Cheekbones {a btvs Spike story Buffy}

Chapter 22 - The Finale

"Is that the slayer?" The Scoobies circle the area, weapons aimed and faces stony. Glory walks casually over to meet Buffy. "This is so cute!"

"Glory. Nice to finally meet you." the blonde responds.

"Aw and look! It's the loved-up vampires! And the loved-up witches. An ex-demon, I presume. I can smell it. A human boy... And an old dude?"

Giles tightens his grip on the crossbow until his knuckles turn white. The bottom of the stairs is guarded by countless minions and demons. It's the only way up to Dawn. Amber sees her standing at the very top, her bare toes poking over the edge. One push and she'd be history. 

"So come on then!" Glory whines, "Show me what you got!" 

All hell breaks loose.

Spike, Xander, Anya and Amber lunge at the minions, slashing and dodging. They are clearly outnumbered but do their best to knock each one to the ground. Giles observes from afar. 

Meanwhile, Buffy takes on the hell god. They exchange a few basic hits but when Glory sends Buffy crashing into a wall, Tara and Willow get to work. Chanting a spell loudly - powerfully - they slow Glory down. As if running through treacle, she struggles to move her legs and it gives Buffy enough time to get back on her feet. 

Amber and her team had thinned the crowd significantly. She swerves around a minion, knocking it down easily with a kick to the groin. Spike shouts at her to get to Dawn. Amber sprints up the stairs - she can hear pounding footsteps following her but doesn't turn around. She keeps running until she gets to the top. Perks of being a vampire - you don't get out of breath.

She realises Dawn is not alone.

"Who the hell are you?"

A creepy old man is blocking her way. His eyes are as black as coal, he has wispy white hair and is wearing a suit. 

"Wait... I know you..." she realises that she had visited this man before, along with Spike, to learn about a certain demon they were combating. A wise, innocent man, too frail to do anything remotely evil - or so she had believed. The encounter must had been a year ago at least but she hadn't forgotten how uneasy he had made her feel. This name was Doc... Or something.

"When my master wants something done, I will get the job done." he states, flashing a set of yellowing teeth. Glory must have fans all over the place. 

"Ugh, I can smell your breath from here! Get away from her!" Amber bellows, very conscious of the structure creaking beneath her feet. Someone places a hand on her shoulder. Hard. 

She shrieks but it's only Spike. He stands next to her and takes a step towards the man. "Doc, you don't wanna do this."

"Oh, but I must. You see, it would be the greatest honour." Spike takes a closer step, closing the gap between them. Doc blocks Spike's swing and punches him back - with way more force than expected. A fight this high up, on a tower this rackety? Not a good idea. 

Amber skirts around the fight to Dawn. The poor girl is terrified. Her face is damp with tears and Amber doesn't even know if she'll be able to walk. The ropes restricting her hands won't budge so she uses the axe to saw through them. 

Spike shouts as Doc plunges a knife into his stomach. Blood gushes from the wound and he doubles over. Luckily, he doesn't fall off the building. 

With Spike in a moaning heap and Dawn still rooted to the spot, Amber racks her brain for an idea.

"Step aside now. One girl's life is nothing in the grand scheme of the world. Move aside."

"See, that's where you're wrong."

She pulls Dawn to her chest and steals a sharp glance over her shoulder at the ominous drop. She isn't very good at physics. She definitely isn't thinking rationally due to this crazed maniac pointing a blade at her. 

She sucks in what would be a big gulp of air, had she been alive. She whispers into Dawn's tangled hair. "It's going to be ok. Close your eyes."

She does as she is told, finding Amber's hand and squeezing it as if to say 'I trust you'. Without giving anything a second thought, she falls backwards, tumbling down and down and down...