Dialogue is taken directly from the show in many places in this chapter.

Chapter 19: The Final Gift

*****An Hour or So Later*****

After getting her some food and a shower, Daniel took Buffy to the Magic shop where everyone was assembled researching ways to get Dawn away from Glory. Jack had arrived and was making plans with Colonel Dixon, whose men were patrolling the streets waiting for the call to go after Glory. Everyone was noticeably relieved to see Buffy looking like her old self.

"You are well, Buffy Summers-Jackson?" Teal'c asked her.

"I'm okay," Buffy said. She looked at Giles. "So what's the plan? Have you found out anything about this ritual?'

Giles looked down at the book he was holding with a frown. "Nothing you want to hear. The ritual is, uh..."

Buffy could tell by various expressions from everyone that she wouldn't like what he had to say. "Explain it again."

"There's nothing new to-"

"Go through it again," she ordered.

Everyone looked nervously at Buffy. Willow was sitting at the table on Xander's other side. Tara was next to her, rocking back and forth but silent. Spike was on the stairs. Anya was at her normal position behind the counter. Jack and Dixon were looking at a map at the table. Buffy's demanding tone had all eyes focused on her. Giles shut the book and slowly removed his glasses.

"It's not pretty," Jack said unhappily.

Giles looked resigned and began, "The key was ... living energy. It needed to be channeled, poured into a specific place at a specific time. The energy ... would flow into that spot, the walls between the dimensions break down. It stops, the energy's used up, the walls come back up. Glory uses that time to get back into her own dimension, not caring that all manner of hell will be unleashed on earth in the meantime."

Buffy looked grim but said nothing, waiting.

Anya spoke, "Um, but only for a little while, right? The walls come back up, uh, n-no more hell?"

"That's only if the energy is stopped. And now the key is human ..." He paused and looked over at Buffy and Daniel, who put a protective hand on her shoulder "...It's Dawn."

Giles opened the book back up and read from it: "The blood flows, the gates will open. The gates will close when it flows no more." He stopped reading and removed his glasses. Then he looked at Buffy and Daniel. "When Dawn is dead."

"Oh God!" Daniel exclaimed, looking sick. He sat down in the open chair at the table.

No one spoke for a long moment.

"I have places to be!" Tara suddenly shouted.

Everyone looked over at Tara, who was curled up in a chair to the side. She fell silent again, and they returned to their conversation.

Faith and Sam came in, having been patrolling. "No signs of Glory's demon minions," Faith said. She looked at Buffy, relieved to see her looking well again. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," Buffy told her.

"Why blood? Why Dawn's blood? I mean, why couldn't it be like a, a lymph ritual?" Xander wondered, not paying attention to Faith's presence.

"'Cause it's always got to be blood," Spike said flatly.

"We're not actually discussing dinner right now," Xander said snidely.

"Blood is life, lackbrain. Why do you think we eat it? It's what keeps you going. Makes you warm. Makes you hard. Makes you other than dead," Spike replied impatiently. Then in a softer voice he added, "Course it's her blood."

"Blood sacrifices are common throughout history and across cultures," Daniel asked.

"Why are we talking about blood?" Faith asked with a confused look.

"Glory will use Dawn's blood to open the door to her dimension, causing all realities to bleed through and destroy life as we know it," Anya explained in that direct way she had.

Faith and Sam looked shocked.

"Oh," Faith said. "We need to kill that bitch!"

Buffy nodded in agreement. "Yes. It's pretty simple math here. We stop Glory before she can start the ritual. We still have a couple of hours, right?"

"If my calculations are right. But Buffy-" Giles began.

"I don't wanna hear it," Buffy said dismissively and turned away from him.

"I understand that-" Giles began.

Buffy whirled back toward him, fire in her eyes. "No! No, you don't understand. We are not talking about this."

"Buffy, Rupert is trying to help. Everyone is," Daniel said, putting his hand out toward.

"I don't want to hear what I know he's going to say!" Buffy insisted.

Giles uncharacteristically slammed the book down on the table. "Yes, we bloody well are!" he exclaimed.

