Dark Are the Shadows
Ms. Hunter Ash
a BTVS/Dark Shadows Crossover
pairings: Buffy/Quentin, Giles/Angelique, Barnabas/Roxanne, Willow/Tara, Xander/Anya, Julia/Thomas
rating: PG13
# # #
Giles walked up to Buffy as she worked at a punching bag.
“I imagine you hate me just now,” Giles said softly. “I love Dawn.”
“I know,” Buffy said as she continued hitting the bag.
“I've sworn to protect this miserable world and...” Giles hesitated. “Sometimes that means saying and doing what other people can't. What they shouldn't have to.”
Buffy stopped punching the bag and looked at him.
“You try and hurt her and you know I'll stop you,” she said.
“I know,” Giles said softly. He followed her over to a patio sofa.
“How many apocalypses for us now?” Buffy asked.
“Oh, well...” the Englishman sat down. “Six at least. Feels like a hundred.”
“I've always stopped them,” Buffy said. “Always won.”
“Yes,” Giles agreed.
“I sacrificed Angel to save the world,” Buffy added. “I loved him so much. But I knew what was right. I don't have that any more. I don't understand. I don't know how to live in this world if these are the choice. If everything just gets... stripped away. I don't see the point.”
Buffy jumped to her feet and walked away from Giles and then turned to face him. “The spirit guide told me that death is my gift. Guess that means a Slayer really is just a killer after all.”
“I think you're wrong about that,” Giles said.
“It doesn't matter,” Buffy said. “If Dawn dies, I'm done with it. I'm quitting.”
The Slayer walked away from her Watcher.
# # # #
Glory smiled as a minion whispered something in her ear. She looked over at Dawn and the medieval-style dress she had changed into. “Okay, campers! It's almost stab time. Get her.”
Dawn backed up in fright as two troll-like demons grabbed her.
“No! No! Buffy!”
“See you in a few,” Glory said as Dawn was forced out of the warehouse next to the radio station.
Dawn's eyes widened as she saw a lot of the insane people working. She flinched as sparks fell from above and she looked up at the radio tower. She could see someone welding above them and a narrow walkway protruding out into the air.
The minions forced her over to a set of stairs leading up the tower.
# # #
Buffy walked up to Willow.
“Will, what do you got for me?” she asked.
“Some ideas,” Willow said. “Well, notions. Or, theories based on wild speculation. Did I mention I'm not good under pressure?”
“I need you, Will,” Buffy said softly. “You're my big gun.”
“I'm your....” Willow's eyes widened. “No, I... I was never a gun. Someone else should be the gun. I could be a... a cudgel, or a pointy stick.”
“You're the strongest person here, you know that right?”
“Well...” Willow frowned. “No.”
“Will, you're the only person that's ever hurt or really affected Glory,” Buffy pointed out. “At all. You're my best shot at getting her on the ropes so don't get a jelly belly on me now.”
“Well, I do sort of have this one idea...” Willow said. “And maybe to help the insane people. That was almost Tara.”
“Go on,” Buffy said.
“I've been charting their essences, mapping out,” Willow said. “I think if I can get close enough, I may be able to reverse what Glory did. Like take back what she took from those people. It might weaken her or make her less.... sane. Or it might make all of our heads explode.”
Buffy walked over as Giles examined the Dagon sphere. “That could be pivotal. Thanks, Anya.”
“Well, you're going to need some...” Giles began.
“Way ahead of you,” Buffy said. “We have time?”
“If you hurry,” Giles said.
“Okay, I'll grab some weapons too,” Buffy said and glanced at a woman sitting in a corner rocking with her hands handcuffed in front of her. “Grab a weapon everyone. Spike, come with me.”
Spike was startled but followed Buffy to the weapons closet.
“You know we're not all going to make it,” Buffy said softly. “You know that.”
“Yeah,” he agreed as he grabbed two axes. “Hey, always knew I'd go down fighting.”
“I'm counting on you,” Buffy said. “Protect her.”
“Till the end of the world, even if that happens to be tonight,” he promised. “I also know you'll never love me.”
Buffy paused and handed him a sword.
“I know that I'm a monster,” Spike continued. “But you treat me like a man. And that's.... hand me that mace.”
