This chapter was the most difficult chapter I have EVER had to write. I was really happy with the way it turned  out though. It includes character death, which is not something I ever like to write, but I hope I did it  justice.

And, wow, look... another long chapter.

One chapter remains.

- - - - -

Chapter 30

Redemption

- - - - -

The sun was just starting to touch the horizon when a large group combined of Slayers, Watchers, members from the  Ministry forces and friends gathered to listen as Giles explained what needed to happen.

"As far as we know, the energy in the portal is still flowing out, meaning more and more demons are being called.  Unless we can destroy the portal at the source, the world will fall in a matter of hours."

"How do we stop it?" Willow asked, curiously.

"We have to use the old-fashioned way," Xander replied, stepping in. "We bomb it."

There was a collective murmuring at this.

"The thing is, we don't have enough time to set up a remote detonator," Giles said, his voice very serious.  "Therefore, someone will have to stay behind."

Buffy glanced down sharply, trying to think hard. Giles was asking for a volunteer to walk in there and die. It  was almost too much to ask for. As she glanced back up, he was looking at her, as though knowing what she was  thinking. "We don't have time to debate it," he reminded her. "Hundreds of people are still dying in there. We  need to get them out and we need to put a stop to this before..."

"We know," Faith said.

Buffy turned to her left, where Dawn was still lying on the rocks, unconscious. Willow sat next to Dawn, gently  stroking her hair. "Wil?"

"If I take the powers from her now, it will kill her," Willow said softly, without even having to hear the  question. She raised her gaze back to Giles. "Who... who do you propose will do this... this mission?"

"I am going to ask that the Slayers go inside and comb through, see if you can find any survivors," Giles began.  "As for the actual setup... I think that one person with two volunteers to hold off any further attacks will  suffice."

"How do we choose someone to walk in there and die?" Tara asked, her voice hushed.

"We'll draw," Faith replied. "I mean, I figure it leaves an equal chance for anyone to waltz in, be the hero."

"Straws," Buffy said, laughing at the irony of it all. "I guess."

"Who draws?" Willow questioned.

"I will," Tara said, her voice shaking slightly.

"Count me in," Xander replied.

Next to Buffy, Willow nodded. And Giles had a seriously grave face that suddenly broke into a tense smile. "I  suppose we all should... it'll heighten the chances a bit, don't you think?"

Irina walked over and stood next to Giles. "I have eight straws," she said, gently holding out her fist. That  said, Giles took one and the others rose. Willow, Xander, Tara, Buffy, Faith, Spike and Angel each took one and  stepped back, revealing the length.

Holding her breath, Buffy held up a regular-sized straw.

Behind her, Willow dropped her own. Tara gasped as a short, cut-out straw fell to the ground. Lifting large eyes,  she gazed at Buffy, who had turned around at Tara's sharply drawn breath. "My God, Wil..."

"It was bound to happen sooner or later," she said, her voice shaking as she bent down and picked up the straw.  "Look at it, though... so small and it decides fate so quickly."

"You don't have to do this, Wil," Buffy said, moving to take the straw from her.

"No," Willow said, glancing up, tears in her eyes. "I chose to."

Tara felt her numb hands flying to her mouth. "B-But you can't..." she whimpered.

Willow slowly turned to her. "I have to."

"I just... I just found you again," Tara said, a tear rolling down her cheek. "And now you're going to leave me?  How can I say goodbye again, just like that?"

Willow couldn't speak anymore. She just shook her head, silent tears pouring down her cheeks. "Tara," she said,  her voice barely more than a cry as she stepped into Tara's arms.

Giles turned back to Buffy, who was brushing her own tears away hastily. "And you?"

"I'll go inside and protect her," Buffy said, trying to keep her voice steady. "Faith?"

"Yo," Faith said, walking back over to her.

"Take the Slayers... their lives are yours now."

"That sounds pretty serious, B," Faith said, her eyebrows knitting together. "Are you expecting a rumble?"

"I just saw what those demons are capable of... and if there's more of them... we're totally screwed," Buffy  replied as both women turned to Giles. "I'm going in."