Everyone looked shocked by Giles' outburst.

"Damn," Faith muttered. She never thought she'd see the day when Giles actually yelled at his slayer—not in that tone.

Giles spoke this time in a quieter tone. "If Glory begins the ritual ... if we can't stop her..."

"We'll stop her," Jack said. "I've got plan A, B, and C that guarantees we'll put that false god down."

"But if she manages to start the ritual. . ." Giles said and stopped.

"Come on. Say it. Tell me to kill my sister," Buffy said, daring him.

"He didn't say that," Daniel said. "No one is saying that."

Giles took a deep breath. "She's not your sister," he said softly. However, everyone heard him.

Daniel looked completely caught off guard by his remark. For a long moment, the group was too stunned by Giles' words to respond.

Finally, Buffy spoke, a sad look on her face. "No. She's not. She's more than that. She's me. The monks made her out of me. I hold her ... and I feel closer to her than ..." She paused and looked over at her dad who gave her a look so full of love. He got it. Their father knew them both so well in such a short time. "It's not just the memories they built. It's physical. Dawn ... is a part of me. The only part that I-"

Daniel pulled her into his arms. "Don't worry, sweetie. We're going to save Dawn," he assured her.

"We'll solve this. We will. Don't have another coma, okay?" Willow said with a worried smile.

Buffy gave a small smile.

"If the ritual starts, then every living creature in this and every other dimension imaginable will suffer unbearable torment and death including Dawn," Giles said.

"You can't know that," Daniel insisted. Buffy pulled away from him and faced Giles once more.

"Then the last thing she'll see is me protecting her," Buffy said firmly.

"If you fail, you'll die. We all will," he said flatly, turning away from the table.

"I'm sorry," Buffy said.

Giles walked slowly away.

"I love you all ... but I'm sorry," Buffy said regretfully. She turned away too.

"Don't worry, B. I got your back," Faith assured her. "We'll put this bitch down and save Dawn. I won't let anyone hurt her."

"Me either," Spike added.

"Okay!" Anya said, loudly as she raised her hand. "All in favor of stopping Glory before the ritual. Suggestions, ideas?" She snapped her fingers. "Time's a-wastin'."

"Uh ... when you say you love us all..." Spike said to Buffy.

"Shut up!" Giles and Xander both say together.

"Willow. I bet you've got some dark spell a-brewin'. Uh, make her a, a, a toad? Little hoppy toad, we can hit her with a hammer?"

Tara giggled. "Hoppy toad."

"You can do that?" Colonel Dixon asked Willow. "Turn people into other creatures?" He looked equally horrified and fascinated.

"Well, yeah. It's just a simple transformation spell. Our friend Amy could turn herself and others into a rat in high school," Willow said. Her eyes widened. "I bet I can switch her back!"

"We'll worry about her later, Will," Xander said.

"My team and I are going to hit her first with heavy artillery," Jack said. "We'll take out her minions."

"What about the infected people like Tara she might have helping her? We can't kill innocent humans," Daniel pointed out.

"We'll try to keep the casualty count down, Daniel, but this is the end of the world we're talking about. Your daughter's life," Jack reminded him.

"We do not know if heavy artillery will hurt Glory," Faith said, speaking for the first time. "So far she seems pretty infallible."

"In our experience, every false god has a weakness," Teal'c said.

"He's right," Sam said.

"What about Ben? He can be killed, right? I mean, I know he's an innocent, but, you know, not like Dawn innocent. We could kill a ... regular guy," Xander said weakly, feeling guilty for even suggesting it.

The group looked at him, most with looks of surprise that he'd suggest such a thing.

Xander flinched at the silent reproach. "God," he said in self-disgust.

"That's not a bad plan," Colonel Dixon said. "We can kill his human host."

"But Ben is innocent! I had dinner with him!" Buffy protested.

"You don't know if he's complicit or not," Sam pointed out.

"Killing him would be no different than killing Goa'uld's human host," Jack said.

"What's that?" Faith asked in confusion.

"It's classified," Sam told her.

