape and growing red bruise. "It's crossed my mind," he muttered.

Giles then spoke while still trying to catch his breath. "As long as... Buffy can keep Glory down long enough, it doesn't matter. There's only a few minutes left to start the ritual."

Then Xander and Teddy, who'd been busy operating a wrecking ball machine and literally wrecking Glory's shit, hopped a nearby fence and joined their side.

"How we doing?" Xander asked while Teddy peeked at the bodies blocking the tower.

"So far it's a tie," Anya said.

"We haven't got up to Dawn, but then neither has anyone else," Giles told them.

But Spike frowned while gazing up at the tower. "Someone's up there."

"Glory?" Kitty asked, growing worried. Was Buffy unable to hold her off?

"Not sure."

"Okay, we gotta charge or something," Xander said.

"We tried that," Anya told him.

"Well, we can't just—" Teddy cut himself off when he heard Willow's voice in his head. "Teddy, can you hear me?"

"Uh, totally. Loud and clear," he responded with a confused look. He ignored the looks the others were shooting him. "Is there someone up there with Dawn?"

"Yeah, can't tell who," he said.

"T, are you talking to us?" Kitty questioned.

"Get up there. Go now," Willow instructed in his mind.

Teddy looked at the battle-ready minions uncertainly. "Yeah, but—"

"Go!" she ordered.

Teddy sighed and stood. The others stared in surprise as he charged forward. But then, through Willow's magic, the crowd of minions were thrown to the side. Teddy bolted up the stairs, as did Spike, who was the only other one fast enough to make it before the minions got back on their feet.

The two ran up the several flights of stairs until they reached the last level, where they had to climb up a ladder. When they reached the top, Spike was surprised to see Doc standing in front of Dawn, who was tied up.

"Teddy! Spike!" Dawn yelled fearfully, seeing them first.

Doc whirled around just as Spike moved at him. "Doesn't a fella stay dead when you kill him?" he asked.

"Look who's talking," Doc told him.

"Come on, Doc. Let's you and me have a go."

Doc tapped his knife against his watch. "I do have a prior appointment."

"This won't take long," Teddy said, speaking up.

"No, I-I don't imagine it will," he said, smirking.

Spike lunged forward impulsively, but Doc sidestepped him before grabbing his neck. He thrust the knife into his back, causing Spike and Dawn to gasp loudly.

"You don't come near the girl, Doc," Spike said, trying to ignore the stabbing pain in his back.

"Let him go," Teddy ordered, glaring at Doc.

The demon shrugged. "Okay."

And then he tossed Spike over the side of the tower. The vampire crashed to the ground, unable to move for several moments. Kitty ran to his side, having heard him scream as he fell.

"Spike. Spike, are you okay?" she asked, placing her hands on his cheeks.

"Just—" Spike winced. "— just need a breather."

"You don't have to breathe."

Back up at the tower, Dawn was screaming for Spike. And Teddy wasted no time in attacking Doc. When the demon shot out its long tongue, Teddy dodged and grabbed it, yanking the demon forward so he could punch him in the face.

Then Doc rolled to the side and knocked Teddy's feet out from under him. The two fought until Doc managed to get Teddy's arms pinned behind him. Doc smashed Teddy's head against the steel structure, knocking him out and throwing him to the side, far from Dawn.

Back on the ground, Buffy was finally beating Glory, who was too weak to keep fighting. Buffy relentlessly fought the weakened god.

"Stop it," Glory said weakly, tears in her eyes.

"You're a god," Buffy said. Then she hit Glory with Olaf's hammer yet again, making her fall on her back. "Make it stop."

But Glory didn't stop her as Buffy repeatedly bashed her with the hammer. And the Slayer didn't dare stop until Glory's body morphed into Ben, who was just as beaten and bloody.

Buffy stared down at him sadly. "I'm sorry," he said, coughing on blood.

"Tell her it's over. She missed her shot," Buffy told him. "She goes. She ever, ever comes near me and mine again—"

"We won't," Ben said, thankful to just be living. "I swear." Then Buffy dropped the hammer and hurried toward the tower. Ben smiled painfully but was still unable to move. "I guess we're stuck with each other, huh baby?"

Giles then appeared and kneeled over Ben. "Can you move?"

"Need a... a minute," he said, coughing. "She could've killed me."

"No she couldn't," he said, frowning. "Never. And sooner or later Glory will re-emerge, and make Buffy pay for that mercy. And the world with her." As he spoke, Giles dug his somehow not broken glasses out of his pocket to clean. "Buffy even knows that... and still she couldn't take a human life. She's a hero, you see. She's not like us."