"You'll need someone else with you," Giles reminded her.

"Yeah," Buffy said, moving to the two Vampires, who had ducked under the cover of the helicopter pad now that the  sun was rising. "Spike, can I talk to you for a moment?"

"Sure, love," he said, ditching his cigarette and moving around the corner and out of earshot. "What's it about?"

"I need you to stay here," she said, finally, glancing up at him. "I need someone strong enough to protect Dawn  should the world start to fall. I need... I need my champion."

A smile flickered across his face. "Yeah?"

"Yeah, I really do," she said, reaching up and touching his face. "I'm not going to pretend like this is some,  long goodbye, because I know I'll be back out... but I need you to stay with the Ministry and the rest of the  Watchers. They'll need a champion, too."

"And what are you going in there for?" Spike asked her.

"Redemption," Buffy replied, a tear in her eye. "Revenge... One of those words is perfect, and yet I can't seem  to figure out which."

"Watch your back in there," Spike said as Buffy backed away. She paused a moment, before turning back to him.

"I know," he said, holding up his hands. "You don't have to explain it. It's in your face."

"You're not...?" she whispered.

"No," he said, with a casual shrug. "A might disappointed, maybe... you didn't have to be so vague."

"Thank you," she said, her own smile lighting up the shadows as she turned and walked back into sunlight.

Across the way, Harry and his friends had gathered. "Are you sure you want to go back in there?" Harry asked  Ginny, who nodded bravely.

Hermione was still out with her own deep lacerations, but her eyes were wide when Ron had told her that he was  going in with the Slayers. "Don't get killed," she made him promise.

He sealed it with a kiss.

Draco had also arrived, his daughter in his arms. For the first time, Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ginny saw the  little girl, who stared up at them with Draco's eyes in a face that almost completely belonged to Dawn. "She's  beautiful," Ginny breathed, staring up at Draco. "I hope you realize how lucky you are."

"I think I'm beginning to," he replied. "Good luck, you guys."

"Thanks," Harry said, as he, Ginny and Ron left to inform Percy of their decision.

He was nearly beside himself with anxiety. "You know Mum wouldn't want this for any of you," he warned, but he  knew the stubborn looks on their faces and the sheer determination in their eyes wouldn't melt away at his  incessant bossiness. "I'll order the forces here to stay alert in case your line fails."

"Thanks," Harry said, shielding his eyes as Remus Lupin approached with, to Harry's horror, his former Potions  master, Professor Snape. "Hello, there."

"Have we reached an agreement?" Lupin asked Percy lightly. Percy nodded. "Excellent."

Snape was regarding Harry with something like loathing before he finally tipped his head to the side, his eyes  surveying another group of people in the distance. "I assume they get to play the heroes?" he asked, his voice  molten lava, but his eyes were a different story. Were they really full of concern?

"Yes," Harry said, stepping back. "We have to go now."

"Watch your back," Lupin warned as Harry, Ron and Ginny joined the group of Slayers.

At the head of the column was Buffy. Under the shadows near the doorway was Angel. He was the one who asked to  join Buffy's team. The Slayers were gathering behind Faith.

A tearful Willow stood next to Xander. They weren't looking at each other, but they both knew what the other was  thinking. "This isn't redemption, Wil," Xander finally said. "This is suicide."

Willow glanced down at the small suitcase she carried. "And all I have to do is push a button?"

"Angel has the rest of the charges," Xander replied, staring at the sunrise. "Wil..."

"Don't say anything," she said softly. "I can't... I don't know how to say goodbye to you. All I can say is... I  wish you all the best in this world."

"I wish I could say the same," Xander said, his voice suddenly bitter. "But since you'll be dead in an hour, it  doesn't make much sense to."

"I love you Xander," Willow said, turning to him with a watery smile. "I really, truly do."

With a great sigh of frustration and pain, Xander pulled her into his arms and held her. "I love you, too, Wil...  I just hope that wherever you end up... you'll send some luck my way."

