Prologue: History is Written

Into each Generation, A Slayer is born. One Girl in all the world, A Chosen One. One born with all the strength and skill to hunt the Vampires… The Demons… And The Forces of Darkness. She is The Slayer. And this time it's Buffy Summers.

Who are you?

Let's just say I'm a friend.

Maybe I don't want a friend.

I didn't say I was yours.

The Earth is Doomed.

I'm sixteen years old, I don't wanna die.

We saved the world. I say we party.

Who are you?

You'll find out on Saturday.

What happens Saturday?

I kill you.

I love you. I try not to, but I can't stop.

Buffy!

Well, it's not really the kind of message you tell. It sort of involves finding the bodies of all your friends.

Looks like I get to kill two birds with one stone. And teacher makes three.

Nobody saw you coming. I figured this for Angel's big day. I thought he was here to stop Acathla, not to bring him forth. But then you two made with the smoochies, and now he's a creep again. Now, what are you gonna do? What are you prepared to do?

I don't have anything left to lose.

Wrong, Kid. You got one more thing.

I love you.

I love you.

Close your eyes.

Buffy…….

I'm Buffy, the Vampire Slayer and you are?

I'm gonna go out on a limb, and say we've got an new slayer in town.

Your not friends. You'll never be friends. You'll be in love till it kills you both. You'll fight, and you'll shag, and you'll hate each other till it makes you quiver, but you'll never be friends. Love isn't brains, children. It's blood. Blood screaming inside you to work it's will. I may be love's bitch, but at least I'm man enough to admit it.

You don't get it, Faith. You killed a man.

No, you don't get it. I don't care.

I guess that means you got a job opening.

What are you gonna do, B, kill me? You become me. You're not ready for that, yet.

I'm talking about watching my lover die. I don't have a clue what you're talking about and I don't care.

You can't turn your back on the Council.

They're in England. I don't think they can tell which way my back is facing.

Look at you. All dressed up in Big Sister's clothes…

You did it, B. You really killed me.

Oh yeah. Miles to Go. Little Miss Muffet counting down from 7-3-0.

I'm ready.

For what?

War.

Guys, take a moment to deal with this. We survived.

Yeah, it was a hell of a battle.

Not the battle. High School. Take a moment…And we're done.

I'm Riley Finn.

Wish me monsters.

Isn't it a fantastic day? Birds singin', squirrels making lots of rotten little squirrels, sun beamin' down in a nice non-fatal way. It's very exciting. Can't wait to see if I freckle.

So, you let Parker take a poke, eh? Didn't seem like you knew each other that well. What exactly did it take to pry apart the Slayers' dimpled knees?

You're a pig, Spike.


Whatever. Guess you're not worth a second go -- come to think of it, seems like someone told me as much...who was that...oh yeah. Angel.

Professor Walsh? That simple little recon you sent me on - wasn't a raccoon. Turns out it was me, trapped in the sewers with a faulty weapon and two of your pet demons. If you think that's enough to kill me, you really don't know what a Slayer is. Trust me when I say you're gonna find out.

My whole life, I've never loved anything else

No, I understand. You have to be with the person that love. I am.
You mean...
I mean. OK?
Oh, yes.
I feel horrible about everything I put you through. And I'm going to make it up to you, starting right now.
Right now?

It's so late.

Oh, that clock's completely wrong. You think you know…. What you are…. What's to come…. You haven't even begun. Be back before dawn.

I walk, I talk, I shop, I sneeze. I'm gonna be a fireman when the flood rolls back.

I need you to be my watcher again.

She's not my sister?

Buffy, I wanna ask you something. And if I'm-- if I'm being crazy, you just tell me, okay?


You got it.

The other day... well, actually, I'm, I'm not sure when, the days seem to all bleed together...

It's not important.

No, I guess it isn't. I do know I was pretty out of it... and I had... not-not a dream... exactly, more like I had this... knowledge. It just came to me like... truth, you know? Even though it didn't seem possible... even though I shouldn't even think such things.

What?

That Dawn... she's not mine, is she?

No.

She's... she does belong to us though?

Yes she does.

And she's important. To the world. Precious? As precious as you are to me?
Then we have to take care of her. Buffy, promise me. If anything happens, if I don't through this—

Mom.

No, listen to me. No matter what she is, she still feels like my daughter. I have to know that you'll take care of her. That you'll keep her safe. That you'll love her like I love you.

I promise.

The Initiative want me back. I'm leaving tonight, unless you give me a reason.

Just tell me what kind of demon I'm fighting.

