A/N: Well ladies & gentlemen here it is! The final chapter of my second fanfic ever and my first fanfic with more than one chapter. To all of you readers I'd like to say a special Thank you. And to all those who reviewed *especially positive reviews* I'd like to say thanks a lot. You know I love you guys! Anyway I uploaded the epilogue with this chapter so this is the end of "Corrupting the Heart of the Scooby Gang." Enjoy and thanks for reading!

Xander's P.O.V:

My chest constricted and a severe case of nausea overcame me as I watched Dawn process what she just witnessed. Please God, if you're up there and you really love me, then make Dawn believe that the actual Buffy had a lapse in sanity and kissed me. The look in Dawn's eyes became cold and hard telling me that
I was in deep sh**. "Xander," Dawn began with enough venom in her voice to make an Ubervamp shutter. "Before I came home Buffy called and told me she was going to be late. So what in the HELL is that THING that has Buffy face?! What were you thinking?! We go to get supplies and I come back to see you coercing with the enemy!" In a split second Dawn's expression went from one of unbridled rage to one of hurt and betrayal. "How could you betray us, Xander?" Dawn questions with a plea in her voice, desperate for me to tell her that this is all just a bad dream. "How could you knowingly send your friends off to their graves?" Tears begin to sting at my remaining eye and before I can choke out an apology I see a smirk begin to tug at the corner of Buffy/The 1st's mouth and a gleam in her eye that was nothing less of unholy.

"Dearest Dawnie, don't you see that Xander feels just as betrayed as you are?" Her matter of fact tone is ringing in my ears as I watch her in horrified silence try to reason with Dawn. God please help Dawn resist this monster. "Everyone of us have been spurned by Buffy in one way or another Dawnie, but your mother tried to warn you, Dawnie. Don't you remember?" AS Buffy/The 1st whirled around to face Dawn she changed her guise to Dawn's deceased mother Joyce. My heart froze and sunk into the pit of my stomach as I witnessed The 1st try to corrupt the teenage girl.

"Don't you remember, Dawnie? I told you that when Buffy has to make a choice she won't pick you. She will choose only those she needs to win this war." Step by step, Joyce/The 1st inched her way towards Dawn until she was barely a foot away from her. Dawn stood there, paralyzed with tears streaming down her face. "You bitch." seethed Dawn through clenched teeth. " Dawnie, please listen to me." Implored Joyce/The 1st. "What Xander told you is right. You don't need superpowers to help. But if Buffy can't use you to help her win her war then she will not hesitate to leave you behind. I'm sorry, sweetie." As Joyce/The 1st finished, her voice almost sounded sincere. Millennia of acting practice I guess. Listening to Joyce/The 1st's twisted logic, I felt my rage slowly begin to take over. Anger because The First was trying to corrupt one of my best friends. Because I let her steal my soul and fill me with a hate unparallel to anything I ever felt in my life. And angry because I was just sitting on my ass while The First tried to damn Dawn.

"Dearest Dawn." crooned Joyce/The First. Her voice was eerily reminiscent of the way she said my name that night, in the hospital, when she first persuaded me to betray my friends. Being the odd man out of the conversation this time, I was able to hear just how twisted and disoriented her voice was. Just then it hit me like a stake to the heart. The First was the abomination of all things Good and right with the world. How ever few that may be. It's ultimate mission is to fill ever living thing on this planet, no matter how pure and righteous, with hate, anger greed, and whatever unholy sins it could purge the soul with. May God half mercy on whatever is left of my soul...

Dearest Dawnie, I'm sorry but your sister will not choose you. Look at Xander and those poor potentials who lost their lives because of Buffy's arrogance. And this isn't the first time her hastiness has almost got someone killed. When Glory sent the serpent to find you, The Key, Buffy blindly went to fight her instead of researching what she was and how to stop her. Because of this the serpent almost told Glory exactly what you are and where to find you." Dawn's face was deathly pale and her cheeks were red from the tear stains. Although she was still silent, her body trembled from the force of her quiet sobs. " So do you see now, Dawn? To Buffy you are only an object of destruction as The Key. And seeing as you can't help her win her war, ultimately expendable." Joyce/The First finished with a hint of nonchalance figuring that she had Dawn distraught enough that she wouldn't notice.