"It's doubtful he'll surface again this close to the ritual. We can expect it's Glory we're dealing with," Giles told them.

"We don't have to kill her. Uh, we just have to stop her from doing the ritual. I mean, there's only the one time that she can do it, right?" Willow pointed out.

"Yeah. We get her on the ropes, we just gotta keep her occupied till it's too late," Spike said.

"Okay. But I'm still not hearing enough ideas. She's a god. Let's think outside the box," Anya said. Her fear was compelling her to try and take charge.

"Why don't you go think outside the bleeding box!" Spike said, annoyed by her.

Giles agreed. "Yes, Anya, apart from your incredibly uninfectious enthusiasm, have you anything else to contribu-"

"The Dagon sphere!" Anya exclaimed.

"Sorry?" Giles asked, blinking in surprise.

"When Buffy first met Glory, she found that magical ... glowy sphere that was meant to repel Glory. We've got it in the basement." Everyone looked surprised. "It might drive her away or hurt her. Ooh!" She realized something else and hurried over to a display case, gesturing like a game-show hostess. "And Olaf the troll god's enchanted hammer." It was on a reinforced shelf. Anya gave a satisfied smile. "You wanna fight a god, use the weapon of a god."

Xander gave her a proud smile.

Jack whistled. "Smart girl you got there," he said to Xander.

Buffy walked over to check out the hammer.

Spike warned a reminder, "Uh, nah, that thing's too heavy to-" Buffy picked it up easily. "Yeah. Good."

"I like this," she said to Anya. "Thanks."

"Here to help. Wanna live!" Anya declared.

"Smart chicks are soooo hot," Xander declared, looking fondly at Anya.

"You couldn't have figured that out in tenth grade?" Willow asked in slight annoyance.

"Between us and your magic eight ball and you and Faith, we should be able to keep her too busy to start the ritual," Jack said happily.

"But, we still have no idea how to find her," Buffy reminded them.

An agitated Tara announced, "Big day. Oh, it calls me! I have to be there!"

Everyone looked at Tara. Willow patted her hands, trying to call her. "Big day!" she said again.

A short time later, Jack and Dixon took Faith and Sam to inventory the artillery and update the teams.

Eventually, Buffy, Giles, and Daniel made it down to the basement to get the sphere and see if there was anything else they might use to hurt Glory.

"This is an impressive collection," Daniel said, looking through the various items.

"Yes, well, I've been a collector for a while. Some things I bought after I took over this shop," Giles said.

"This is how many apocalypses for us now?" Buffy asked Giles

He sat down at a small table he kept down there and removed his glasses. "Oh, uh, well... six, at least. Feels like a hundred.

"I've always stopped them. Always won."

"You'll win this time, Buffy," Daniel assured her.

"Yes," Giles said.

"I sacrificed Angel to save the world," Buffy said softly. "I loved him so much. But I knew . . . what was right. I don't have that any more. I don't understand. I don't know how to live in this world if these are the choices. If everything just gets stripped away. I don't see the point. I just wish that... I just wish my mom was here."

Daniel hated to see his daughter in so much pain and pulled her in for a hug. Buffy let herself lean into him for a long moment, soaking up his strength.

She looked up at him and said, "I love you, Dad, so much."

Daniel felt the emotion welling up in him as he looked down at his beautiful, courageous daughter, who had born and suffered too much. How he hated the fact that he could not take this burden from her. She deserved so much more.

Too soon, Buffy turned away from him and faced Giles. "The spirit guide told me ... that death is my gift. Guess that means a Slayer really is just a killer after all," she said flatly.

"I think you're wrong about that," Giles said.

"I know you are," Daniel added.

Buffy shrugged. "It doesn't matter. If Dawn dies, I'm done with it. I'm quitting," she said. She grabbed the sphere and went back upstairs.

She went and sat down at the table next to Willow. "Will, what do you got for me?" she asked.

"Some ideas. Well, notions. Or, theories based on wild speculation. Did I mention I'm not good under pressure?"

"I need you, Will. You're my big gun," Buffy told her.

