Prologue
Monday May 28th, 2001
Sunnydale, California
Construction Site
Within an hour before Sunrise
"Dawn," Buffy called as she climbed up the last rung to the platform.
The Doc or whatever his name was, was standing in front of her, but whirled around as she moved, as Dawn called her name. "This should be interesting," he commented. She didn't even stop, just pushed him off as she walked, ignoring his scream as he fell.
"Here," she smiled as she reached Dawn who was crying.
"It hurts," she whispered.
"I got it." Buffy countered softly. "Come here, you're gonna be okay…" she continued before leading Dawn across the platform towards the tower entrance. Dawn stopped and turned towards her. "Go!" Buffy ordered.
"Buffy, it's started," she argued and Buffy turned around, they could both see the light of the portal as it grew larger. Lightning shot out of the portal, and as Buffy glanced below she could see the ground shake as the tower shifted slightly.
"Xander!" she heard Anya's yell, glancing towards it to see Anya push him aside before a pile of bricks fell on her.
"Anya!" he yelled as he ran towards her.
Looking back over at Dawn, Buffy turned towards her as her sister just stared at the portal. "I'm sorry," Dawn cried.
"It doesn't matter," Buffy argued before Dawn tried to run past her, reaching out she grabbed her. "What are you doing?"
"I have to jump. The energy…" Dawn explained in a rush.
"It'll kill you," Buffy argued.
"I know," Dawn answered softly. "Buffy, I know about the ritual. I have to stop it."
"No," Buffy argued before the tower shook and they both stumbled this time.
"I have to. Look at what's happening!" Dawn shot back as more lightening crackled, even larger than before. Buffy looked up in time to see a huge dragon fly out of the portal and around the tower as they watched. "Buffy, you have to let me go. Blood starts it, and until the blood stops flowing, it'll never stop," she explained softly as Buffy just stared at her, her own anguish visible. "You know you have to let me," Dawn pleaded as tears slipped down her cheeks. "It has to have the blood."
Buffy sucked in a quick breath as her mind flashed back to Spike earlier 'Cause it's always got to be blood'. Her mind went back further, to that day in the hospital when she realized it was Summers blood. 'She's me. The monks made her out of me'.
"Death is your gift," she heard the first Slayer saying. "Death is your gift…"
Frowning she turned around slowly and looked out across the platform, at the portal and the sky beyond as holes seemed to be opening in the sky, and the sun began to rise. She took another breath, before looking back at Dawn who stared at her with wide-eyes, already knowing what she was planning…
"Buffy… no!"
"Dawnie, I have to."
"No!"
"Listen to me. Please, there's not a lot of time, listen," Buffy argued softly as she held Dawn by her upper arms, "I love you. I will always love you. But this is the work that I have to do. Tell Giles… tell Giles I figured it out. And, and I'm okay. And give my love to my friends. You have to take care of them now. You have to take care of each other. You have to be strong. Dawn, the hardest thing in this world… is to live in it. Be brave. Live. For me," she stroked the side of Dawn's face, and then kissed her on the cheek as Dawn continued to cry.
Turning, she started to run, leaving her behind but knowing the others would take care of her. For a moment she was thankful for those diving lessons as she jumped off the end in a perfect swan-dive and into the portal. She felt it pull around her, keeping her there as the lightening and power surged around her body. And then it stopped, and she was free.