As I watched Joyce/The First raise her hand to cup Dawn's cheek my anger came to the forefront. I'm not sure exactly what made me the most angry. That I hadn't done anything sooner or that Dawn wasn't moving away from Joyce/The First's touch. But I can't be angry with Dawn for not resisting The First. For being only human and giving into her insecurities, doubts and fears. " NO! Dawn get the Hell away from her!" I yell with a vigor that my weary soul didn't possess. Anger will do that for you, though. Give you the energy you need in a desperate situation .Fortunately, Dawn has started to back away towards the door. "That THING does not care about you. It's only mission is to damn every single person to an eternity of suffering and torture." My voice is harsh and Dawn is visibly shaken to hear it come out of my mouth. A far cry from the loveable, Goofy Dander. " I'm so sorry that I betrayed you guys and if I could I'd take back what I did, but too much has happened and the pain in my heart won't let me forgive and forget. I've already chosen my fate, Dawn but it isn't too late for you. Get out of here, NOW!" Dawn runs out of my room in a blur of tears and disheveled, light brown hair. Joyce/ The 1st turns back around to face me but instead of appearing as Joyce, the borrowed face that The first is wearing now brings the faint taste of bile creeping its way up my throat. It now appears as my bestest friend besides Willow...Jesse.

"Don't worry bro." replies Jess/The First with a grin so similar to Jesse's that my icy heart shattered into a million pieces. "Sooner or later I'll recruit Dawn and we'll be the Three Musketeers again." Jesse/The 1st broad smile sends shivers down my spine and I rush down stairs to make sure that Dawn gets as FAR away as possible.

Down stairs I find Dawn in complete disarray, trembling in the corner of the living room with a crossbow in hand. I inch my way slowly toward as I try to get her to get out of the house and find one of the others. " Dawn, please, you have to leave and find help. The First will try to con fuse you and turn you against the ones you love. "Like you?" Dawn's voice is hard and her eyes cold and accusing. "Yes, like me." Is all I can say back. My voice barely audible. " There you guys are." Interrupted The First, now back to wearing the face of Joyce. She moves past me, right through me, and for one brief moment I feel The First's energy. All the evil in the world. The memory of the feeling alone makes me yearn for oblivion even more. For a millionth of a second I contemplated letting The First take Dawn, knowing that I would be one step closer to the peace I seek. But when I saw Dawn's expression I knew I couldn't betray her. Although her face was hard and cold I also saw the lost and confused look in her eyes. I would NEVER let Dawn's soul be demolished.

"Dawnie, sweetie. just let go of your sister. She doesn't deserve you. She doesn't deserve any of you." The words she had first spoken to me stung in my ears and I felt for It more anger than I ever felt for Buffy. "Put your faith in me. Little one." Implored Joyce/The First. As Joyce/The First reached down to touch Dawn, I ran to do something to stop It from touching Dawn, but timing and fate decided that I had suffered enough.

As I ran to keep Dawn from touching The First, Dawn, in a fit of rage, fired the crossbow. The arrow went straight through The First and into my chest. "Xander, NO!!!" Dawn's blood curdling scream brought me out of my state of shock as the pain started to overcome me and I fell to my knees and final fell to the ground. Dawn crawled to my side, crying and apologizing for killing me. I tried to tell her that I wanted death but I could only cough out blood as the darkness swallowed me. No, I couldn't leave without thanking Dawn. Without thanking my Saving Grace. But when I tried to speak no sound came out. "My poor Alexander." replied Joyce/The First with remorse in her voice. "I'm sorry this happened Dawn but now you have a choice to make. Stay with Buffy as a virtuously useless bother or join me and stand by my side. Don't let the pain that Buffy caused Xander happened to you. Unlike Buffy, I appreciate you."

I laid there, dying as I watched Dawn look at Joyce/The First. I tried to tell the Dawn not to trust That bitch but I soon couldn't move my mouth. AS the darkness swallowed me whole, I was sucked into oblivion with eternity to wonder one painful question:

Did I damn My Saving Grace?...

THE END

R/R: Please. It's STILL chicken soup for the soul. Or candy I'm not quite sure.

A/N: Well that's it people. The sad ending of Alexander Harris' story. Hoped you enjoyed it. Thanks to all those who reviewed. You know I love you. I'm sorry if you find this story to be too somber and heart aching, but I think that those are the kind of stories that stay with you.

Love, Jaded316