Willow looked alarmed. "I'm your - no, I-I was never a gun. Someone else should be the gun. I, I could be a, a cudgel. Or, or a pointy stick."

"You're the strongest person here. You know that, right?"

Willow frowned, a look of panics in her eyes. "Well ... no."

"Will, you're the only person that's ever hurt Glory. At all. You're my best shot at getting her on the ropes, so don't get a jelly belly on me now," Buffy said.

"Well ... I, I ... do sort of have this one idea. But, last few days, I've mostly been looking into ways to help Tara. I-I know that shouldn't be my priority...

Buffy leaned over and put her hand on Willow's knee. "Of course, it should."

Willow smiled gratefully. "Well, I've been charting their essences. Mapping out. I think ... if I can get close enough, I may be able to reverse what Glory did. Like, take back what she took from Tara. It might weaken Glory, or ... make her less coherent. Or it might make all our heads explode."

"That's great, Will," Buffy said. Giles motioned to her, and she got up and went to see what he was planning.

Willow got up and went to crouch beside Tara's chair. "Don't worry, love. It won't be long," she told her.

Tara slapped her hard across the face. "Bitch! I'm supposed to work on the factors!"

Willow just looked at her sadly. The anger passed and Tara became anxious. "I'm, I'm not ... I'm not..." Tara put her hand gently on Willow's cheek and began to cry.

Willow looked at her with tears in her eyes as well. She knew Tara was still in there. "I'm gonna bring you back," she vowed.

"Jack and the teams will be back soon," Daniel announced to the group.

"Tell him to bring Mitchell. If I fix Tara, I can fix him, too," Willow told him.

"I need to go to the house and get some weapons," Buffy said. Daniel nodded.

"I'll go with you," Spike said. Buffy said nothing as he followed her out the door.

They get to her house and to her room where her weapons are kept.

"Um, won't bother with the small stuff. Couple of good axes should hold off Glory's mates while you take on the lady herself," Spike advised as she opened the chest and began taking stuff out.

She hands him several and then said, "We're not all gonna make it. You know that."

"Yeah," he said, nodding. "Hey. Always knew I'd go down fightin'."

"I'm counting on you ... to protect her," she said.

"Till the end of the world. Even if that happens to be tonight," he promised

"If something happens to me, Spike, I need you to watch out for Dad and Dawn," Buffy said. "My dad is always going to be throwing himself in danger. If he dies, Dawn will be all alone. Will you do that for me?"

"I will," Spike said. "I know you'll never love me."

Buffy gazed silently at him. She looked uncomfortable but didn't cut him off. "I know that I'm a monster. But you treat me like a man. And that's everything to me. Your father is like your mother, an extraordinary human. He treats me the same way."

A look of understanding passed between them. Then they loaded up with their weapons and headed back out.

When they arrived back to the shop, Jack and everyone was there, armed for bear.

"We on schedule?" she asked.

"Everything is ready," Jack said.

"Yes, it's time," Giles said.

Everyone was holding a weapon or two. The military soldiers had their guns. The Scoobies had swords and axes. Buffy was startled to see her dad carrying a gun so easily, but she didn't say anything. It helped to know that he could handle himself. Dr. Lam was there with Mitchell.

Everyone looked at Buffy.

"You ready to put this bitch down?" Faith asked her with a grin.

Buffy nodded and looked at Willow. "Will?" she asked. It had been clear to Buffy that the key to finding Glory was with Tara, who clearly knew.

Willow nodded, went over to Tara who was staring at the merchandise. "Tara, baby? Is there somewhere you should be?"

Tara looked over at Buffy. "They held me down."

"No one's holding you. It's the big day, right?"

"Big day!" Mitchell said, clapping his hands excitedly.

"Do you wanna go?" Willow asked her.

"Go!" Mitchell exclaimed.

Tara looked anxiously from Buffy to Willow and back again. Then she turned and began to walk toward Buffy and the door.

"Damn! It's goin' work!" Faith said in surprised.

Tara paused in front of Giles. She pointed to him. "You're a killer." Giles and Spike looked at her in surprise. She glanced at Jack, who was standing by the door with Colonel Dixon. "You are, too. This is all set down."

