Title:
Author:
Disclaimer:
Summary:
Spoilers:
Author's Note:
- ~ - ~ - ~ + ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ + ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ + ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ + ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ + ~ - ~ - ~ -
Darkest After Dawn
The entire group circled Buffy's lifeless body, except for Dawn. She was standing against the wall, blood still dripping from the cuts in her back. None of the Scoobies knew what it was that Buffy had said to her sister before she sacrificed herself to save the world. All they knew was one thing.
"It didn't work!" Willow screamed, ducking as falling debris came crashing down near her. Everyone was fighting off the tears and trying to remember that they had to save the world, since Buffy sacrificing herself did nothing.
Dawn couldn't believe it. After what Buffy had done for her, and all that Buffy had said prior to that, her theory was way off. It couldn't just be Summers' blood, it had to be Dawn's blood. The Key's blood. She knew what she had to do.
Dawn ran up the tower that she had just escaped from. She got to the top as fast as she could, considering she was bleeding and weak, and stood before the cyclone of other worldly danger. She turned for a moment, and saw that Willow had chased after her.
"Dawn, what are you doing?" Willow asked the young girl. Dawn knew that it was up to her to save the world, that it was up to her to save her friends.
"I have to save everyone." She told Willow. "I have to jump, and give my blood."
Dawn turned back to the portal, and she said, "I love you". It wasn't to Willow in particular. Perhaps it was just to her life, her chance at life. As she stepped off of the ledge, suddenly there was a flash of green light, it glowed as bright as the sun. The demons that had come out of the threshold were forced back in, and the portal between the worlds closed.
The Scoobies watched this happen from where they were standing around Buffy. After the green light faded, it was dark again, and everything was back to normal. But Buffy was still dead. She died thinking she had saved Dawn and the world, and in truth she had not done that.
A few of the Scoobies broke down into tears.
Willow made her way back down from the tower. She realized that she didn't try hard to save Dawn. She knew that it really was up to the young girl to save the world, and Dawn accomplished that.
As the sun began to rise over the horizon, Willow approached the rest of the group. Their best friend was gone forever, and the child she had sacrificed herself to save was now gone too. They had no one to remember Buffy by, no one to care for. The dawn of the new day brought sorrow, and grieving to the group, and to others once they were informed. "Some say that it's always darkest before dawn." Willow began. Her voice was raspy, and she talked quietly. Everyone listened through their tears. "But I think it's darkest after." She then too began to cry, and knew that it'd be awhile before she could stop.
