Disclaimer: I don't own anything. Buffy and Co. belongs to Joss Whedon and ME and WB and whatever Evil Organization they belong too. And if they need another writer, just point me to the dotted line and I'll sign in blood …

A/N: Please Review. I need to know if this is received well because, if no one likes it, what's the point in writing/finishing it?

Prologue

"I'm dying."

Varying degrees of shock fell on the faces around her. Buffy understood all of it. She had felt them herself the moment she received the news.

She had cancer.

Not the kind her mother had. It isn't a brain tumor. It wasn't something at all 'normal' related, if getting cancer was normal. No, nothing normal ever happened to her, Buffy thought darkly. This cancer, the malignant disease growing in her uterus and in her stomach, spreading in a spectacular rate was due to her Slayer-ness. Tissues were growing and developing much too fast and caused one measly mutated cell to divide and invade her system with the help of her slayer powers. It was the biggest irony she could possibly think of. Her greatest strength became her ultimate downfall.

"How … you can't leave … Buffy, we just finally got the O.S.G. started, you can't leave. You're the Slayer! We need you."

Buffy watched Willow. The strongest Witch ever recorded in history. Her greatest ally, her bestest friend in the World.

The one that brought her Hell.

Buffy couldn't help but notice that the thought of her best friend's actions no longer brought the anger and confusion it did in the past. It only brought a light wistfulness, and on occasion, when life was particularly lovely and the faintest fragrance of flowers was vivid red in her mind, Buffy felt gratitude at the second – or was it third? – Chance.

Upon the thought of death, Buffy couldn't help but think of the one that saved her world, over and over, and then saved the World …

Shaking her head, Buffy went back into the present. She'll have plenty of time reminiscing when she became bed ridden, when she goes back to the other side.

"It's cancer, Will. That … that molecular sunburn from my resurrection. I did come back wrong. My immune system has been working on overdrive since I've come back and now … I'm done. The cancer is using my slayer powers now. It's growing." Buffy paused for a second. She didn't know how to say the last bit. She looked around at the crestfallen faces.

Willow, Giles, and Xander - the Inner Core.

Dawn and Faith, her sisters through thick and thin.

Even Andrew and Robin, one of the last warriors of a time past.

"I've been consulting the Coven in Michigan and they sensed my aura and my life line. I only have a few weeks now. Enough time to get the girls rounded up and – "

"But Buffy, maybe… maybe we could … do something … Magic! I can –"Willow looked at her, a spark of hope lighting the behind the smart eyes. Always trying to find the solution, solve the problem. Buffy looked back kindly. A small smile of something akin to defeat shadowed her face.

"Willow. We're going against my Slayer Powers. Remember Mom, Wills? If we couldn't do anything to help her,  how are you going to help me? It's not your fault, Will. The Powers just have it in for me. I think it had somethin' to do with the dressing down I gave 'em a few months back when they wouldn't give me the ability to drive. Yea. I think that was it." Buffy tried to lighten the mood. A little voice in her mind taunted back at her, Tough Crowd, eh?

On her peripheral, Buffy could see the tense shoulders of her sister's. Dawn had the shock look in her eyes. Giles didn't even bother to clean his glasses. He merely took them off and held them entwined in his fingers as he held his head in his hands. His shoulders visibly went up and down. He was breathing hard.

Xander had fallen noisily back against a couple of cabinets. His face still had disbelief written all over it. Buffy had a spiteful feeling come over her, the thought that he was still swimming in the Nile in the past three years came particularly into mind.

Andrew, Robin, and Faith merely looked on. Andrew looked sad but, even if he had some character development over the years, he still had a running monologue in his mind. Buffy inwardly smiled. Andrew would always be the quirky one. Faith and Robin had stuck together after The Fight and made each other stronger. It was a partnership Buffy always wanted and was glad (and a little envious – always will have that sibling rivalry with Faith, Buffy thought) Faith had it after so many tough breaks.

Buffy blinked an image of a bleached head and cerulean blue eyes away from her thoughts. It was the partnership she could have had and had realized it only at the last possible moment.

"This isn't fair, Buffy! You can't leave me again… it wasn't supposed to be like this ..." Dawn exploded with her emotions and after the initial burst; she started to shake and cry hysterically.

Buffy's own tears of self-pity and righteousness tried to rise again but she already had that session earlier that week and Dawn's welfare was at stake. Taking a reign on her emotions, Buffy took Dawn's waving and vibrating arms and held them between themselves.

"Dawn, I love you. Xander loves you. We all love you. I will always love you and I will always be with you. My time is just up again and this time I think it's for good. Slayers –Pre-Willow-Giving-All-Power-To-Potentials – live short. We don't get to profit from our Social Security. Faith and the others might change that but I guess its not changing for me. I'm trying not to be mean but deal with this Dawn. You're an adult and smart. You never needed me but you will always have me. You are apart of me." Buffy took her sister's taller frame and gave her an almost bone-crushing hug. "Breath Sis, everything will be alright."

Dawn shivered and hiccupped in Buffy's arms. A tear fell from Buffy's eye but no more. She had no time to cry. She had to gather the O.S.G. together and organize teams. She had to revise their mission statement, create a set of rules when she was gone. Make a plan. Execute the plan.

But before I do all that, Buffy thought, Dawn needs Big Sis. Just wait a few more seconds then its slayer mode.

With that resolution in mind, Buffy stroked her sister's back comfortingly, knowing that such leisure was precious and finite.

-----

Two Months and Four Days Later

            The weather was chilly and the sky slowly wept in their sadness as the beacon of all that was good and right returned to the ground for the second time.

            The many that arrived were people that were touched by the life of Buffy Summers in varying degrees. The majority were the Potentials-turned-Slayers of a different time, the first of a generation of Warriors. The other Slayers that were called in the exodus were also present. All being educated at the nature of Slayers and have had the privilege to be taught by the one that started it all. Others that came that didn't belong in either group were various friends, respective (and some not so respective) colleagues of demon hunters, and the people of the former-Initiative. 

            All came in somber black and stood respectively as the casket slowly lowered below the Earth. No more tears shed. All already had been spent. Today, however, was reserved for the silent and reverend acknowledgement of a legend, The One.

Elizabeth Ann Summers

Beloved Sister, Friend, and Hero

The Slayer

 The One

Rest in Peace

[insert Birth and death]

A/N: Death happens 5 years after the Fight. Dawn is a freshman in College

Someone want to give me the dates for this? I don't remember them ….