Then she walked out the door.

"Stay close but don't crowd her," Buffy whispered to Jack and Willow. "We'll follow in a minute."

Willow started out again, stopped when Buffy began to speak. "Everybody knows their jobs. Remember, the ritual starts, we all die. And I'll kill anyone who comes near Dawn."

Buffy turned and walked off, following Willow.

"Well, not exactly the St. Crispin's Day speech, was it?" Spike said to Giles.

Giles gave a grim smile. "We few...we happy few."

"We band of buggered," Spike finished as they all marched one after another out the door, weapons ready.

Tara led them down the street. Jack and his team right behind her. Dixon's team took up a flanking position. Then Tara went around a corner, pauses to gaze upward for a moment. She continued forward. She topped when they get to a tower.

They all stared at it.

"This is it," Jack announced.

"The portal must open up there," Giles said, pointing at the top.

"Will, you're up," Buffy said. Faith led Mitchell to her.

They watch Tara join the other crazies moving material. Faith's fists clench as she spots the blonde hell bitch. A look of recognition came over Glory as she headed toward Tara. She grabbed her and spun her around.

"You. What are you doing here?" Glory asked in alarm.

Willow appeared beside Glory. "She's with me."

Willow grabbed both Glory's and Tara's heads. They all scream as blue lightning began to flicker around them. Bright blue light appears to stream from Glory's head to Tara's.

Suddenly a blast of power separates them. All three go flying in different directions. Willow crashed into a pile of wood. Immediately, she got up and turned to Tara, who was herself again. She hugged her. "I got you, baby," she murmured.

"I got so lost," Tara said as Willow kissed her.

"I found you. I'll always find you," Willow told her. She kissed her once more and got up, her eyes on Faith and Mitchell.

Glory landed on her back on the concrete. She sat up as several minions run over.

"What the frickin' hell did that bitch do to me?" Glory asked

The minions looked at each other, then at Glory. "You look fine. Truly," one of them assured her.

Glory clutches her head. "She made a little ... she made a hole. Uh, I need a brain to eat," she said. She stood.

Faith, though, blocked her path. "How about you try mine?" she suggested.

Willow stepped behind her with Mitchell in tow. While Glory was focused on Faith, Willow once again, plunged her hand into Glory's and Mitchell's restoring his essence and draining Glory.

Jack and his team weren't wasting any time, gunning down the demon helpers of Glory while Dr. Lam, Anya, and Sam were shooting the human helpers with sedatives. Xander assisted in moving bodies and fighting up any attackers.

Daniel was desperately trying to find Dawn among the throng. "She's not here!" he shouted. Was she on the tower? He ran toward it, determined to find his daughter and save her—save them both.

After Willow restored Mitchell, Faith didn't waste any time. She went on the attack. Glory managed to knock her back. Then Buffy appeared. "You don't seem very well," she said innocently.

"Your little witch bitch ... gave me kind of a headache there." Then she removed her ceremonial robe, revealing the simple black dress underneath. "But if you think this is gonna last more than eight seconds-"

"I noticed you're talking, whereas in your position, I would attack me," Buffy said.

The minions have taken Glory's robe as she continued to stand there looking weakened.

Glory realizes that they're trying to keep her from Dawn. She looked at her minions. "Go guard the girl. This is a diversion," she said weakly.

"Having trouble? Maybe it's because of this," Buffy said as she produced the Dagon sphere from behind her.

Glory looked alarmed.

"I heard it's supposed to repel you. So my guess is ... you probably shouldn't touch it, either," Buffy said with a bright smile. Buffy tossed the sphere at Glory, who caught it instinctively. The sphere lit up and seemed to warp the air around it when it touched Glory's hand. She made a pained face, dropped her hand to her side.

For one long moment, the sphere seemed to bother her for a minute, but then she slowly crushed the sphere in her hands.

Glory gave her a menacing look. "You're gonna wish you-"

Buffy interrupted her with a punch in the face. Glory stumbled back and Buffy kicked her, then punched her again, and again, and again.

