*****Spell Checked

I can't believe I'm almost done with this. I just really can't. I have to say a huge thank you to morgain, my beta reader for this story. Without her help, and some serious ego boosting, I may not have finished this. I'd also like to thank everyone who reviewed it. If you write, you need to know how great it is to read that you are entertaining people. I'd also like to thank JuniorK, my most loyal fan, and everyone at the BC&S. A post they wrote inspired the first half of this sucker, and more posts inspired other turns in the story. I'd also like to take a second to thank the BtVS Fanfic Club people for mentioning my other stories when considering fiction for other ships to read as an example of why we like Spuffy. And now, "The End".

A/N: The Epilogue begins 16 years after the closing of the Hellmouth in the last chapter.

Title: Deserving

Author: Kaylorin

Beta read by: morgain

Synopsis: Begins directly after Grave. My season 7. Loosely based on spoilers and speculation. Buffy has begun her life after the events of Tara's death. Spike has changed for her. There is a new BB that brings Buffy back to her roots as The Slayer.

Rating: R (for now)

Distribution: Fine with me, but make sure it's the final edited copy (indicated by 5 * after spell checked), and let me know where it's going. My e-mail is kaylorin90@yahoo.com

Disclaimer: I own this story, but not Buffy, Angel, or anything Joss does.

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Epilogue

She had grown accustomed to humans over the centuries. Their companionship and endearing quirks were too comfortable to give up easily; so here she was, truly a goddess in her own right, yet still clinging to her mementos of humanity. Just like now; the simple act of walking along the streets, window shopping in Paris in the middle of the afternoon, was something she never would have or could have done before all of this began. And now the line was prepared. The time had almost come.

The voluptuous woman walked with the sparse crowd of people, turned a corner, and vanished.

She reemerged in her own domain, a dark empty place, lit by a red aura that had never left her, even after the last 16 years. The power she had always had still radiated from her, even after the changes she had earned. In her own dimension, her home from which to watch over the lines of blood, she was the goddess that the humans had already assumed she was.

She lowered herself to the nonexistent floor, floating in a sitting position, and fingered the charm that hung from her neck. The silver triple knot hummed with energy, and filled the space with light. She closed her eyes, and concentrated on the scene her newfound powers allowed her to see.

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The Slayer's brunette hair blew behind her as she ran to the screams of a baby. Her heart pounded as her feet hit the pavement. She turned again, causing the leather duster she wore to billow out behind her.

The cries were getting closer. She knew the infant was near.

Then, all at once, the crying stopped. She paused and waited, trying to discern the child's location. She spun around when a crackling sound alerted her to another presence.

The girl standing there, also a brunette smiled. "Hi, Auntie Dawn."

"Hi, Joyce. What are you doing out here? It's not time."

"Not yet, but soon. You know it will be soon."

Dawn watched as her own slim figure began to fill out into the body of a very pregnant woman. "You'll know when new life begins. When you hear the cries, it will be time."

~ ~ ~

Dawn awoke when the pain hit her. She checked the time, and waited.

Dawn stared at the clock on the nightstand. She counted the minutes until the pain hit again. She was down to 8 minutes between contractions, the real kind this time. Not the ones that she had 3 weeks ago that had scared everyone out of bed at 2 in the morning. No, these were the real ones, the kind that twisted the small of her back and cramped her abdomen.

She was supposed to wait until they were 5 minutes apart. The doctor had made her promise not to come in until then. "The first baby always takes longer," the doctor had said.

So Dawn continued to lie in her bed, her husband snoring softly behind her, oblivious to the spasms of pain that came regularly. "Well," she thought, "At least it's almost morning. No waking them up in the middle of the night."

The thought had barely passed before she experienced a new sensation: warm wetness between her legs. And not the kind that had gotten her into this predicament in the first place. She lifted the covers and saw what she was expecting. Her water had broken.

Sighing, she shook the sturdy shoulder of her husband. "Billy? Billy, hon, we have to go."

"Hmmm.." Snort. Yawn. Roll over. Snore.

She shook him again. "Billy, it's time. the baby." She tapped his shoulder now. "Sweetie, you have to get up."

She tried to sit up herself, but the huge bulk of her belly weighed her down. Even with her Slayer strength, it was a struggle.

She pushed herself off the bed and walked around it to her husband's side. She tilted her head at his sleeping form, and decided on a radical approach. "Vampires!"