She sniffled as she pulled away. Glancing down at the body next to Xander, she bent down and placed her hand on  Dawn's. "It's your power now," she whispered as she leaned over, kissing her cold forehead. "Use it for good."

Rising, she turned and saw Tara waiting for her.

There was suddenly a serious lump in her throat. "Tara..."

"Willow..."

In a moment, they were lost in each other's arms, where words alone could no longer say what their minds had  always been in sync of thinking. After a long moment, Willow pulled away, kissing Tara's forehead. "Remember,"  she said.

Tara smiled.

Willow pulled away. Giles was talking with both Faith and Buffy. She moved toward him and he extended his arms  and she gratefully hugged him back.

"Are you ready?" Buffy asked.

"I'm as ready as I'll ever be," Willow replied, lifting the suitcase. Seeing that Angel held another bag full of  whatever charges they needed, she fell into line beside Buffy. With a shaking hand, she reached for Buffy's hand  and held onto it.

"Go," Buffy said, turning to Faith. "Good luck."

Faith, the group of Slayers, and Harry and his friends disappeared inside.

After a small moment's pause, Buffy turned to Giles. "Let's go."

As the heavy door opened, Willow stepped inside. In her mind, the fate of the world rested on her shoulders now.

It was a very different feeling.

- - - - -

Once inside, it almost difficult to make any headway toward the first hallway, much less get down the stairs. The  demons were gathering near the exit for a reason, Faith supposed as she ordered the Slayers into the fray.

They charged ahead, taking on the demons one by one. Faith was impressed at the grace and skill each took in  defeating their foe and moving easily onto the next.

Behind them, Buffy, Angel and Willow had arrived. The Slayers had managed to create a haphazard path and they  took it.

Faith seized her own weapon, the axe and took off, quickly beheading one of those hideous pirate demons before  moving on. Cho and a few of the others followed her, assuming a standard flanking around the three as Buffy and  Angel fought their way forward.

There was a door at the end of the hall and Faith leapt first inside, making sure the passage was safe.

It took them nearly a half hour to finally make their way to the main gate and the lines of elevators, all dark.  Blood and grime lined the once proud, golden walls. Bodies littered the stunning granite floors, and not all of  them were demon. Faith bent down when she saw a young man, touching his frail wrist, until she realized that his  entire arm was moving. She stepped back in horror, dropping the arm as the rest of the Slayers arrived.

Mel was the first one to join Faith, holding her crossbow. She had a trace of greenish blood splashed across her  face and clothing. She clutched the crossbow tightly, arming it with arrows from a bag attached at her hip.

Buffy and Angel arrived last, both of them helping Willow down into the room.

"We have to go up!" Buffy shouted to Faith, who nodded. She directed the rest of the Slayers onward.

Harry and his friends held back, however. They decided to circle the great promenade and search for survivors.  They were stunned to realize all that was left were large piles of body parts.

Ginny cupped a hand over her mouth when she saw a figure only her age lying on the ground. Their eyes had been  cut out, leaving deep gashes across her face. Her hair was long and auburn except for the bluish blood that had  been smeared into it. Her own blood was a vivid red and ran in little streams down her simple blouse and skirt.  Her throat had been slashed and her mouth was open in a wide, powerful expression. Ginny bent down next to her  and touched her cold face. She realized this could have been her had they not gotten out of the way.

Harry stopped next to her, his hand on her shoulder. "Ginny."

She stood up, unable to even look at him. "This could have been me," she whispered, mortified. "I could have been  killed here."

His arms were comforting as he wrapped them around her. "Shhhh shhhh," he whispered as she broke down into sobs  onto his shoulders. His hands gently rubbed her back but his own eyes were haunted. This is what he'd seen during  the last battle with Voldemort. This is exactly what he'd been protected from his whole life.

Now, more than ever, he wanted to protect Ginny until the day he died.

Ron stepped over to them, his own face a twisted grimace of horror and disgust. "We should get out of here."

There was a sudden thumping from the other side of the hall. Ron, Harry and Ginny turned as one to glance at the  last elevator in the long bank of them. "Someone's in there," Ron whispered.