"Us?" Ben questioned in confusion as Giles put his glasses on.

Suddenly, Giles reached down and put his hand over Ben's nose and mouth, holding them shut. Ben struggled weakly and helplessly as Giles forced him to keep still. As the life slowly left Ben and by extension, Glory, Giles kept a calm expression.

And all the while, Kitty watched from around the corner, unable to find it in herself to stop him either.

On top of the tower, Dawn was sobbing and screaming as Doc made cuts on her stomach. She cried out for Teddy, desperate for him to wake up and help her.

"Shallow cuts, shallow cuts," Doc whispered. Blood dripped down Dawn's body and feet. "Let the blood flow free."

"Dawn!" Buffy called.

"Buffy!" Dawn shouted, gasping in pain.

Doc quickly turned to see Buffy coming at him. "This should be interesting."

Buffy didn't even pause as she walked past him, pushing him over the edge. She went right to Dawn to untie her. "Here."

"Buffy, it hurts," Dawn cried as more and more blood fell.

"I got it. Come here. You're gonna be okay," Buffy told her. She led her limping down the platform, toward Teddy who was beginning to pull himself into a sitting position.

As soon as Dawn was by Teddy's side, Buffy stopped. "Go," Buffy told Dawn.

Dawn's eyes fell behind Buffy. "Buffy, it's started."

She turned and they both saw a bright portal opening, growing even larger. Huge, fiery bolts of lightning struck all over town, burning buildings and breaking holes in the ground. Demons and monsters were manifesting, and the screams of the entire town filled the air. 

Down below, the ground was shaking. Kitty, after watching Giles kill Ben, ran back to check on Spike, who was still recovering from the fall. While she was kneeling next to him, the ground in between them spilt, a crack forming. It grew larger and larger, separating them.

"Spike!" she called desperately. Kitty scrambled to her feet and then held her breath. In one long leap, she jumped over the crack so that she could still be beside him.

If the world was going to end, she wanted to be by his side.

Buffy turned back to Dawn as she continued to stare at the portal tearfully. "I'm sorry," Dawn said.

"It doesn't matter," Buffy told her. But then Dawn tried to run past Buffy, who held her back. "What are you doing?"

"I have to jump!" she insisted. "The energy."

"It'll kill you."

"I know," she said softly. "Buffy, I know about the ritual. I have to stop it."

Buffy shook her head in denial as the tower shook. "No."

"I have to. Look at what's happening," Dawn said. As if to prove her point, more lighting crackled and some kind of demon dragon flew out of the portal. "Buffy, you have to let me go. Blood starts it, and until the blood stops flowing, it'll never stop. You know you have to let me. It has to have the blood."

Buffy stared at her sister in anguish before a realization came over her.

It's Summers blood. It's just like mine.

She's me. The monks made her out of me.

Buffy turned to the end of the platform, watching the sun slowly rise as holes were ripped in the sky. For a moment, she was almost peaceful. And Dawn knew exactly what she was thinking.

"Buffy, no!" Dawn shouted.

"Dawnie, I have to," she said, looking back at her.

"No!"

"Listen to me. Please, there's not a lot of time, listen," Buffy said while holding Dawn's shoulders. For a moment, her eyes fell on Teddy behind her, who was watching tearfully. "Dawn, listen to me. Listen. I love you. I will always love you. But this is the work that I have to do. Tell Giles... tell Giles I figured it out. And, and I'm okay. And give my love to my friends. You have to take care of them now. You have to take care of each other. You have to be strong. Dawn, the hardest thing in this world... is to live in it. Be brave. Live. For me."

Tears were streaming down the side of Dawn's face as Buffy kissed her cheek. Then she turned and ran. Dawn tried to go after her, but Teddy wrapped his arms around her to keep her from doing so. Buffy took a swan-dive off the tower, falling straight into the portal. They could see her floating motionlessly for a moment as the energy ate away at her. The portal slowly began to shrink until it was gone altogether.

And then Buffy fell, crashing into the ground, lifeless — dead.

Below, everyone surrounded the body. Willow and Tara were holding each other up. Xander had an injured Anya in his arms. Giles looked on, crying. Kitty stumbled until her legs gave out, and Spike had to catch her as she covered her mouth in horror. Teddy had to bring Dawn down from the tower, doing his best to keep it together as she sobbed against him.

Buffy was right when she said they wouldn't all survive. She hadn't.