Billy Porter bolted upright. "What?! Here?! How?!" He looked around their dark bedroom frantically. Dawn stood with her hands on her hips, her protruding stomach pushed out a bit further. "Great, 'Hon I'm having the baby' won't wake you up," she walked to the closet and picked out some clean clothing, "But say the word 'Vampire', and it's 'I'm up! I'm up!'"

She started changing while her confused husband took in her words, then he became even more panicked. "Now!? You're sure? I mean, of course you're sure." He threw on a pair of jeans and a T-shirt. "I mean, you would know. It's not like last time." He stopped and picked up her already packed suitcase. "It isn't, is it?"

"No, Billy. It's for real this time."

"Good. I mean. are you okay? How do you feel?"

It was then that another contraction came. Dawn steadied herself by leaning on the dresser for support. "Been better," she said, grimacing slightly.

Billy rushed to her side, and helped her change her clothes before ushering her out the door and into the car, driving to the hospital as quickly and as safely as he could manage.

She was quickly settled into a private room. IVs and wires and electrodes to a fetal heart monitor were attached, and a few other things were hooked up that she quite frankly would have liked to know about before today. But it would all be worth it.

After she was tethered to just about every piece of equipment in the room, Billy headed out to make the calls to family and friends who would want to know the blessed event was about to take place.

The nurse moved silently, smiling every so often as she checked the readings on the monitors, and jotted down the information on the chart.

Dawn smiled at a memory, one she had thought of a lot lately. a night a little more than 15 years ago, when another Scoobie was in this same position.



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Dawn sat in the waiting room and watched as Giles calmed Spike. Why he was so nervous wasn't really clear to the teen. She watched as Giles talked quietly with him, trying to explain the medical advances in childbirth within the last century.

Buffy came into the lounge carrying cups filled with coffee and hot cocoa, and sat next to her sister. Dawn turned to the oldest Summers. "What's up with Spike. You'd think it was his baby." She blanched at her own words. "It's not. Is it?"

Buffy smiled at her sister. "Of course not, Dawnie. You have to remember he hasn't dealt with anyone having a baby in over a century. And from what he's told me, having both the mom and the new baby come out all right, and survive, wasn't as likely as it is now." She handed her sister a cup of cocoa and put an arm around her. "He's just scared for Xander and Anya. I am too, a little bit."

Dawn nodded and took a sip. "Yeah. I get that."

Willow came in a few minutes later, with Jason trailing behind. "Did I miss it? Did the baby come?" she asked as she took off her jacket and sat next to Dawn.

"No," Buffy stated, and handed her friend some coffee. "They just had Xander go back in a little while ago, so I think it'll be soon."

Jason sat in an armchair across from the women. He was the newcomer to the group. After closing the Hellmouth nearly a year ago, he had decided to stay in town, and had himself transferred to Buffy's department. He was one of the higher ups, but it was still "Buffy's department". He had found a good friend in Willow, and in some ways, he had replaced Xander, who became more of a husband to Anya then just a buddy of the Scoobies.

Through the changes though, the group had managed to stay together.

Dawn smiled at Jason, then saw Spike walking towards them with Giles.

Giles sat in the chair next to Jason, while Spike sat on the other side of Buffy.

"Feeling better now?" Buffy asked her lover.

"No, can't say as I am." Spike was nearly as pale as he had been before his trip to Africa.

Giles shook his head. "It is rather disconcerting to all men, regardless of the century you originate from."

"Here. Here!" Jason agreed.

Just then Xander ran out of the double doors that separated the ward from the waiting room. "She's a girl! And she's perfect." He ran to the group, still wearing the hospital gown, cap and footies issued to him earlier, ". 6 pounds, 11 ounces, and little, so tiny." Buffy, Willow and Dawn leapt up and surrounded him in a bear hug. Out of nowhere Spike joined them, nearly in tears.

Giles and Jason took turns giving him more manly congratulations and handshakes while patting him on the shoulder.

Spike hung back, his arm around Buffy.

"See, everything's ok," Buffy smiled up at him.

"When can we see them?" Dawn asked, referring to mother and daughter.

Xander took off the sterile cap. "In a little while. The doctors have to clean up the baby, and make sure Anya's ok. But she was great. I can't believe what she." he smiled full of pure joy. "I just love her.them, so much." Pure Xander. pure heart.

The new father went back through the double doors, and the gang made quick work of going to the gift shop, being sure to buy any and all of the cutest baby things they could carry. Then they waited.

It was hard for Xander to convince the nurse that all of these people were family. But as he said it, he knew it was true. With such a large group, he needed to be sure no one would be asked to wait outside.

