"There up ahead", Buffy pointed through the windscreen of the BMW as it screeched round the corner bringing the Graveyard into view. "Park here".

The Slayer through herself from the vehicle before Giles had properly stopped. She ran to the back of the car and opened the trunk. An array of weapons lay neatly before her. She scanned them quickly before settling on a large axe with a silver blade. She often wondered what Giles would do if stopped by the police.

"Buffy, I don't think you should be so hasty". Giles clambered out of the car and came round to meet her.

"We've went over this Giles, this is the plan".

"For all we know about the danger of the Ghost Rider, we still don't know enough".

"Reilly isn't answering his cell, if I was an ordinary girlfriend I would be suspicious, but he's not an ordinary boyfriend". She slammed the trunk shut and made her way towards the fence. She threw the axe over and poised herself to jump it.

"Buffy", Giles called, "be careful".

She give him a wink and cleared the fence. Picking up the axe she pointed it at him, "just make sure you're ready".

Giles watched as she disappeared into the darkness. He reached into the back of the car and removed a large leather bound book, the same one he was reading when Xander called. He took his jacket off, and got to work.

Buffy carefully made her way through the Graveyard. She methodically scanned the area, searching for any clues. It didn't take her long until an acrid smell filled her lungs. Gunpowder. She used her nose to guide her until she came to a clearing in front a large crypt. The ground was scorched, it looked like a mini war zone. There was, however, no bodies. No trace of any of the Initiative, just the remains of a fight with no clue as to the victor. Buffy's eyes drew her to the crypt. Slowly, she edged towards it. Fixated by it, certain that the answers lay within. What those answers were however, frightened her. It didn't seem feasibly that the Initiative had the Ghost Rider tied up in there. It was more plausible that the worst had happened. The fear that she was too late had gripped her. It was soon replaced by fear of her opponent.

Looking up at the crypt, there stood the Ghost Rider. He looked a little more battle scarred than before. His leather was riddled with bullet holes. It showed Buffy that the demon wasn't impenetrable. Judging by how slowly the Ghost Rider moved towards her, it was evident it was also hurt.

"Where are they?" Buffy asked.

"They will not stand in my way any longer", he replied, "and neither will you girl". Threateningly, he pointed a finger at her.

"Well that's too bad now, because I am exactly the girl that stands in the way of things like you".

"You do not want to oppose me".

"Well it's a little late for that don't you think? Tell me where they are and make the news good, and maybe I'll make this quick".

"You threaten me? Who exactly are you, what is your mission?"

"To destroy you". She spoke with a new found sense of conviction though she couldn't help but shake the feeling that something was off. She wasn't expecting so much chat from the Ghost Rider. Giles had described the brute force and merciless reputation the demon had.

"Where are they? I won't ask you again without cutting off parts".

"They are in the crypt", he answered. "Now tell me. Who are you? You're strength is not that of a human, yet I can see that your soul is very much mortal".

The words threw Buffy, clouding her mind. Something was off here, her instincts lit up like a Christmas tree. Before she could put her finger on it a flashing device landed on the ground behind the Ghost Rider's back. She almost called out to warn him but was too late. The explosion knocked her backwards, sending her head into a spin. Clearing the cobwebs, she looked up to see the Ghost Rider lying a few feet to her left, slowly trying to get to his feet. She could kill it right now, while it's wounded. Take the axe and take the skull clean off. She knew she couldn't though. Regardless of how dangerous the Ghost Rider was, she couldn't forget what Giles told her. She had to stick to the plan.

Her focus changed as she looked up to see Reilly crawl from the crypt, he was a mess.

"Reilly, she called out, rushing to his aid.

"Buffy", he said, his voice weak.

"Reilly, are you okay?"

"I, I'll be fine. Is the Ghost Rider...?" the sentence trailed off.

Buffy turned her attention to the Ghost Rider. He was still struggling to get to his feet. Whatever he was made off, the explosion did some serious damage.

The Ghost Rider was kneeling now, slowly he was getting up. What power and strength, Buffy thought. Suddenly, the demon was bathed in a pale blue light. Giles, she thought to herself. About time.

She couldn't see any emotion in the a face without features, yet she could still sense the pain it was in. The spell was tearing it apart, she hoped it was working.

She lay Reilly down gently and made her way towards the Ghost Rider, wielding the axe. Giles had did her part, she had to be ready for hers.

The light began to flicker before dissipating. The Ghost Rider made two steps towards her and stopped. Buffy raised the axe, ready to strike. The fire that engulfed his skull began to flicker, the flame starting to go out. As it extinguished, the Ghost Rider collapsed, lifeless.

Buffy looked up to see Giles come into view. "Well?" she asked, "What now?"

Giles looked at the devastation that surrounded him. "To be honest Buffy I wasn't necessarily expecting an option C".