**** Chapter 11: The Battle ****
The makeshift army marched down the road for mere moments before they saw it, the approaching army of bringers, Mohra demons, and a crew of vampires. The battle was more than anyone could've ever imagined it would be, there were hundreds of approaching enemies and here stood an army of ten, Willow and Anya stood back away from the battleground waiting in a safe location waiting for their chance, while Xander had conveniently disappeared. The line was formed across the road much like in Dawn's dream, except she took Spike's spot beside Buffy, Dawn had chose Buffy as a partner in this battle after Buffy had not chosen her. Spike and Angel stood together on the opposing side of the road, both shared a glance before Angel smirked, "Is this a back against the wall type of fight that you look forward to, remember? Fangs to fist."
"No mate, I have become a little more passive in my older age." Spike said with a smile. He then looked down the line at the potentials, shaking in fear but still standing tall. Spike then shouted out his orders, "Girls, don't think, just fight. You will take the vampires, we will take the demons." Faith stood with the potentials nodding and patting them on the back.
"Come on girls, this is what we prepared for," Faith said as she took several steps in front of them.
As the First's army approached the gang shared one last look at each other, wishing everyone their silent good lucks. And then it began.
The bringers were first to break their march into a charge, they were met by Buffy and Dawn. Buffy and Dawn both swung battle axes and quickly desposed of twenty or so bringers. Faith and the potentials charged the set of vamps, the air was soon full of dust and blood as the potentials were winning but catching a fair amount of the fists flying their way. Spike and Angel charged the demons, in full sword fights, lights filled the night.
Buffy turned as she chopped the head off of about the thirtieth bringer, and she saw Dawn do the same. She was about to warn Dawn of an approaching bringer coming from behind when she saw Dawn swing her body around full in mid-air, completing a now classic Dawn spin kick, finishing off that same bringer as soon as she landed with the battle axe through the sternum. Buffy herself was then double teamed, both arms were grabbed and she was unable to move as a third approached. Knives beared. She struggled to free herself and realized she couldn't, so as the knife came toward her body, she turned with all her strength making the bringer stab one of his own. She then dropkicked the one that was trying to stab her in the arm, sending the knife in his hand back into his own head. Buffy was then left with the last bringer that was holding her left arm. She dropped to the ground and threw him over her shoulder onto the ground, landing neck first. She knew he was done by the sickening crack that his neck made when he landed.
Faith continually worked over the same vampire, she couldn't beat him. She knew that if she couldn't hurry up she may find herself overpowered, so she desperately fought using everything she had. She sent kicks, punches, hell, she even bit the vamp once. As soon as Faith had lost all hope in ever dusting this vamp, he burst into dust. From behind him Vi stood smiling, "That's where you stab them," she jokingly said as she turned to fight some more. Faith stood for a moment watching her potentials win over many vamps. Some were fighting valiantly hand to hand, some where winning because of pure luck, and then there was Kennedy who was ripping heads off with a dagger. Faith stood in awe of what she saw, at least for a second, then she too dove into the frey helping out the girls.
Spike and Angel were having a harder time. They were trying to sword fight a demon army. It was two on fifty and these were the most powerful warriors. Spike and Angel stood back to back swinging swords to attack and block. Every couple of seconds a kick or solid punch would be landed to a demon's head, and the bright light would be a sign that a newer warrior would step into the other's place. "Mate, this is definitely not the fist to fangs, back to the wall type of thing I used to talk about," Spike said with unnecessary labored breath, and with those words, another fist another light. After several more minutes Angel and Spike were surrounded and completely outnumbered when they heard Xander's voice from above shout, "DUCK!!!!" They did as they were told and fell to the ground, as Xander's weapon of choice flew through the air, a wrecking ball. The ball swooped in at about head level hitting about thirty of the demons by itself, the light was immense. "Bowler and construction worker, hell I think that was a strike," Xander laughed as he grabbed an axe from his seat in his crane and dove out and ran toward the battle to help. Soon Buffy and Dawn were joining the battle after finishing off the last of the bringers. Minutes later the potentials were standing away while Faith also joined the fight, the potentials could do a lot, but not fight the demons, they were told to walk away from the battle at this point. The battle was going the way of the scoobie gang, the odds were now only 3 on 1. Fifteen demons left and five fighters, waiting on them to attack. The demons quickly ran away and regrouped after the ball had taken most of them out. The fifteen stood in a line about twenty feet away from the five warriors waiting in line on them.