They were all led in by "Daddy" and saw a smiling Anya holding a pink blanket and rocking slightly in the bed as she cooed. When she heard them come in, she grinned from ear to ear. "I love epidurals," she said plainly, "I really do."

The grins of all were easily seen. They gathered around the bed, trying not to crowd in too close. Anya pulled the baby away from herself so that each pair of eyes could drink in the sight of this new life.

The baby's head of hair was dark brown, like her father's, while her face was small and dainty like her mother's. Her nose was Xander's, Dawn was sure, and maybe the toes. Buffy thought her little hands looked more like Xander's, but that her tiny fingers resembled her mother's.

The group made a game of which of the baby's miniature features were from which parent, while taking turns holding her. Dawn let the baby's fingers wrap around her pinky, and she studied her hands. As the baby's grip loosened, she held its tiny hand, and was about to place a kiss on her palm when something caught her eye.

Willow's head popped up when she felt the concern coming from the young Slayer.

"Uh, guys," Dawn stood stock-still. "Buffy, I think you should see this."

Anya watched the teen that had interrupted her account of giving birth. She saw her daughter's tiny hand being held out by the girl. "What is it? Is something wrong with my baby?"

Dawn shook her head as she showed them all what she had noticed.

In the center of the newborn's palm was a birthmark. It closely resembled three knots, all intertwined.

Anya looked from Xander to Giles, from Buffy to Spike to Dawn, and then back to Xander.

Xander did a double take before staring at his little girl's hand. "What does it mean?"

"It can't mean." Giles started. He had moved back to Sunnydale 11 months ago, searching for whomever would come next in Dawn's line, to no avail. If this baby was next. "She can't be the next to be called. She wouldn't be old enough for anything for quite some time."

Spike studied the tiny mark just as they all did. Thinking this was familiar for some reason, he searched his memory. The way Slayers were formed. How the first line was created. But the amount of time between Slayers couldn't be 15 years. That was just ludicrous. unless Dawn was meant to live longer than the original line. That was when it hit him. "The first Slayer."

They all turned their attention to him.

"What was that, Spike?" Xander asked. "What about the first Slayer?"

"When she died," Spike began, "Jumar told me. after the first Slayer died, the next in line came from her clan. He didn't say how long it took, or how long the first Slayer fought, but I remember. The second one was from the same clan as her tribe."

They were silent as they turned back to the baby. Dawn cuddled her close. "So you're next, huh?"

Anya and Xander weren't sure how much they liked this news, but Dawn felt connected to the baby immediately. "What are you naming her?"

Pulled back into "normal" baby discussions, the new parents smiled. Anya put her arms out so that she could hold her precious child. "Well, Xander and I weren't sure if you two would approve," she said to Buffy and Dawn.

Xander picked up the sentence, "But if it's ok, we'd like to name her Joyce Ann."

Buffy's eyes began to tear, and a small wistful smile spread across her face. Dawn half-smiled, and half-cried. Then they looked at each other, and smiled widely. Buffy nodded to her friends. "Yeah, I think that fits her."

Giles moved in closer. "I think Joyce would have been honored." He placed a hand firmly on Xander's shoulder.

"Right proper of you," Spike commented as he stood with the Summers women.

Willow stood with Jason, who knew who Joyce was, but only from the stories shared at meetings or get togethers.

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Present time

Buffy sat with William on the couch. The seven-year old boy between them, Bradley, named after the detective who had died just two years after Buffy became a police officer, was sleeping soundly on his father's lap.

Willow sat with Jason on another couch. Their three children, one girl and two boys, ranging in age from ten to three, were sitting on the floor coloring, or scribbling, quietly arguing over crayons.

Xander and Anya sat on the side-by-side armchairs, while Joyce tried to settle the argument with the three children. The teen's long brown hair hung in soft waves down her back.

Giles, who stayed in Sunnydale after returning 16 years ago, sat on another chair. His hair had grayed, and there was less of it, but the energy in his soul kept him young, as did the company he kept. His mission now was to find other young girls who bore the symbol that both Dawn and Joyce had. In the sixteen years he had searched, only one other girl was found. She was nearly eight years old by now, and lived in New Orleans. But after making a few more excursions to Louisiana, his suspicions were confirmed. More replacements for the new Slayer line were being born.

But now they sat, and they waited. Not for a Slayer, but for a baby.

Over the years, this had become a familiar occurrence. The Scoobies were reproducing, and the hospital was prospering from it. The group was convened here every few years or so to welcome another member of the gang into the world. This time, it was Dawn's baby.