Well, that's the thing, you see. Glory isn't a demon.

What is she?

She's a god.

Oh.

You're Watchers. Without a Slayer, you're pretty much just watchin' Masterpiece Theater. You can't stop Glory. You can't do anything with the information you have except maybe publish it in the "Everyone Thinks We're Insane-O's Home Journal." So here's how it's gonna work. You're gonna tell me everything you know. Then you're gonna go away. You'll contact me if and when you have any further information about Glory. The magic shop will remain open. Mr. Giles will stay here as my official Watcher, reinstated at full salary...

Retroactive.

...to be paid retroactively from the month he was fired. I will continue my work with the help of my friends...

I love you.

Oh my God.

No, look at me. I love you. You're all I bloody think about... dream about. You're in my gut... in my throat... I'm drowning in ya Summers, drowning.

Mom? Mom? Mom? Mommy?

We're not supposed to move the body!

Mom ... had an accident. Or, um... something went... wrong from the tumor.

Is she cold?

It's not her. She's gone.

Where'd she go?

Losing Dawn, after all that Buffy's been through... I think it's pushed her too far into some sort of catatonia.

I sacrificed Angel to save the world. I loved him so much. But I knew...what was right. I dont have that anymore. I dont have that understanding. I dont know how to live in this world if these are the choices, if everything just gets stripped away. I dont see the point. I wish my mom was here.

Be Brave…. Live, for me.

We're talking about raising the dead.

It's time we stopped talking.

It's Buffy.

Is this Hell?

How long was I gone?

Hundred forty-seven days yesterday... um, one-forty-eight today. 'Cept today doesn't count, does it?

Wherever I was… I was happy. I knew that everyone I cared about was all right. I was loved. At peace. I was finished. Complete. I think I was in Heaven. And now I'm not. I was torn out of there. Pulled out... by my friends. They can never know.

I live in hell
'Cause I've been expelled
From heaven
I think I was in heaven

Where do we go from here?

I'm using you. I can't love you. I'm just… being weak and selfish. And it's killing me. I'm sorry, William.

Your shirt…..

Tara? Tara!

Bring her back!

I love you. I love crayon-breaky Willow and I love scary-veiny Willow.

I don't want to protect you from the world. I want to show it to you. There's so much that I want to show you.

Very well. We shall return your soul.

What is it Willow? What did you see?

The Hellmouth. It's gonna open. And it's gonna swallow us all.

It's not about right, It's not about wrong. It's about power.

They put the spark in me. And now all it does is burn.

Your soul…

A bit worse for lack of use.

You got your soul back. How?

It's what you wanted, right?

Can we rest? Buffy, can we rest?

I'm not saying it's an happy scenario, but we're dealing with a Big Bad that can be any dead person it wants.

You listen to me. I've been alive a bit longer than you and dead a lot longer than that. I've seen things you couldn't imagine and done things I'd prefer you didn't. I don't exactly have a reputation for being a thinker. I follow my blood which doesn't exactly rush in the direction of my brain so I make a lot of mistakes. A lot of wrong bloody calls. A hundred plus years and there's only one thing I've ever been sure of. You.
Hey, look at me. I'm not asking you for anything. When I say I love you, it's not because I want you, or because I can't have you. It has nothing to do with me. I love what you are, what you do, how you try. I've seen your kindness and your strength. I've seen the best and the worst of you and I understand with perfect clarity exactly what you are. You are a hell of a woman. You're the one, Buffy.

So yeah, I'm terrified.

You don't have to be.

Were you there with me?

I was.

What does that mean?

I don't know, does it have to mean something?

No… not right now.

Maybe when…

No. Let's leave it. We'll go be Heroes.

Does this mean I can win?

That is really up to you. This is a powerful weapon. But you already have weapons. Use it wisely and perhaps you can beat back the rising dark. One way or another, it can only mean an end is truly near.

Is it Spike?

Do you love Him?

No…. But he is in my heart.

Sometimes is something. I ain't getting any older.

Angel said the amulet was meant to be worn by a Champion.

Been called a lot of things in my time, love.

The Earth is definitely doomed.

Slayers… Every one of us. Make your choice. Are you ready to be strong?

I love you.

No you don't. But thanks for saying it.

Looks like the Hellmouth is officially closed for business.

The First is scrunched, so… Buffy, what do you think we should do?

Yeah. You're not the only and Chosen One anymore. Just gotta live like a normal person. How's that feel?

Yeah, Buffy. What Are We Gonna Do Now?

Upcoming Chapter: Proper Goodbye