"Leave me a piece of her!" Faith announced, joining the fight once again.

Teal'c and Jack were leading the charge, cutting through the minions. However, trying not to kill the humans controlled by her was slowing them down. Finally, though, they broke through and made it to the tower. They would hold it until Buffy finished dealing with Glory. The team kept fighting off the minions while Sam, Anya, and Xander took care of sedating the crazies.

Giles sliced at a minion with his sword while Spike fought two at once.

Buffy and Faith worked hard to beat Glory down. Buffy flipped Glory over and slammed her down on a pile of bricks. She tried to punch her but Glory rolled aside, and Buffy ended up punching the bricks. However, Faith grabbed one and busted in over Glory's head, causing her to stumble. Buffy tried to punch her again, but Glory managed to grab her arms. Faith, though, hit her again with a brick, causing her to let go.

Glory turned to glare at Faith. "Okay, slayer number two, you're starting to piss me off!" Glory fumed. She hit Faith with all her power, causing her to fall hard into a nearby pole.

"You know what?" she said to Buffy, who tried to hit her again, but Glory grabbed her fist. "I'm feeling a little better. And now? I'm a little bored."

"Oh, I'm sorry. Cause you're about-"

Glory kicked her in the face. Buffy's head went flying off, leaving her body standing. Glory could see the wires exposed in the neck. A shocked look was on her face. "Hey, wow, the Slayer's a robot." She looked around. "Did everybody else know the Slayer was a robot?"

She looked smug and triumph as the real Buffy appeared behind her.

"Glory?"

Glory stopped smiling and turned around. Buffy hit her with Olaf's hammer. Glory flew back several feet crashing into a wall.

"You're not the brightest god in the heavens, are you?" Buffy said.

"Buffy! I'm up here!" Dawn shouted.

Jack used his binoculars. "There's someone up there with her," he said.

Daniel and Spike both were already on the tower, slowly beginning to climb. Spike went first in case there was any baddies to take out.

Buffy looked up as Dawn screamed again at the top of her lungs. "Buffy!"

Buffy ran toward the tower, leaped over a pile of bricks and onto the stairs. "It's not very stable. Be careful," Jack warned.

Glory picked herself up and looked over to see Buffy running up the stairs. "Oh no you don't!"

"Dad! Buffy! I'm up here!" Dawn screamed again.

"We're coming!" Daniel yelled up.

Unfortunately, Glory made it to Jack and Teal'c. They raised their guns to shoot, but she blurred so fast that nothing hit her. With one blow, she knocked them both several feet from the stairs. Colonel Dixon and his team advanced, but Glory was already on the stairs, attacking Buffy.

Buffy hit her once again with the hammer. Glory grabbed a loose chain from the rails and swung it hard and hit Buffy. However, Buffy grabbed it and pulled, yanking Glory hard toward her. She underestimated, though, her strength as Glory knocked into her. They both fell over the rails, crashing to the ground.

Daniel gasped as he saw Buffy fall. "Buffy!" he yelled. He looked over the rails. It had only been about one story. However, he was still scared for her.

Buffy landed hard with Glory a few feet from her. The hammer fell next to her. When Buffy moved, Daniel exhaled in relief.

Buffy got to her feet, and Glory did too. Buffy grabbed Glory by the shoulders and gave her a hard shove. Glory went up a few dozen feet away, beside a wall.

"You lost your hammer, sweet cheeks. What are you gonna hit me with now?" Glory said with a smirk

Buffy looked at the wall. She spotted Xander, a small smile around her lips.

Glory turned to the wall also, just as a huge wrecking-ball crashed through the wall and into Glory. It crashed through a second wall, deposited Glory on the other side.

"With whatever's handy," she said in satisfaction. Xander gave a shout when his target was hit and turned off the machine. Buffy had no time to rejoice because Dawn needed her. She turned and ran back to the tower.

Buffy turned and ran off toward Glory, picking up her hammer. Without hesitation, she began hitting Glory in the face with the hammer as Teal'c zapped her with his zat gun. The toll was beginning to wear on her as she didn't hit back.