A sight that Xander, Jason, and Spike were all too familiar with, soon came into view. Only the short phrases from each new father were different. Billy ran out of the double doors, fitted with the sterile, and so not stylish, cap and gown. "A boy! I have a son!" He nearly fell as he slipped in his blue footies. "He's perfect. Dawn is great! And I don't ever want to see that again. But I love her!"

As always, the gift shop was soon raided, and they were ushered into the room of the new mother.

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Dawn contemplated having her first baby at thirty-three, and wondered if she could handle it all. She had wanted to wait until her calling was passed on. But Joyce never seemed to come into her power. Then one night, the pill she took to prevent pregnancy didn't do its job. There had been some difficult discussions, and then some serious decisions. But the group, her family, all helped her to know that it was time for her to start another part of her life. Whatever happened, she would always have them. And now, she had a son as well.

But the dreams. the ones with Joyce seemed to comfort her. Then she looked at her hand, and saw that the mark was gone. Was it because of her son's birth? Before that moment, she didn't know if her time as the Slayer would ever be over. Now. Before she could finish the thought, her husband walked in, followed by all of the Scoobies.

One by one, they compared the features of the baby to the features of the parents. Many pats on backs, hugs and tears were shared.

The woman compared the pain of the most recent birth to those in their respective pasts. The men tried to ignore this conversation, and turned to more manly topics, such as which car seat had the best rating.

The group dwindled, little by little, as the morning wore on. Jobs and school were a part of each of their lives. Dawn asked Anya and Xander to stay with Joyce, so she could talk to them, alone.

Once it was just the four of them, and her baby, she asked Xander to close the door.

"I've had a dream the last few nights," she said shifting her pillows around to get more comfortable. Joyce got up and helped her. Dawn smiled and thanked her. "I wasn't sure what they meant until a little while ago." Dawn cradled her son in one arm, and showed them the palm of her free hand. "The mark, it's gone."

Xander and Anya looked from Dawn to their 15-year-old daughter.

Joyce knew what was up. From her earliest memories, she had been told she might be chosen. She'd taken fighting lessons from her Aunt Buffy and Uncle William for as long as she could remember. Demons, Vampires, and any other kind of beast that Dawn had encountered over the years were never hidden from Miss Harris. She knew and understood what the world was, and that it's very existence was due to the people she saw daily.

She had never been told she had to be a Slayer, or that she had no choice. In fact, she never thought of not choosing. Not because she would be forced, but because it was natural. Dawn was a Slayer. Buffy and Spike were too, although Spike was now "William", and was the only male Slayer known in history.

Slayers were good. They saved other people's lives, and then lived out their own.

"I have something for you, Joyce," Dawn said as she pulled the chain out from under her gown. She had fought the nurses tooth and nail to keep it on. She asked the young girl to unclasp it for her. Joyce did, and held it, unable to speak. "It's for you. It was Buffy's first cross as the Slayer, and then mine. Now it's yours."

"But, I'm not a slayer. I mean, I would, but I never got stronger." Her eyes welled up.

"I think you are now. It was something I hadn't thought of before, well, at least, not in a long time, anyway. I didn't get my strength until Spike, I mean, William received a new life." She rocked her newborn son slowly. "I think that that's the trigger: not death for us, but new life."

"You mean, she won't have to die?" Anya asked, relief and confusion painted on her face.

Xander looked at his little girl. "I can't believe we were that young," he said out loud.

"Me, either," Dawn agreed. "I want Buffy and Spike to take her out tonight, if that's ok. Test the Slayer sense."

"Oh! Can I dad?!!" Joyce pleaded.

Xander wasn't sure what to say. He'd had 15 years to prepare for this, and now it was really happening.

"Of course. I know they were planning on taking over for you anyway. I'm sure they won't mind."

Xander whipped his head around to face his wife and gave her an "Are-you- nuts?" look. He conceded though, when he saw his wife's eyes. "Yeah, tonight's fine."

Joyce squealed and jumped up to hug her dad.

"Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!" she repeated as she hugged him.

Xander flailed his arms. "Breathing.issue. Joycie," he coughed.

Joyce's eyes widened when she let go and looked into her dad's flushed face. "Dad?"

"Well, I think that answers that question," Anya nodded at her observation. Dawn giggled at them all.

The world sure works in mysterious ways.

The End

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Well, that's it guys. I'm not continuing this story. This was me joining the season 7 fic bandwagon. I hope you enjoyed, and as always, R&R to give me high marks in all areas. Seriously, thanks to all who reviewed this story. I really loved it. Next project. third installment of Akoshta.