Harry released Ginny and took a few timid steps forward, past the gutted bodies and scattered body parts. He  stopped in front of the cage, pressing his hands against the cold metal. "Hello?" he asked.

The sound stopped and he heard the sounds of muffled sobs coming from within. "He-hello?" came the terrified  response.

Harry turned to Ron and Ginny, who were reluctantly making their way forward. "Someone's alive in there," he  informed them before turning back to the cage. "Can you get out?" he called.

"They... they..." The woman was sobbing, whoever she was. Now even more concerned, Harry pressed his face to the  metal and listened hard. "They killed those kids... those poor, poor kids... we tried to get them out, but they  came so fast... I... I-I-I..."

"It's all right!" Harry said, stepping back. "We're going to get you out of there. There's nothing left in here  but us, and we're human."

"Hu-Hu-Humans?" The woman whispered, mortified.

Harry turned to Ron and Ginny, who pulled out their wands. He stepped back, holding out his own. "Stand back!" he  shouted as they all said the incantation, "Alohamora!"

The doors sprang open with a resounding beep and the woman tumbled out. The instant she hit the ground, she tried  to force herself to sit up.

And found herself looking at three very unfamiliar people. "Who are you?" she gasped between broken sobs.

"I'm Harry Potter," he introduced himself, and gestured toward his friends, "Ginny and Ron Weasley. We have to  get you out of here."

"Amy," the woman choked out as Harry and Ron helped her to stand. "My name is Amy." She turned her steady gaze  toward Harry. "You're... the Wizard?"

"I am," Harry said, his voice strong. "How did you know about me?"

"They had plans for you," Amy said, her voice shaking. "They wanted you to be there when the world fell because  they knew you'd rise a Dark Lord. Imagine, the boy who lived becoming one of the most feared in the Magical  world. The demons can't touch it. But you could. Everything, the entire reason you're really here, it was all  fabricated around that."

"If you touch him, I will kill you," Ginny said, aiming her wand at Amy's forehead. "I swear I will."

"I'm not going to touch him," Amy replied, sighing. "The plans failed. Dawn's heart... it was too strong. The  power couldn't destroy her humanity. It was her daughter that brought her back. And it may very well destroy the  world."

"It won't," Ron replied. "We're going to destroy the portal and everything inside this building is going to die."

"But... but what about the survivors?" Amy gasped.

"The Slayers will handle them," Harry said, leaning over and taking her arm. "We need to get you out of here."

"N-No!" Amy gasped. "Do you know what they will do to me if they ever found out I was still alive?"

"Who are you talking about?" Ginny inquired as they began to move toward the exit.

"B-Buffy," Amy replied, her voice so full of panic that Harry, Ron and Ginny were looking at her in alarm. "And  those friends of hers... those with the superpowers... Willow..."

"You won't have to worry about Willow anymore," Harry said, "since she's the one who's destroying this--" His  eyes suddenly narrowed. "You had something to do with Dawn's power, didn't you?"

"I didn't mean to," Amy said hurriedly as they pushed her on. She almost collapsed when she saw the extent of the  damage to the once beautiful structure. "I just... I thought..."

"Keep moving," Harry said. "We don't have much time."

"It was a group of warlocks," Amy explained as they quickly climbed a set of stairs. "It was my magic that bound  them all together..."

"Then you can put Dawn back," Ron replied as they entered another hallway, moving quickly now since more demons  were starting to approach.

"It's not that simple, I'm afraid," Amy panted as they turned the corner and saw the last stairway, the one  leading outside. She broke into a run but suddenly her feet were ripped from beneath her and she landed hard on  her back. Above her, three Wizards looked at her no longer with pity, but with anger.

"Do you think you can redeem yourself in the eyes of some who know you already?" Ginny asked quietly. "Think  again."

- - - - -

"We're here!" Buffy announced as the portal room appeared through a thick haze.

Faith and the rest of the Slayers quickly moved into the room, attacking anything that moved inside. Buffy  quickly turned to Angel. "Stay with Wil." She then moved inside.