"Is your arm tired yet, B? Let me take that!" Faith asked.

Buffy tossed her the hammer. Faith eagerly grabbed it and began swinging.

Up on the top of the tower, Dawn saw the old man coming toward her. Since he didn't look crazy or demony, she hoped he would help her."You. You can help me. Untie me. Please. Help me, she's coming."

The man walked toward her. "Well, it seems she's running a bit late, is the thing. And, uh, if her Splendidness can't be here in time to bleed you..." he said with a grin as he stepped closer to her.

Dawn looked scared and anxious as she realized the man was not on her side.

Down below Faith continued hitting Glory with the hammer. Glory had blood running out of her nose. She gave Faith an anguished look. "You're just a mortal. You couldn't understand my pain."

"Why would I want to when I can enjoy causing it?" Faith said happily. She hit Glory so hard that she fell to the ground.

"You can't kill me," Glory said with a whine.

"No? I can keep hitting you until your time is up to do the spell," Faith said. "My arm's not even tired yet." She hit Glory again.

When Teal'c zapped her again, her form changed. It was Ben, so Jack rushed forward. "Go. Help Buffy," he ordered. Faith dropped the hammer and ran.

"We can kill the human?" Teal'c asked.

Giles looked at Jack. "Do it," he ordered.

Jack shot Ben in the head the same time as Teal'c shot him twice, disintegrating the body. Relief fell over everyone.

Dawn screamed again as the old man brandied a knife and slashed her twice.

"Get away from her!" Daniel yelled as he and Spike made it to the top.

"Daddy!" Dawn wailed.

Spike jumped and managed to get himself between Dawn and the man, who he recognized. "You don't come near the girl, Doc," Spike warned.

"I don't smell a soul anywhere on you. Why do you even care?" Doc asked him.

"I made a promise to a lady," Spike said.

"Oh?" Doc asked. Before Spike could do anything, Doc's long tongue appeared from his mouth, shooting out at Spike, who ducked aside. Doc dropped to his knees and pulled Spike's legs out from under him.

"Should I shoot?" Daniel asked Spike. He tried to get a shot off but they were grappling. They got to their feet. Doc was holding on to Spike, pinning his arms behind him.

"Then I'll send the lady your regrets," Doc said. He shoved Spike just as Daniel shot him in the back. They both fall to the ground.

"Spike!" Dawn exclaimed in anguish.

Daniel ran to her. "He should be okay. A vampire should survive the fall," Daniel assured her. He worked to untie her. When she was loose, she hugged him.

"Dawn!" Buffy yelled. She looked relieved to see Dawn in her father's arms.

"Are you okay?" Daniel asked, looking at her for injuries.

"Buffy, it hurts," Dawn admitted.

Buffy felt sick as she saw blood on Dawn feet. "You're gonna be okay," Buffy assured her.

Faith appeared at the top of the stairs. "Is she okay?" Faith asked.

"She is," Dawn said.

A few drops of Dawn's blood dripped over the edge. In midair, they meet something, and a small circle of light appeared, quickly growing.

"Guys," Faith said, her eyes widening as she saw the light behind them.

Buffy and Daniel turned. They can both see the light of the portal.

"That's not a good sign," Sam said below as she pointed to the sky. The portal began to grow larger. A huge bolt of lightning opened and slammed into the ground nearby, and they could hear the crash. Sounds of people screaming could be heard.

"The damn thing is opened!" Jack exclaimed in dismay. The portal had more lightening crackling out of it.

A dragon flew out of the portal.

"Dragon!" Colonel Dixon yelled, raising his gun. The team began to shoot as various demon creatures appeared.

The ground shook. Faith almost fell off the tower as she grabbed a bar to keep from falling. "We gotta get down. This thing is about to fall," Faith said.

Dawn gave Buffy an anguished look. "I'm sorry," she said.

Buffy caressed her face, giving her a loving smile. "It doesn't matter," she told Dawn.

Dawn tried to run past Buffy, but Buffy grabbed her. "What are you doing?" Buffy asked her.

"I have to jump. The energy," Dawn said.