Suddenly the First appeared in the form of Glory. Dawn saw this and realized that this was what her dream was about, looking for Buffy until she found her, quickly positioned herself beside of her, slightly in front. Glory looked more than pissed as she looked at the warriors in front of her, "First my Real Vampire, then my vampire lackeys, then my harbingers, what is this? You shouldn't be able to do this!!" She screamed in her angered tone.
From behind Willow and Anya neared chanting something in Latin, as they got closer they continued to get louder. Willow's eyes turned black and hair turned jet black as well, as she looked at Glory, but to her she saw no one but Warren. She continued chanting in latin as the First's eyes grew wide and even more angered. Glory screamed at her demons, "Stop them!!!! NOW!!!!!!"
As the demons charged they were met by Faith, Buffy, Angel, Spike, Xander, and the returning potentials. The potentials were split up into a group of two and a group of three and each group stopped one demon. The others on the other hand took on numerous demons. Dawn stood in front of Willow and Anya, as the First watched helplessly and angrily at Willow. Willow finally stopped chanting, looked straight at the First, who she perceived as Warren and shouted, "Solid." As soon as Willow had said that she screamed, "Now Dawnie, kill that bastard." Willow, with that fell to the ground, her eyes returning to normal color and hair as well. Anya picked her up and carried her back to their previous location. Watching Dawn begin to glow as she looked at Glory, and Glory touch her hands together with a questioning look.
The demons were almost finished. Buffy and Xander had just finished off the five they were fighting, and looked to Angel and Spike. Angel was still fighting one as Spike finished off his last. Angel turned the demon round and wrapped his right arm around his neck shouted to Spike, "Now, come here." Spike ran to him and raised his sword to the demons arm, as it cut the skin Spike put his hand over the gushing wound, letting his hand catch the demons blood. Angel then raised his left arm and busted the jewel with the butt of his sword. The potentials and Faith then finished off the last of the demons. The group gathered together and all just shared a look of accomplishment, a look of completion. Angel looked at Spike and grabbed his non-demon covered arm placing his fingers on the vampire's wrist and waited, "Spike, do you feel it? How does a heartbeat feel my friend?" Spike saw Buffy and looked back to Angel, "I'll tell you when this is over." The gang then heard loud smacks, almost as loud as guns. They turned to see Dawn and Glory going fist to fist.
Dawn and Glory exchanged a set of rights and lefts to the face, and Glory connected with a strong enough blow to send Dawn flying backwards in the air. As she landed she saw the gang charging to help. As the crew neared Glory turned and screamed, "Go away," and with a wave of her hand they flew in the air backwards as if they too had been punched, they landed on the ground with a thud and looked up in amazement. "This is between me and the key," the Fist scowled as she turned back to face Dawn. Dawn in the moments that the First had been distracted snuck up behind Glory, so when Glory turned around Dawn landed a right boot to the head, a quick right boot to the gut, then a large left handed uppercut sending Glory up on the air. As Glory was flying up Dawn jumped up and hit a spinning heel kick to the side of Glory's face. Glory fell to the ground face first and slowly started to move back up. Dawn caught her on the ground and gave her a kick to the back of the head, making her head meet the concrete of the road. Glory stood up as Dawn rebalanced herself preparing to battle some more, Dawn then noticed that Glory wasn't looking at anything but her own hands. Her hands were covered with blood, her own blood, from her nose, mouth, and a gash in her head. "How the hell? I'm not suppose to bleed, I'm not suppose to hurt. You did this to me." She screamed at Dawn. "Well, since you like pain so much, why don't I give you a lifetimes worth." Glory quickly turned to the crew that still stood back watching the battle and with some words in Latin sent a fireball straight for them.