# # #
Dawn bit her lip as the minions tied her to the tower with rope. The wind blowing through her hair wasn't comforting. Her bare feet were on the edge of the platform and it was a long way down.
“She will come to you soon,” one of them said.
# # # #
Buffy looked at everyone and the weapons they were holding. She thought Barnabas looked weird holding a sword but he had mentioned he grew up with one in his hand in the 1700s and Quentin had in the 1800s.
“We ready?”
“Yes,” Giles nodded. “It's time.”
“Get the meter-reader up,” she told Wesley and Cordelia.
“Angelique....”
“Just don't die,” the vampire witch said softly.
Cordelia unlocked the handcuffs and Wesley helped the woman to her feet as Giles examined a sword and Barnabas started to lean his cane against the table but hooked it over his arm instead.
“Is there somewhere you should be?” Wesley asked. “No one's holding you. It's the big day, right?”
The woman looked around anxiously.
“Do you want to go?” Wesley asked and the woman started for the door.
She stopped and looked at Giles and then pointed. “You're a killer. Everything is set.”
The woman walked out the door.
“Don't crowd her,” Angel suggested.
“Everybody knows their jobs,” Buffy said. “Remember, the ritual starts and we all die and I'll kill anyone who comes near Dawn.”
The Slayer turned and followed the woman.
Giles clutched his side where he had been impaled.
“Well, not exactly the St. Crispin's Day speech, was it?” Spike commented to the Watcher.
Giles and Quentin walked out the door to follow Buffy.
# # # #
The crowd following the woman stopped to stare at the tower and the additions of it.
“The portal must open up there,” Giles said. “There has to be room for it to form.”
“Will, you're up,” Buffy said.
“Need anything?” Giles asked Willow.
“I could use a little courage,” she said.
Spike absently held out a flask.
“The real kind,” Willow said. Spike looked at her. “But thanks.”
Spike nodded and put the flask away.
The woman, one Betsy Parker, walked into the warehouse among other insane people doing various things. She went to a pile of bricks and picked one up.
She was spun around to face Glory.
“What are you doing here? You were in a rubber room,” Glory asked.
Willow tapped Glory on the shoulder. “She's with me.”
The witch grabbed Glory and Betsy's head and all three screamed as the bright blue lights normally associated with Glory draining someone's sanity, radiated from all three of them.
Then all three were thrown apart with Willow landing on a pile of wood.
“What the frickin' hell did that bitch do to me?” Glory demanded as several minions ran over to her.
“You look fine, truly,” one said.
“She made... a hole. I need a brain to eat,” Glory muttered.
“Take mine, oh groove-tastic one!”
“I said a brain, you worthless dirt!” Glory snapped. “Big day. I got places to be, big day,” she muttered and wandered out of the warehouse. “Need a brain.”
She looked up and smiled. “I suppose I could always use yours.”
“Okay then,” Buffy said as she stood in front of Glory with her hands behind her back. “Come and get it.”
Glory started to move but stopped and moved slowly as if she was in pain.
“You don't seem very well,” Buffy observed.
“Your little witch bitch.... gave me a headache,” Glory said and pulled her ceremonial robe off to reveal a simple but stylish black dress. “If you think this is gonna last more than eight seconds....”
“I noticed you're talking, whereas in your position, I would attack me,” Buffy commented calmly.
“Go guard the girl!” Glory snapped at her minions. “This is a... this is a....”
“Diversionary tactic?” a minion suggested.
“Go guard!”
“It's strange, you're not as blurry with speed as usual either,” Buffy noted.
“The witch....”
“It's not her,” Buffy said and showed Glory what she had been holding behind her back, the Dagon sphere. “It might be this.”
Buffy ignored the sounds of beginning fights around her as Glory looked alarmed. “I heard its supposed to repel you. So my guess is you probably shouldn't touch it either.”
The Slayer tossed the sphere to the hellgod and Glory caught it instinctively. The sphere sparked to life, lighting up with an aura around Glory's hand as the hellgod looked pained. After a moment she crushed the sphere.
“You're gonna wish...”
Buffy punched Glory in the face and followed the hellgod as she stumbled back. The Slayer punched again, and again, and again.
A group of minions and crazies gathered around the stairs leading up the tower.
“Stand fast! Kill anyone who dares approach!”
