A/N: I always liked the idea of crossing Buffy with Highlander. The two series just seem like they fit well together. I haven't watched Highlander in a while so forgive me if I misspell some terminology. Hope you like. This chapter has been retooled.

Antak the Destroyer and the Bringer of Dawn

Chapter One

My name is Dawn Summers. I turned three years old last week not that my sister seemed notice. For all intents and purposes she still thinks of me as her little goofy sister who can't protect herself. Just for the record I can handle myself a lot better than she thinks. My brother in law Liam had been teaching me how to fight for years. I may not be all slayer-like with the strength and everything but I can kick demon butt with the best of them. Ok well maybe not the best of them but you get my point.

My sister got married to her high school sweetheart Liam three months ago. After she swooped in and saved his rear end from this major apocalypse in Los Angeles. We combined all of the So-Cal Scoobies (that's what we call our research team) after the wedding. The battle in LA plus our own little apocalypse here in Sunnydale last year left our numbers pretty thin. There aren't many of us left. My godfather Giles moved back to England. With him went a small army of Slayers plus a former watcher named Wesley. Liam and a lawyer buddy of his named Charles moved to Sunnydale after it was rebuilt. My sister Buffy's best friend Willow also stuck around after a pretty bad break up with her girlfriend who had to move with Giles. That made about seven of us including my two roommates Chao-Ahn and Fred Burkle.

Fred is s strange story. She had been possessed by a former elder god named Illyria. After the big battle in LA we found Fred under a pile of rubble completely de-possessed. No one is really sure why Illyria gave up her host but we are all glad that the shy physicist was back. Chao-Ahn decided to stick around in So-Cal and help me with college stuff. Don't get me wrong the help is welcome but Chao-Ahn doesn't speak English very well so most of our conversations end up in a confusing mess.

After all of the chaos that was my three years of life I was ready to fall into the routine of college life. To be for me the powers that be had other plans. I was on my way to Buffy and Liam's house one night and decided to take a short cut through the woods. Big mistake in Sunnydale, even though it isn't hellmouth central anymore doesn't mean that the bad guys got the message. Making my way past a fresh grave I got ambushed by a rising vampire. I could have made short work of the vamp but stupid me I forgot to bring a stake. The last thing I remember thinking before blacking out from blood loss was how mad Buffy was going to be.

I opened my eyes sometime later inside a pine box. Why couldn't they have left me out in the open if I was just going to wake up a vampire anyway? The only ting was I didn't feel any different. I should have had fangs or something right? Then why didn't I, and why could I feel my heart beating?

Deciding that I wasn't going to find out anything while stuck in the ground I started pulling an Uma Thurman and tried to bust out of the wood box. It didn't take long to break the wood but I faced a new problem because dirt began pouring in through the open hole. Choking down the dirt that filled my mouth I started to pull myself up. Several minutes later I reached air and hoisted myself up past the whole.

The first thing I noticed was that it was daylight and the second being that all of my family was standing around my grave wearing black. Why did I come back? If I wasn't a vampire as evidenced by my not bursting into flames then why did I not stay dead?

The funeral was small just the So-Cal Scoobies and Giles. Everyone seemed too shocked to speak not that I could really blame them for that. I had just crawled up from my own coffin. Which now that I think about it was a really crappy way to be buried. Trying to break the silence I decided speak up.

'So whose bright idea was the pine box?' Trying to be light hearted about the whole thing. I failed. Buffy broke down at my words and enveloped me in her arms. Not knowing what else to do I held her while she cried.

'I'm so sorry Dawnie we should have gotten you a better casket.' She sobbed as mascara ran down her face.

'You just might get the chance to rectify that soon' said a harsh voice.

Buffy was on her feet in seconds staring down the intruder. 'Who are you?' she demanded. No one else made a move except for Chao-Ahn who slipped Buffy a sword.

'Why don't you ask the little one? I'm sure she can remember my name can't you little key?' The voice belonged to a tall man who looked like he had just stepped out of Hun china. He carried a large sword in one hand that looked like it could cleave a man in two. His name seemed to roll off my tongue as if I was used to saying it.

'Kronos' I said getting to my feet. 'Why are you here?'

'I challenge you Antak the Destroyer, in the name of the game.' He said tossing aside his fur cloak.

'This is holy ground Kronos. We would both surely be killed if we fought here.' I wasn't sure why I knew that it simply seemed like what needed to be said.

'The game' Giles echoed 'Dawn how do you know about the game?'

'Later Giles, Buffy I need your sword.' I said not taking my eyes off of the immortal in front of me. Immortal, how did I know that he was an immortal?

I turned to look at Buffy clearly seeing the confusion in her eyes. 'Trust me Buffy I know what I'm doing.' I said with all of the courage I could muster.

'I don't understand what's going on Dawnie.' She said as the grip on her sword slackened.

'You just have to trust me.' I said taking the sword from her hand and turning to face Kronos again. 'Alright, I accept your challenge.'

I moved up the hill my grave was located on to a patch of open land. The guys hadn't buried me in the cemetery so Kronos and I had plenty of open space to fight in. 'You've seen better days Kronos.' I quipped trying to lighten the mood by making fun of his rugged appearance.

'Yes well you're new body has seen too few.' He remarked pointing his sword at my throat. 'How long have you been here on earth this time Antak?'

'Three years.' I answered not certain as to why I was telling him my real age.

'My word, those monks sure know how to screw up someone's life eh?' he laughed taking pleasure in mocking me. I realized too late that he was trying to bait me. A split second later I found myself on the ground with a large wound to the stomach. I clutched my abdomen tightly with one hand desperately trying to refrain from passing out. He was laughing at me, goading me to lash out. A reaction I was glad to oblige. Unfortunately for Kronos he had not been in his new body as long as he tried to let on. As a result his reflexes weren't quite up to par. I on the other hand had spent the past three years training with the scourge of Europe. In a quick thrust I impaled him on my sword driving the steel through his body to the hilt. He was helpless as my blade twisted out of his middle and came down hard on his neck. The dead body fell to the ground as his head hung from my off hand.

My family and friends stood by helplessly as lightning enveloped me and I absorbed the power Kronos had acquired. My senses suddenly sharpened and I hear the traffic of nature all around me. I was stronger physically now as well, along with retaining most of Kronos' knowledge.

'Dawn what just happened?' Buffy asked helplessly.

Giles beat me to an explanation. 'She's an immortal.'

'What does that mean?' Came Willows voice from behind him

'It means that I can't die except for losing my head.' I replied deciding that it was best not to get the watcher into too much trouble with his slayer. He didn't catch on though.

'Since the down of time there have always been immortals. Beings of immense power locked in never ending battle to win the game. Or the quickening.' He elaborated.

'There can be only one.' I chanted. Nothing was ever going to be the same now that they knew, now that I was back in the game.