"No," Dawn stated calmly as the ball of fire disappeared. "Your fights with me, not with them."
"Alright kiddo, I warned you about this, now I'm going to have to kill you."
The battle began again, this time with more speed than most could keep up with. Fists were flying, feet were swinging, and blood was noticeably seen leaping into the air from the blur that was Glory and Dawn. The battle raged on like this for what seemed like forever, until it was suddenly still. The two stood face to face panting, Glory looking flustered Dawn looking overwhelmed. "This is over," Dawn whispered as she looked into the first's eyes.
"You can't just end it like that kiddo, it is written that I will kill you." Glory spatted off with great anger.
"You will have," Dawn stated calmly, "this is finished." With that Dawn's eyes glowed even brighter as beams shot out and into Glory's eyes. Her whole being flew threw her eyes as Glory too began to glow. Glory let out a terrible scream and everyone had to look away as she was beginning to glow too bright for their eyes. "I am here for a reason," Dawn stated calmly over the scream of the first to all of her friends and family, "I am the key to this battle, each of us are. Without any single one of us, this battle would've been lost, but we are all here, and we win. I hope that I have shown you all enough love that you will remember me." With those final words Glory exploded in a complete white light and Dawn fell to the ground, motionless, lifeless, she had finished it.
Buffy was the first to Dawn's side as she lay with her back on the ground, "No!! Dawnie, Dawnie." Spike wrapped his arms around the Buffy's shoulders as she continued to shake Dawn. Spike was clearly crying as was Buffy. She turned her head into his shoulder and sobbed. Angel stood over the two crouched holding Faith by the shoulder and both were crying. The rest of the crew including potentials and others gathered around.
Spike helped Buffy to her feet and held her in his arms. The group closed in as one huge hug all just consoling the other from the great loss. They all just stared blankly at Dawn's lifeless body not knowing what to say. Buffy was especially upset though because she realized that Dawn had done this so she or Faith wouldn't have to, she realized that this was how the First was to be defeated and realized that Dawn had chose to give up her life for them this time. The battle was over and won, the casualties were as minimal as anyone could've ever thought they would be, but yet they felt as though they had lost it all.
Spike fell to the ground beside Dawn and cried quietly into her ear, "Bit, I promised you and you promised me that we'd all make it through this. Why this? Why you?" Spike was rocking back and forth sobbing in her ear, as Angel watched holding Buffy and Faith in his arms. Spike then was suddenly stopped rocking by a hand on his shoulder, and was filled with a great surge of surprise when he heard the voice of Joyce.
"Because she had too Spike." The glowing angel stated. She stood before the shocked group shining brighter than anything they had ever seen, like before, except that this light didn't hurt there eyes. "She had to do this to save the world, she chose herself when no one else would've. She fought this battle valiantly and won, she died, and now she will live." Joyce finished this statement and the eyes of the group grew wide, even wider when Joyce placed her hand on Dawn and they saw her chest suddenly rise with the intake of air. Dawn's eyes shot open and she saw her mother, "Mommy, are we in heaven?" Dawn whispered. "No Dawnie, it's not your time yet," Joyce smiled down, "you are here to fulfill you're life, like you fulfilled your destiny today." She bent down and picked her up, hugging her and turning her to go to Buffy. Buffy wrapped her arms around her sister with great relief and joy as her tears clearly showed. Dawn released her sister and pushed her towards their mother, she too hugged Joyce for a long love filled moment. Joyce then released Buffy and sent her back to the group.
"You all have done it," Joyce smiled at them, "you have faced destiny and won. You are all now free of it." Joyce looked around with a great smile and stopped on Angel, "Angel, will you come here please?" Angel walked slowly to Joyce and Joyce smiled at him again, "You are now free from your mission, you have atoned, you have earned your rest." She touched Angel and he suddenly jerked with the sudden beat of his heart. Buffy rushed to him and hugged him for a long moment.