There was another human body, broken beyond recognition near the portal. As she drew closer, she realized with a  stab of horror that it was Lilah. What remained of her skull had been crushed and the rest of it had been what  appeared to be gnawed on. "I'm sorry," she whispered to the body before rising, the scythe in her hand as she  turned to fight back another demon.

She swung hard at it, knocking it aside and ducked at its incoming blow. After impaling it through the chest with  the axe, she turned and noticed that most of the demons in the room were dead. "Faith!" she shouted. "Get them  out of here!"

Faith nodded and turned to the rest of the girls. "Get out of here! Now! Go!" She turned back to Buffy. "It's  your show now."

Buffy nodded and turned back to the portal. Angel and Willow quickly entered. Angel handed her the duffel bag and  Buffy began placing explosives all around the room. He'd been placing several around the hallways as they'd made  their way through.

Willow stood above the portal, where the green energy was still leaking through. If only she had her magic back,  she'd be able to seal it, once and for all.

Buffy turned to move toward her, but suddenly she stopped. There were voices in her head. She took another step  forward, but fell to her knees, the scythe twisting away.

There were voices, so many voices going through her head. Time seemed to stop as each echoed in memory.

I. Am. The. Slayer.

One Slayer...

The Chosen Slayer...

One girl...

A girl in all the world...

She will stand alone...

She fights vampires...

Fights evil and darkness...

Is this Hell? Is this Hell?

The hardest part of this world...

Live, for me...

Buffy! Buffy!

You're going to Hell...

I was in Heaven...

I won't lose you, not again...

I want you to get out of my face...

Don't... stay with me...

I am the Slayer.

You're just luckier than the rest of us...

I was happy... complete...

The happiest you've been in life is when you were dead...

This isn't about living...

... it's about choices.

It's time to make a choice...

Slowly, the voices faded as Buffy set down the axe, her eyes full of understanding. As Willow moved into position  over the portal, Buffy took a few precarious steps forward. "Wil?"

"Don't," Willow said, her shoulders trembling slightly. "It doesn't make sense yet, but it will."

"Of course it will," Buffy replied, her voice growing stronger. "Because you're not going down there."

"What?" Willow gasped. "How can you say that? I have to go down there."

"No," Buffy said, tossing the axe aside. "This isn't your battle anymore. You have so much left to do... it isn't  your turn. Not today."

"I've said my goodbyes," Willow said, her face brave. "I'm ready."

"No," Buffy replied, still shaking her head. "You're not. You're never ready to die. I should know. I've been  dead twice."

"This isn't your decision to make!" Willow insisted. "I can't let you decide something that has to be done."

"Willow, I'm sorry," Buffy said, stepping toward her.

Willow glanced up at her, confused. "What are you sorry about?"

"This," Buffy replied. Jumping down on top of the portal, she swung hard. Willow, caught off guard, fell,  unconscious into Buffy's arms. As she gently pushed Willow back up onto the ledge, her opposite hand fell to her  neck and ripped off the cross necklace. She gently placed it in Willow's pocket before turning back to the  portal. The green light was starting to recede, but too slow for any substantial change.

"Angel!" she shouted.

He suddenly appeared above her and helped pull her up. "What is it? What happened to Willow? Was she attacked?"

"No," she said softly. He started to move toward her, but stopped at the sound of her voice. "I need you... to do  something for me."

His eyes softened at her expression. It was almost scary how calm she seemed. "What?" he asked.

"Get her out of here," Buffy finally said, gazing at him. "I... She's not doing this. Not now."

Angel's gaze slowly focused. "Are you..."

"I am," she said, turning back to the portal as Angel bent down, pulling Willow into his arms. "Angel!"

He turned back. "Yeah?"

"It would have been you," she said, taking a step toward him.

He gently set Willow down on the table before moving to Buffy. "What?"

"In the end, if we had gotten through this," Buffy said, tossing her hair back. "It would have been you."

"You mean... you love me?" he asked, his voice uncertain and full of a depth of hope that Buffy didn't know  existed.

"I love you," she said, gazing up at him. "I really, truly love you."

