A/N – This one is for ‘theonenonlygurl’. Your belated Xmas wish. Because I promised. Thanks so much for the praise, it means the world to me.

And thanks once again to Ando for the beta job, and the indulgence. For never would a fic be complete without her final touch.

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Fred looked at Cordelia with a frown on her face, "Shouldn't we....you know? Check on them or something?"

Cordelia looked up from the magazine nestled between her legs, her eyes drifting to the corridor which lead down to the sleeping quarters. Another thump permeated along the deserted hall, filtering down to where she, Fred and Wesley sat.

She shook her head, her eyes back on the magazine in front of her, "They're probably just trying to prove who deserves Buffy more. They'll get over it."

Fred glanced at Wesley, confused. The former Watcher shook his head, indicating he wasn't sure exactly why Cordelia wasn't concerned, "Isn't that a bad thing?"

Cordelia glanced at the pair through her eyelashes, but didn't comment.

"I wonder whose gonna win." Fred mused idly, her leg absently brushing up against Wesley beside her.

Cordelia once again raised her eyes, just enough to encompass Wesley and Fred in her field of vision, "Angel doesn't want Buffy anymore." She told them, a note of authority in her voice, "He's gonna help her get her memories back 'cause, hey, that's what he does. But getting all lovely-dovey with her? Not going to happen." She focused her attention back on the magazine, "She's all Spikes."

Wesley tried to hide the smile in his voice. He had known about the increasing tension between Cordelia and Angel for months now, known about the possibility of a romance between them, and Cordelia's stubborn outburst only confirmed his theories, "Angel wouldn't leave Buffy to the mercy of Spike." He pointed out.

"Angel won't hurt Spike." Cordelia shot back.

"Why not?" Fred asked, "I mean, he is a vampire right?"

"With no soul." Wesley continued, "And if Angel decides she's better off without him..... It's not like he hasn't made decisions for her before."

Cordelia's head shot up, her eyes dark, "He won't hurt Spike." She said slowly, "Because I told him not too." Her voice had a note of finality to it. Wesley had heard it before. Cordelia had made up her mind, and there would be no further discussion on the matter.

Wesley wondered if it was wise. While Buffy was out of danger, he still wasn't convinced Angel wouldn't try to fight Spike. He had read extensively on Angelus' background, and Spike's name was mentioned on more then one occasion, leading to a very colorful - if dark - past for the two Vampires. While the bulk of it was littered with holes and a lot of it he was sure was pure myth, the malevolence between them was fairly plain.

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Back in the bedroom, Spike dodged another punch from Angelus, trying not to let the older Vampire maneuver himself closer to Buffy. Bruises were scattered across both vampires faces, blood oozed out of several cuts.

“Now now Spike.” Angelus threw another punch, inching himself closer to the wall away from the door, “What have I always told you?”

Spike grabbed Angelus’ arm, then propelled the other vampire against the bookcase. The old stand of wood wobbled unstably, a few books depositing on the floor, “That you’ll always be a dick?”

Angelus chuckled, ducked a punch, and then connected a powerful kick under Spike’s ribs, “You always were a feisty one William.”

Spike knew he and Angelus could fight until the cows came home, without either one gaining the upper hand. They had spent too long being friends, and later enemies, that they both knew each others fighting technique almost as well as they knew their own. Coupled with the fact that both had superior strength and pain threshold then most living (and un-living) beings, this fight could go on forever.

Spike, trying to think up a new tactic, took a few steps back, then crash tackled Angelus, driving his shoulder into the other and pushing him back. Caught off guard, Angelus found himself running backwards, and then suddenly his back hit the bookcase behind him with a sickening smack. Both Vampires rebounded off the object and stumbled a few paces, Spike pushing himself off of Angelus and moving out of striking distance.

Even while Angelus tried to figure out the bizarre move, the bookcase behind him fell forwards with a surprising amount of speed. Angelus turned in time for a large, old, leather bound book to fall straight on his head, the corner of the heavy hardback driving straight into his temple. Angelus crumpled as the rest of the books fell upon him, the bookcase pinning his unconscious form to the ground.

Spike stopped for a minute and just watched; surprised his sudden impulsive move had caused such an effect. Shaking it off, he turned, hunting around for something sharp to finish the job.

His eyes fell on Buffy, whose bright eyes were void of tears, her body still shaking. He felt a brief flash of irritation, and then kept searching.

“William?” Her voice was soft, and as Spike hefted a large piece of chair leg, he looked at her.

“What is it?” he growled the words, his voice still choked with rage.

She slowly brought herself to stand, leaning heavily against the wall, her hand still against the wound at her forehead, although the small cut had stopped bleeding now, “Are you going to kill him?”

Spike looked down at the stake in his hand, then over at Angelus’ crumpled body, then back to Buffy, “That’s right pet. You’ve made him evil, now I’ve got to kill him.”

“He hasn’t done anything.”

Spike’s eyes flashed a feral yellow, “He’s done enough.”

He stalked towards Angelus on the floor, grabbing the heavy bookcase with both hands, putting his strength to good use to move it off of him. Angelus moaned, but didn’t wake.

“He never hurt me.” Buffy tried to beg for Angelus’ life. She was totally confused, unaware of the evil thing her lover had become. In her eyes, all she saw was Spike moving in for the kill, “He loves me.”

Spike stiffened, held himself erect for a long moment, then turn murderous eyes at Buffy, “And now he won’t.”

Spike fell on his haunches, next to Angelus, letting the rage flow through him. The death of Angelus would solve a lot of his problems. The death of Angel would solve the rest. Lost contemplating the end of his most hated enemy, Spike never heard Buffy coming.

She crept up behind him silently, stake held tightly in her hand. She wasn’t sure exactly what she was going to do, but she knew letting Spike kill Angel wasn’t going to be it. Another step, she was almost behind him now.

Spike raised his stake, directly above Angelus’ heart. Preparing to end his troubles.

Buffy took another step, her foot landing directly upon the same leather bound book that had knocked Angelus out. The leather under her shifted, pitched her forwards, and she let out a muffled scream as she fell forwards, her feet flying from under her. Spike spun, catching Buffy against his chest, holding her against him as her weight threw both of them to the floor.

Even as she fell against Spike, Buffy could feel her hand sliding forwards. Pushing past flesh, the object in her hand entered the vampire’s chest. Spike’s scream didn’t even reach her ears. Spike, eyes wide with horror would haunt her for the rest of her life, so disbelieving, so shocked. And yet, still inescapably filled with love. A final, cruel justice to the man obsessed with Slayers that he should finally die by the one he loved.

Buffy felt his body tense, looked down at her hand still attached to the stake embedded in Spike’s heart.

Then he was gone.

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A.N - I can only give my apologies for this fic being so delayed. The simple truth is my muse packed up out of Sunnydale and returned to Colorado Springs and the Stargate program. I will try my best to continue it, but I can’t promise that it’ll be any time in the near future. While I would love to say that yep, sure, no worries, I’ll finish it with the next week or two, I couldn’t lie to you all and string you along, because I honestly don’t know if I will.

But...you all know how much reviews help my troubled muse. cheeky grin

Please readers, DON'T KILL ME for the way this fic is turning out. All of you who know me know I adore Character Death... what can I say?