"You did it Angel, your human again." She said as she let go of him, she then turned to her mother and asked with a sadness, "What about Spike?"
"He has already been given his life back, he is human as he stands before you." Joyce smiled as she looked into Spike's blue eyes, "Treat her well."
Buffy rushed to Spike, wrapping her arms around his neck and drawing him into a kiss. She then, as she kissed him placed her hand over his heart and felt the beat, and smiled through the kiss. As they stopped kissing Angel walked over to Spike and gave him a hug, and with a tear quietly said, "Now, we can rest." Buffy hugged them both as did Dawn.
They all then turned to Joyce and she looked at each and every one of them. "Each and every one of you have done your job, you have won." She then looked at Buffy and Dawn, "I love you both, more than the world. Remember that, and remember to always love each other." With those words Joyce disappeared leaving the crew to themselves.
Quietly they all hugged and cried and congratulated. Then they started to pair off as they walked towards home, Spike and Buffy walked arm in arm right beside Angel and Faith, all just smiling the largest smiles they had ever smiled. Kennedy and Willow softly kissed as they walked. Xander and Anya held each other's hands and looked deeply into the other's eyes both knowing that now they would be okay. The other potentials all huddled together and bragged about their victory. As the victors walked towards home the sun slowly broke the tree tops and shone down it's admiring glow over the world's warriors.
Dawn stood in the back of the group following everyone, quietly thinking, "I was the key, then the slayer, now I am home."
Buffy and Spike turned their heads and motioned Dawn to join them in the middle of the walking hug. She did. As the gang all basked in the suns light, they were at ease, they were at peace, but most of all they were finished.
They walked off the street minutes later into their home that had housed them all over the past few months. As Dawn walked in last, she heard Angel shout with a laugh, "Hey, uh Dawn.I don't think I want a rematch now!"
"I know. No one does." Dawn smiled as she pulled the door completely closed. "Maybe that's a good thing."
The makeshift army marched down the road for mere moments before they saw it, the approaching army of bringers, Mohra demons, and a crew of vampires. The battle was more than anyone could've ever imagined it would be, there were hundreds of approaching enemies and here stood an army of ten, Willow and Anya stood back away from the battleground waiting in a safe location waiting for their chance, while Xander had conveniently disappeared. The line was formed across the road much like in Dawn's dream, except she took Spike's spot beside Buffy, Dawn had chose Buffy as a partner in this battle after Buffy had not chosen her. Spike and Angel stood together on the opposing side of the road, both shared a glance before Angel smirked, "Is this a back against the wall type of fight that you look forward to, remember? Fangs to fist."
"No mate, I have become a little more passive in my older age." Spike said with a smile. He then looked down the line at the potentials, shaking in fear but still standing tall. Spike then shouted out his orders, "Girls, don't think, just fight. You will take the vampires, we will take the demons." Faith stood with the potentials nodding and patting them on the back.
"Come on girls, this is what we prepared for," Faith said as she took several steps in front of them.
As the First's army approached the gang shared one last look at each other, wishing everyone their silent good lucks. And then it began.
The bringers were first to break their march into a charge, they were met by Buffy and Dawn. Buffy and Dawn both swung battle axes and quickly desposed of twenty or so bringers. Faith and the potentials charged the set of vamps, the air was soon full of dust and blood as the potentials were winning but catching a fair amount of the fists flying their way. Spike and Angel charged the demons, in full sword fights, lights filled the night.
Buffy turned as she chopped the head off of about the thirtieth bringer, and she saw Dawn do the same. She was about to warn Dawn of an approaching bringer coming from behind when she saw Dawn swing her body around full in mid-air, completing a now classic Dawn spin kick, finishing off that same bringer as soon as she landed with the battle axe through the sternum. Buffy herself was then double teamed, both arms were grabbed and she was unable to move as a third approached. Knives beared. She struggled to free herself and realized she couldn't, so as the knife came toward her body, she turned with all her strength making the bringer stab one of his own. She then dropkicked the one that was trying to stab her in the arm, sending the knife in his hand back into his own head. Buffy was then left with the last bringer that was holding her left arm. She dropped to the ground and threw him over her shoulder onto the ground, landing neck first. She knew he was done by the sickening crack that his neck made when he landed.