"This... this is a hell of a time to tell me!" he sputtered. "After all we've been through these past few  months... and you couldn't have chosen a better time?"

"There's no time left," she said quietly. "In a few minutes, this portal will be destroyed. And all that's left  will be a hollow shell of something we once classified as an enemy. The world is going to swallow me and the only  thought that I had was that I was going to die without telling you the truth. Now you know."

His fingers gently traced the tears falling down her cheeks. He bent down, his lips meeting hers. As she kissed  him back, it was a different feeling. Pulling away, he saw that she was still visibly shaken. "Thank you," he  said softly.

"I'll see you again," she said, turning back to the portal. "Now go. Get out of here... one of us has to live."

"I know," he said, turning back and pulling Willow into his arms. He stopped just shy of the entrace, littered  with dead demons. "It's been an honor..."

She gave him a tight smile.

It would be the last thing he'd remember about her, he decided as he took off running.

Inside, Buffy leapt back down into the portal and opened the suitcase. Inside, they had just shy of ten minutes  before the demons would spill out. She gently set the charges down, lining them up around the portal. Her  breathing was slow and calm. As she pulled out the manual detonator, she pulled herself back onto the ledge and  sat, crossing her legs, holding the small device in her hand.

Her only regret was that she never got the chance to say goodbye to her sister. It was a small comfort to know  that Dawn had Draco and Joy now. There would be no more death, no more sadness for her sister.

She would truly be complete.

And the Slayers... they were all right now. They had Faith to lead them. They had Giles to guide them. And in  every generation, more would be born.

She glanced at the trigger, knowing she had to buy Angel a few moments.

As she lifted her thumb over the tiny red switch, her gaze turned back and her life flashed before her eyes.

Outside, Willow had come to and was now being dragged by Angel through the corridors. "No! You have to let me go  back! No! Let go of me! No!"

"Come on," Angel said, forcing her through a doorway and practically dragging her to the rope. "We only have  another minute."

As they climbed, Angel suddenly felt a cool, calm release settle within him. As he reached the top and saw Willow  standing there, her eyes wide, he knew she understood. "Buffy," Willow said, her voice choking up.

"Could it be anyone else?" he asked, taking her by the hand as they continued running.

Buffy opened her eyes and pressed onto the switch.

And she smiled.

The portal room exploded with a fiery blast. As a large flaming ball swept through the corridors, demons hissed  and screamed as they were burnt alive.

Angel and Willow kept running until they got to the exit. He glanced over his shoulder, noticing that the walls  were exploding.

Outside, Giles and the others had pulled back. He glanced up in horror as Faith charged out the door, the last of  the Slayers to come through.

Angel quickly pushed Willow ahead of him as they continued to run down the last corridor, doors snapping off  behind them.

As the cries and screams of the demons began to leak out, Giles glanced at the Slayers and his fellow Watchers.

Suddenly the door burst open again and both Willow and Angel tumbled out, just as flames shot out the door.

And then, without warning, the sounds of a very deep explosion sounded.

Faith and Giles hurried down to cover Angel in a blanket before they ushered him to a helicopter, waiting on the  pad. As Giles turned to Willow, he saw her smiling sadly toward the cracked, crushed remains of the American  Ministry of Magic.

"Buffy," Faith said, shaking her head. "That girl really knew what she was doin'."

"She really did," Willow said weakly, clinging to Faith as they entered the helicopter. Once everyone was aboard,  it took off, heading away from the thick black smoke and the scent of charred bodies and back toward the valley,  where all of the others had gathered.

"What are we going to tell them?" Willow asked, her voice emotionless.

Giles saw her face. The shock, the pain, the remorse. "We'll tell them the truth. They deserve to know about this  sacrifice."

"And they will," Faith said, wrapping an arm around her. "I promise."

Willow sniffled into her own blanket and reached into her pocket, feeling something sharp sticking out. With a  frown, she pulled out the cross necklace. And she smiled as tears filled her eyes once again.

"Of course," she whispered softly, holding the cross to her heart. "Of course."

- - - - -

To be continued...