A/N: Season 5 & 6 Spoilers sorta. I really don't know if anyone's written anything like this before. So here's my first non-crossover.
Through The Gates Into Paradise
Prologue
The light was so bright. She could barely see three feet in front of her. Her dress was white. It was fitting that it be white. She walked slowly. Suddenly she was blinded by color. It had never been this . . . vibrant before. Green hills surrounded her. It was too much to take in.
"I'd say ye'd get used ta t'at, but ye won't."
She spun around to face the voice. Before her stood a girl. Not any different than herself. Her hair was had more reds and browns in it. Her eyes were green. Her dress was white, but it was of an older style. Her hair hung loosely around her face. It lay in soft curls framing her small face. A dusting of freckles splayed on her cheeks. She smiled.
"Ain't ye time, luv. But it is ye time o' learnin'. Welcome to the Valhalla, the resting-place of the warriors."
"But . . . I'm just a girl - "
"Now, luv, ye know tha' is not so."
"Who are you?"
"Who was I? My name was Lily O'Halloren. But most knew me as th' slayer. The one girl chosen to fight against th' dark. Just as you were, Buffy Summers. Just as you, I died in the line of duty. And another was chosen."
"Dawnie . . . "
"Your Gift. The gift of Death. Ye thought that by dying, ye were fulfilling ye gift?"
"Yes."
"That was only part of it."
Buffy blinked. It had seemed so clear, on the tower when she made the choice to end her days for her sister's life. She looked at Lily. Lily smiled softly at Buffy. The girl would not understand.
"Death is ye gift, thar is no denying tha'. But this is ye chance to learn what the final act was for each o' us."
"Huh?"
"Earlier, I said tha' ye were not meant long for this place. Ye job isn't finished, lass. Ye're still needed. None o' us hav' been needed tha' way. Ye are here ta learn."
"Learn what?"
"Learn our mistakes."
"How do I do that?"
"Ye get ta see every slayer's death."