Faith continually worked over the same vampire, she couldn't beat him. She knew that if she couldn't hurry up she may find herself overpowered, so she desperately fought using everything she had. She sent kicks, punches, hell, she even bit the vamp once. As soon as Faith had lost all hope in ever dusting this vamp, he burst into dust. From behind him Vi stood smiling, "That's where you stab them," she jokingly said as she turned to fight some more. Faith stood for a moment watching her potentials win over many vamps. Some were fighting valiantly hand to hand, some where winning because of pure luck, and then there was Kennedy who was ripping heads off with a dagger. Faith stood in awe of what she saw, at least for a second, then she too dove into the frey helping out the girls.
Spike and Angel were having a harder time. They were trying to sword fight a demon army. It was two on fifty and these were the most powerful warriors. Spike and Angel stood back to back swinging swords to attack and block. Every couple of seconds a kick or solid punch would be landed to a demon's head, and the bright light would be a sign that a newer warrior would step into the other's place. "Mate, this is definitely not the fist to fangs, back to the wall type of thing I used to talk about," Spike said with unnecessary labored breath, and with those words, another fist another light. After several more minutes Angel and Spike were surrounded and completely outnumbered when they heard Xander's voice from above shout, "DUCK!!!!" They did as they were told and fell to the ground, as Xander's weapon of choice flew through the air, a wrecking ball. The ball swooped in at about head level hitting about thirty of the demons by itself, the light was immense. "Bowler and construction worker, hell I think that was a strike," Xander laughed as he grabbed an axe from his seat in his crane and dove out and ran toward the battle to help. Soon Buffy and Dawn were joining the battle after finishing off the last of the bringers. Minutes later the potentials were standing away while Faith also joined the fight, the potentials could do a lot, but not fight the demons, they were told to walk away from the battle at this point. The battle was going the way of the scoobie gang, the odds were now only 3 on 1. Fifteen demons left and five fighters, waiting on them to attack. The demons quickly ran away and regrouped after the ball had taken most of them out. The fifteen stood in a line about twenty feet away from the five warriors waiting in line on them.
Suddenly the First appeared in the form of Glory. Dawn saw this and realized that this was what her dream was about, looking for Buffy until she found her, quickly positioned herself beside of her, slightly in front. Glory looked more than pissed as she looked at the warriors in front of her, "First my Real Vampire, then my vampire lackeys, then my harbingers, what is this? You shouldn't be able to do this!!" She screamed in her angered tone.
From behind Willow and Anya neared chanting something in Latin, as they got closer they continued to get louder. Willow's eyes turned black and hair turned jet black as well, as she looked at Glory, but to her she saw no one but Warren. She continued chanting in latin as the First's eyes grew wide and even more angered. Glory screamed at her demons, "Stop them!!!! NOW!!!!!!"
As the demons charged they were met by Faith, Buffy, Angel, Spike, Xander, and the returning potentials. The potentials were split up into a group of two and a group of three and each group stopped one demon. The others on the other hand took on numerous demons. Dawn stood in front of Willow and Anya, as the First watched helplessly and angrily at Willow. Willow finally stopped chanting, looked straight at the First, who she perceived as Warren and shouted, "Solid." As soon as Willow had said that she screamed, "Now Dawnie, kill that bastard." Willow, with that fell to the ground, her eyes returning to normal color and hair as well. Anya picked her up and carried her back to their previous location. Watching Dawn begin to glow as she looked at Glory, and Glory touch her hands together with a questioning look.