Suddenly an arrow appeared in his chest and he fell back without a sound.
Spike worked to reload his crossbow as Giles and Quentin rushed forward to engage with the minions and crazies.
In moments Anya was hitting minions with a bat while Giles, Quentin and Angel fought the minions with swords.
“There's more than you thought!” Angel yelled at Giles.
“She must have been losing her grip on sanity more and more recently,” Giles yelled back.
Buffy flipped Glory over and slammed her down on a pile of bricks. She tried to punch Glory but the hellgod rolled aside and Buffy punched the bricks. Buffy tried again to punch and Glory grabbed Buffy's arms and threw her across the room.
Willow sat up and began running among the crazies, touching their heads.
“You know what?” Glory asked as Buffy threw a punch. Glory grabbed her fist. “I'm feeling a little better. And now, I'm a little bored.”
“Oh, I'm sorry,” Buffy said. “You're...”
Glory kicked the Slayer in the face and Buffy's head went flying off the body. As it fell over Glory could see wires exposed in the neck as they sparked.
“Hey, wow, the Slayer's a robot,” Glory exclaimed. “Did everybody else know the Slayer was a robot?”
“Glory.”
The hellgod stopped smiling and turned. She found herself across the room crashing into the wall.
Buffy smiled as she held Olaf the Troll's hammer. “You're not the brightest god in the heavens, are you?”
“Buffy! Up here!”
Buffy looked up at the tower and ran towards the structure, running up onto a pile of bricks and jumping onto the stairs. She casually threw a minion off the stairs.
Glory shook her head and watched Buffy starting up the steps. “Oh no you don't!”
“Buffy!” Dawn screamed.
Barnabas and Spike fought their way close to the stairs.
Buffy reached a
level where the stairs ended and the only way up seemed to be by
ladders or climbing. Buffy lashed out when Glory appeared in front
of the Slayer and the hellgod returned the punch. Buffy hit Glory
with the hammer only to have Glory kick her into the scaffolding.
They exchanged a few more blows and Buffy lost her grip on the
hammer, which went flying. It caught in some chain that was hanging
off the tower. Glory grabbed another piece of chain and used it to
swing around the side, knocking Buffy aside as Buffy tried to reach
the hammer.
Buffy fell aside, but jumped to her feet to take
another kick. Buffy grabbed a chain and swung around behind Glory
and kicked her. The Slayer ducked a punch and kicked Glory again.
Buffy tried to resume climbing but was hit in the leg. She exchanged more blows with Glory and tried to climb again. Glory climbed up side Buffy and kicked the Slayer as Buffy was scaling up a pipe, causing Buffy to slide back down to the lower level.
Buffy ran up a ramp and kicked Glory in the face. She turned and dashed back down the ramp and grabbed the hammer. Swinging it around, she hit Glory twice and also knocked a ladder aside.
Buffy took a hit to the face and lost her balance. As she fell, Buffy grabbed Glory and they both fell off the tower.
Buffy moaned but got to her feet along with Glory and she grabbed the hellgod and pushed Glory away next to a wall.
“You lost your hammer, sweet cheeks,” Glory said cheerfully. “What are you gonna hit me with now?”
Buffy smiled and looked at the wall causing Glory to turn and look at the wall with a questioning expression. A huge wrecking ball crashed through the wall and into Glory and it carried her through a second wall before swinging back.
“Whatever's handy,” Buffy said.
Xander shut down the crane and smiled. “Glorified bricklayer bowler picks up a spare.”
Buffy took off at a run and grabbed up the hammer as she went.
Giles winced as a brick flew over a machine that he and several others were hiding behind.
“Has anyone noticed we're going backwards?” Anya asked.
Giles glanced over at another crowd of heroes trying to regroup to charge the crazies and minions at the steps. He saw Angel clipped by a brick and could hear him swearing.
“As long as Buffy... can keep... Glory down... long enough, it doesn't matter,” Giles gasped. “There's only a few minutes left to start the ritual.”
# # # #
Buffy continued hitting Glory with the hammer again and again and Glory wasn't fighting back.
Dawn bit her lip and then gasped as two figures appeared on the platform. One was Doc and the other's face was hidden in his hooded robe.
“You! I've seen you at the Box!” Dawn called. “You can help me, please, help me. Untie me!”