♡︎

The Hyperion Hotel, which was the headquarters of Angel Investigations, suddenly filled with noise as a large group entered the garden courtyard. Angel, Cordelia, Wesley, Lorne, Gunn, and Fred, who was the newest addition to the gang, all walked with smiles on their faces.

"Are-are you sure about that?" Fred asked anxiously. She was anxious about everything after being held as a slave in Lorne's home dimension for years.

"Trust me!" Cordelia said, grinning. "Tacos everywhere — and soap!"

"Yo, that portal jumping is a fun ride," Gunn said excitedly. "We sell it to a theme park, we could get paid!"

"Okay," Angel then said, maneuvering to the front of the group as they neared the doors to the hotel itself. "Can I say it? I wanna say it."

"Say what?" Wesley asked.

Angel let out a childish little laugh as he pushed the double doors open, walking into the lobby. "There's no place like..."

He trailed off when he saw Kitty and Teddy sitting in the lobby, both hunched over sadly. His smile instantly vanished.

"Kitty?" Angel questioned.

Cordelia looked at them in confusion. "What's..?"

Slowly, Kitty stood up, and fresh tears fell from her already red-rimmed eyes. Teddy remained seated, hiding his face in his hands.

"Kitty," Angel said slowly, dread washing over him. "Why are you here?"

"It's Buffy."

♡︎

Four hours before Buffy's funeral, Cordelia and Wesley entered the Summers' house dressed in black, ready to send off the fallen Slayer. Everyone else was gathered as well — even Spike, who would remain there during the daylight service.

"Hey," Cordelia said, speaking softly as she saw everyone. She and Xander instantly hugged one another. Then she reached for Willow and held her hand.

"Thanks for coming, Cordy," Xander told her. "It means... a lot."

No, she hadn't been as close with them aside from Kitty since leaving for LA, but that didn't mean they meant less to each other. After all they'd been through in high school, they were bonded for life — and after.

"I wish we were having this reunion under different circumstances," Giles said, rubbing his eyes as he came into the living room with them.

"I'm guessing Angel won't be joining," Xander muttered, sighing.

"He's gonna brood and mourn on his own like always," Willow said, shaking her head. Truthfully, with Buffy gone, they didn't know if he'd ever come back to Sunnydale. "I'm sure Kitty tried hard to convince him."

"Where is she?" Spike asked, glancing at the door. "Her and Ted unloading the car or something?"

Wesley peered at the vampire. "Are you William the Bloody?"

"Old news," Anya said, shaking her head.

"They'll need to come in soon," Giles said to Cordelia. "B — she would've wanted Theodore to be a pallbearer."

Cordelia and Wesley shared an anxious look. "Kitty didn't call you?" Cordelia asked Giles, tilting her head.

"Call me about what?" he asked.

"Angel, um, did go away when he found out about Buffy," she told them, choosing her words carefully. "But he wasn't alone."

"What?" Willow asked, standing from the couch.

"For once... he didn't want to be alone," Wesley said quietly.

"Angel asked Kitty and Teddy to come with him so he wouldn't be alone — after what's gone on with him the last few months, said he didn't trust himself to be alone," Cordelia explained.

"And just where exactly have they gone?" Spike asked, his eyes wide. "And for how long?"

Another look was shared between Cordelia and Wesley. "We don't know," Wesley said hesitantly.

"They're just gone?" Giles asked in disbelief. "At a time like this?"

"They left because of this," Xander said, somewhat understanding. "You know Kitty — Angel calls, she comes, even after everything."

"And if Kitty goes, Teddy does too," Willow mumbled.

"But to miss the funeral?" Tara asked, shaking her head. "I mean, Dawn and Giles?"

"And me!" Spike said, who was actually quite upset about this development. But the sun was out, so he couldn't exactly try and track Kitty down.

"Oh, this is so not about you right now," Xander said, rolling his eyes. Then he sighed. "How are we gonna tell Dawn? She's been waiting for Teddy to get back since the moment he left."

"How long do we think they'll be gone?" Willow asked, looking to Cordelia.

She could only shrug. "We know what she meant to Angel."

"And Kitty and Teddy have never... This grief isn't like with Joyce," Giles added. "I shouldn't have let them even go to LA on their own — I knew they weren't processing this. Not like the rest of us."

Not like people that'd had a general concept of loss and grief since they were young. They couldn't comprehend an eternal life without Buffy Summers in it.

"What do we do about this?" Spike asked, sounding a bit defeated. Kitty wasn't supposed to be gone — not when he'd only just got her.

Giles looked at Spike, for once not filled with burning hatred as he did. This time, he was just sad. "I don't think there's anything we can do."