The demons were almost finished. Buffy and Xander had just finished off the five they were fighting, and looked to Angel and Spike. Angel was still fighting one as Spike finished off his last. Angel turned the demon round and wrapped his right arm around his neck shouted to Spike, "Now, come here." Spike ran to him and raised his sword to the demons arm, as it cut the skin Spike put his hand over the gushing wound, letting his hand catch the demons blood. Angel then raised his left arm and busted the jewel with the butt of his sword. The potentials and Faith then finished off the last of the demons. The group gathered together and all just shared a look of accomplishment, a look of completion. Angel looked at Spike and grabbed his non-demon covered arm placing his fingers on the vampire's wrist and waited, "Spike, do you feel it? How does a heartbeat feel my friend?" Spike saw Buffy and looked back to Angel, "I'll tell you when this is over." The gang then heard loud smacks, almost as loud as guns. They turned to see Dawn and Glory going fist to fist.
Dawn and Glory exchanged a set of rights and lefts to the face, and Glory connected with a strong enough blow to send Dawn flying backwards in the air. As she landed she saw the gang charging to help. As the crew neared Glory turned and screamed, "Go away," and with a wave of her hand they flew in the air backwards as if they too had been punched, they landed on the ground with a thud and looked up in amazement. "This is between me and the key," the Fist scowled as she turned back to face Dawn. Dawn in the moments that the First had been distracted snuck up behind Glory, so when Glory turned around Dawn landed a right boot to the head, a quick right boot to the gut, then a large left handed uppercut sending Glory up on the air. As Glory was flying up Dawn jumped up and hit a spinning heel kick to the side of Glory's face. Glory fell to the ground face first and slowly started to move back up. Dawn caught her on the ground and gave her a kick to the back of the head, making her head meet the concrete of the road. Glory stood up as Dawn rebalanced herself preparing to battle some more, Dawn then noticed that Glory wasn't looking at anything but her own hands. Her hands were covered with blood, her own blood, from her nose, mouth, and a gash in her head. "How the hell? I'm not suppose to bleed, I'm not suppose to hurt. You did this to me." She screamed at Dawn. "Well, since you like pain so much, why don't I give you a lifetimes worth." Glory quickly turned to the crew that still stood back watching the battle and with some words in Latin sent a fireball straight for them.
"No," Dawn stated calmly as the ball of fire disappeared. "Your fights with me, not with them."
"Alright kiddo, I warned you about this, now I'm going to have to kill you."
The battle began again, this time with more speed than most could keep up with. Fists were flying, feet were swinging, and blood was noticeably seen leaping into the air from the blur that was Glory and Dawn. The battle raged on like this for what seemed like forever, until it was suddenly still. The two stood face to face panting, Glory looking flustered Dawn looking overwhelmed. "This is over," Dawn whispered as she looked into the first's eyes.
"You can't just end it like that kiddo, it is written that I will kill you." Glory spatted off with great anger.
"You will have," Dawn stated calmly, "this is finished." With that Dawn's eyes glowed even brighter as beams shot out and into Glory's eyes. Her whole being flew threw her eyes as Glory too began to glow. Glory let out a terrible scream and everyone had to look away as she was beginning to glow too bright for their eyes. "I am here for a reason," Dawn stated calmly over the scream of the first to all of her friends and family, "I am the key to this battle, each of us are. Without any single one of us, this battle would've been lost, but we are all here, and we win. I hope that I have shown you all enough love that you will remember me." With those final words Glory exploded in a complete white light and Dawn fell to the ground, motionless, lifeless, she had finished it.
Buffy was the first to Dawn's side as she lay with her back on the ground, "No!! Dawnie, Dawnie." Spike wrapped his arms around the Buffy's shoulders as she continued to shake Dawn. Spike was clearly crying as was Buffy. She turned her head into his shoulder and sobbed. Angel stood over the two crouched holding Faith by the shoulder and both were crying. The rest of the crew including potentials and others gathered around.