“Well, it does seem she's running a bit late and if she can't be here in time to bleed you...” Doc said with a smile and Dawn felt a chill run down her spine. “Want to see a trick?”
A knife was suddenly in his hand.
Bandaged hands reached for another pipe to climb below them.
# # # #
“We have to do something!” Xander yelled as he ducked and joined Giles and the others. “Where's Angelique, Barnabas and girlfriend?”
“Angelique was hit with a pipe,” Giles said. “I dragged her inside the warehouse. I'm not sure about Roxanne and Barnabas.”
Spike looked up and cursed. “There's someone up there!”
// Spike, can you hear me? //
“Yeah, loud and clear,” Spike responded with a frown.
// Is someone up there with Dawn?// Willow's voice asked.
“Yeah, I can't tell who,” Spike answered.
// Get up there. Go now! //
Spike looked around the machine and hesitated at the sight of a large number of crazies and minions and how the sky was turning purple instead of black.
“Yeah, but...”
// Go! //
Spike charged the minions as Willow and Tara held hands. The crazies and minions parted like the two halves of the Red Sea before Moses. Spike reached the stairs and hurried up and began climbing when he reached the end of the steps.
Doc looked at a pocket-watch and then up. “Well, what do you know? It's just about that time.”
“Spike!” Dawn yelled.
“Doesn't a fella stay dead when you kill him?” Spike complained.
“Look who's talking,” Doc responded.
“Come on, Doc, let's you and me have a go,” Spike suggested.
“I do have a prior appointment,” Doc said.
“This won't take long,” Spike said and lunged at the demon only to have Doc sidestep and grab the vampire around the neck. Spike winced as the knife was thrust into his back.
# # #
Joyce paced in the mansion and glanced at a clock every 30 seconds.
# # ##
Buffy continued hitting Glory with the hammer as the hellgod began bleeding from the nose.
“You're just a mortal,” Glory said softly. “You couldn't understand my pain.”
“Then I'll just have to settle for causing it,” Buffy said and hit Glory with the hammer again. Glory stumbled.
“You can't kill me.”
“No,” Buffy agreed. “But my arm's not even tired yet.”
She hit Glory again.
# # #
Spike stood between Dawn and Doc, panting. “You don't come near the girl, Doc.”
“I don't smell a soul anywhere on you, why do you even care?” Doc demanded.
“I made a promise to a lady,” Spike said firmly.
Doc's long tongue shot out of his mouth but missed Spike. Doc dropped to his knees and pulled Spike's legs out from under him. When the two of them got to their feet Doc was holding Spike firmly from behind.
“I'll send the lady your regrets,” Doc said.
Spike looked at Dawn. “No.”
Doc pushed the vampire over the edge.
Dawn screamed.
Spike landed on a pile of bricks and couldn't seem to get up.
Glory fell to her knees and looked at Buffy with tears forming. “Stop it.”
“You're a god,” Buffy said and hit the hellgod again, knocking Glory to the floor. “Make it stop.”
Buffy stood over Glory and began hitting her again and again with the hammer. She stopped hitting Glory when she morphed into Ben.
“I'm sorry,” he said softly.
“Tell her it's over. She missed her shot. She goes,” Buffy said firmly. “If she ever.... EVER comes near me and mine again...”
“We won't,” Ben whispered. “I swear.”
Buffy dropped the hammer and rushed away.
Ben coughed and sighed in relief. “I guess we're stuck with each other, huh, baby?”
Giles knelt beside the doctor. “Can you move?”
“I need a minute,” Ben admitted. “She could've killed me.”
“No, she couldn't,” Giles said. “Never. And sooner or later Glory will re-emerge and... make Buffy pay for that mercy. And the world with her. Buffy even knows that and still she couldn't take a human life.”
Giles pulled his glasses out of a pocket and put them on.
“She's a hero, you see,” Giles continued. “She's not like us.”
“Us?”
“Killers,” Giles said and suddenly placed his hand over Ben's nose and mouth. Ben struggled weakly as Giles remained calm.
“Get... up.... there!” Spike yelled at the heroes.
Roxanne joined Angel's group, holding her right arm close to her body. “There's no more behind us.”
“Good, now we cower away from the ones in front of us,” Wesley grumbled.
# # #
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