"No!" Daniel exclaimed, horrified by what she was saying.

"It'll kill you," Buffy said.

"I know," Dawn said. Her dad and Buffy stared at her with equal looks of dismay and anguish. "Buffy, I know about the ritual. I have to stop it."

Daniel and Buffy said, "No!"

The tower shook underneath them, making them both stumble. Daniel grabbed the rail to steady them.

"Guys, we have to do something," Faith said, looking down below to see everyone fighting. The portal was opening and letting in more demons. "It's going to swallow our world whole!"

"I have to. Look at what's happening!" Dawn exclaimed, tears rolling down her cheek. She was terrified, but she knew that she couldn't let this happen. "Blood starts it, and until the blood stops flowing, it'll never stop. You guys have to let me go."

"Never!" Daniel protested. His mind raced as he thought of a way out. He looked up. Joyce! Why wasn't she helping?

Buffy stared at Dawn in anguish.

"You know you have to let me. It has to have the blood," Dawn said on a sob. She pulled away from her dad.

Buffy looked at their dad. Both of them realized the same thing at the same time.

Buffy frowned and turned around slowly, looking at the portal. Then she looked at her father. "Death is my gift," she reminded him.

"You are not doing that!" Daniel exclaimed.

In the distance, holes seem to be opening in the sky. The sky was growing lighter as the sun tries to rise. Buffy looked peaceful. She turned back to Dawn, who stared wide-eyed.

"Buffy ... no!" Dawn said.

"Dawnie, I have to," Buffy said, resolute.

"No!" Dawn exclaimed.

"My blood is the same as yours. I've lived my life. I've lived more than one life. I should be the one to jump!" Daniel said. He turned to the rails.

"Faith!" Buffy yelled. Faith moved forward and pulled Daniel back.

"Let me go!" Daniel ordered. He tried to get away from Faith, but it was like a metal band went around him. She was too strong.

"Sorry, boss. I can't do that. Slayer business, and Buffy is in charge," Faith said. She knew what was about to happen and felt tears welling up in her own eyes. It should be her. Not Buffy. Never Buffy.

"Buffy, don't do this!" Daniel begged. "It's my job to protect you guys. I'm your father!" His eyes filled with tears as he realized her mind was made up, and he was powerless to stop her.

"Dad, I love you. But this is my job. Not yours. It's my life to give," Buffy told him. "I'm sorry, but you have to keep living. In just the short time I've known you, you've changed my life. We're so very lucky to have you. The world—the universe needs you." She kissed his cheek, his tears causing her pain. It took everything she had to look away from him. "This world has Faith." She and Faith shared a look of understanding. Faith nodded. No words needed to be said. Buffy saw her look of regret and knew without a doubt that Faith would jump in her stead if she could—without hesitation.

Then she moved to embrace Dawn on last time. She stroked the side of Dawn's face as she began to speak. "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." Then she kissed Dawn on the cheek as Dawn continued to cry.

"Goodbye, Dad," she said, giving him one last look of regret.

Daniel sagged against Faith as he watched Buffy turn and run down the platform. She didn't hesitate as she swan-dived off the end of it and into the portal.

Dawn watched, sobbing as the energy held Buffy suspended.

Daniel pulled away from Faith and moved to see what happened with Buffy. He peered over the edge, looking for her body.

Down below, Giles, Willow, and Xander were digging up for Anya, who had fallen under debris that fell.

"Giles!" Jack yelled, getting his attention.

Giles and Spike watched in shock as Buffy jumped off the platform into the portal. For a long moment, she stood frozen in the air. Then the portal winked shut.

Buffy was gone.

Daniel, Faith, and Dawn made their way down as the sun rose, shining the entire area with a brilliant light.

"Where's her body?" Faith asked, looking on the ground.

"She's gone!" Willow said on a sob.

Daniel looked up at the sky that was now normal. There was no portal.

It left and took his daughter with it.

*****Chapter End*****

I never could deviate much from the ending Whedon wrote because it was too perfect. I added a twist. In the epilogue, it will be explained. One more chapter to go. Reviews are the best thing! Thanks!