Spike helped Buffy to her feet and held her in his arms. The group closed in as one huge hug all just consoling the other from the great loss. They all just stared blankly at Dawn's lifeless body not knowing what to say. Buffy was especially upset though because she realized that Dawn had done this so she or Faith wouldn't have to, she realized that this was how the First was to be defeated and realized that Dawn had chose to give up her life for them this time. The battle was over and won, the casualties were as minimal as anyone could've ever thought they would be, but yet they felt as though they had lost it all.
Spike fell to the ground beside Dawn and cried quietly into her ear, "Bit, I promised you and you promised me that we'd all make it through this. Why this? Why you?" Spike was rocking back and forth sobbing in her ear, as Angel watched holding Buffy and Faith in his arms. Spike then was suddenly stopped rocking by a hand on his shoulder, and was filled with a great surge of surprise when he heard the voice of Joyce.
"Because she had too Spike." The glowing angel stated. She stood before the shocked group shining brighter than anything they had ever seen, like before, except that this light didn't hurt there eyes. "She had to do this to save the world, she chose herself when no one else would've. She fought this battle valiantly and won, she died, and now she will live." Joyce finished this statement and the eyes of the group grew wide, even wider when Joyce placed her hand on Dawn and they saw her chest suddenly rise with the intake of air. Dawn's eyes shot open and she saw her mother, "Mommy, are we in heaven?" Dawn whispered. "No Dawnie, it's not your time yet," Joyce smiled down, "you are here to fulfill you're life, like you fulfilled your destiny today." She bent down and picked her up, hugging her and turning her to go to Buffy. Buffy wrapped her arms around her sister with great relief and joy as her tears clearly showed. Dawn released her sister and pushed her towards their mother, she too hugged Joyce for a long love filled moment. Joyce then released Buffy and sent her back to the group.
"You all have done it," Joyce smiled at them, "you have faced destiny and won. You are all now free of it." Joyce looked around with a great smile and stopped on Angel, "Angel, will you come here please?" Angel walked slowly to Joyce and Joyce smiled at him again, "You are now free from your mission, you have atoned, you have earned your rest." She touched Angel and he suddenly jerked with the sudden beat of his heart. Buffy rushed to him and hugged him for a long moment.
"You did it Angel, your human again." She said as she let go of him, she then turned to her mother and asked with a sadness, "What about Spike?"
"He has already been given his life back, he is human as he stands before you." Joyce smiled as she looked into Spike's blue eyes, "Treat her well."
Buffy rushed to Spike, wrapping her arms around his neck and drawing him into a kiss. She then, as she kissed him placed her hand over his heart and felt the beat, and smiled through the kiss. As they stopped kissing Angel walked over to Spike and gave him a hug, and with a tear quietly said, "Now, we can rest." Buffy hugged them both as did Dawn.
They all then turned to Joyce and she looked at each and every one of them. "Each and every one of you have done your job, you have won." She then looked at Buffy and Dawn, "I love you both, more than the world. Remember that, and remember to always love each other." With those words Joyce disappeared leaving the crew to themselves.
Quietly they all hugged and cried and congratulated. Then they started to pair off as they walked towards home, Spike and Buffy walked arm in arm right beside Angel and Faith, all just smiling the largest smiles they had ever smiled. Kennedy and Willow softly kissed as they walked. Xander and Anya held each other's hands and looked deeply into the other's eyes both knowing that now they would be okay. The other potentials all huddled together and bragged about their victory. As the victors walked towards home the sun slowly broke the tree tops and shone down it's admiring glow over the world's warriors.
Dawn stood in the back of the group following everyone, quietly thinking, "I was the key, then the slayer, now I am home."
Buffy and Spike turned their heads and motioned Dawn to join them in the middle of the walking hug. She did. As the gang all basked in the suns light, they were at ease, they were at peace, but most of all they were finished.
They walked off the street minutes later into their home that had housed them all over the past few months. As Dawn walked in last, she heard Angel shout with a laugh, "Hey, uh Dawn.I don't think I want a rematch now!"
"I know. No one does." Dawn smiled as she pulled the door completely closed. "Maybe that's a good thing."