This is the concluding epilogue to the story. Thank you to everyone who has reviewed, followed and favorited this story and I hope you've enjoyed it until the end.

Disclaimer: I do not own Buffy: The Vampire Slayer.

Most of the Slayers that had been on Simone's side either joined the Slayer Organization or decided to give up their Slayer powers to live normal lives, seeing for themselves that they had been misled on a wrong path. There were those that fought back and resisted, but the Scoobies were still in an advantage, managing to quickly quell and subdue any remaining resistance. But still, that left Buffy with a lot to think about.

Scotland

Later, most of the Slayers, with the Scoobies, gathered at the table as Buffy took a deep breath. It was a hard decision, but after a lot of thinking, she realized this was for the best.

"I started this, when I activated all the Slayers around the world in the fight against the First Evil and I didn't realize what I might create, which led to the likes of Simone to rise." Buffy said with a heavy sigh, trying to keep it together. "We beat Simone and she is now in custody thanks to Riley and awaiting trial for crimes against humanity and thanks to Willow and Giles, Amy is now on a way to a coven that will either rehabilitate her or lock her away for good. Either way, they're not a threat to us anymore. But what has happened recently made me think." She took a deep breath, barely able to hold back tears. "There are those that don't deserve the power and abuse it and while we were able to stop them, it came at a high cost."

The atmosphere immediately became solemn as the Potentials that had been close to Buffy and Dawn, such as Vi and Satsu and the Scoobies began mourning for Dawn.

"I thought we'd be able to get things under control and contain any activated Slayers that would abuse their power that I didn't even stop to think that I'd need to get everything under control within my own ranks and we can't afford the luxury of corruption and complacency." Buffy said.

"Buffy…" Xander began.

"You all saw for yourselves what has happened when our group became too big. I was unable to get everything under control, especially someone as unstable as Simone, who managed to get more Slayers to her cause because I assembled too many Slayers in one place. The moment we became too big and susceptible to corruption and allowed someone like Simone to rise, we failed." Buffy said sadly and Giles winced, knowing that he had some blame on it too, when he had sent Andrew to retrieve Dana and he, without Buffy's knowledge, told Angel he was not trusted anymore and then there was him being so self-righteous and full of himself, he refused to help stop an Old One and at least try to save Fred just because Angel had been associated with Wolfram & Hart, even though he was not the enemy.

"Buffy, we can work this out." Renee reasoned.

"Even if we do, at what cost?" Buffy snapped, on verge of tears, trying to get ahold of herself and it was clear to them why. "Dawn paid the price because she was helping me clean up my mess. And I know there's a lot of you here that would give up your lives to help fight the good fight and I appreciate it but I can't ask you to do that for me."

"So, what, you're disbanding us? Kicking us out?" Vi asked, hurt.

Buffy sighed. "Honestly… I don't want to. I still believe we can do some good, but Simone was my fault. And if I allowed someone like her to rise up, who's to say it won't happen again?"

"We'll face that problem together. We've beaten Simone, we can beat anyone that tries to rise up just like her." Satsu said.

"Maybe so… after what has happened, I don't trust myself right now to guide us. I'm sure we'll all be more careful from now on and more vigilant to be sure we can contain anyone as unstable as Simone." Buffy said.

"Or as I once was." Faith added as they chuckled despite the tension.

"But what I do know is that I'm not sure if we're any good if we've allowed the likes of Simone to rise. Maybe if I'd handled it better or if I'd been a better leader, this could've been avoided." Buffy said as she looked at the Slayers around. "We've taught you, trained you and guided you and I trust most of you who have been long enough here to be able to think for yourselves, since I've guided you as much as I could. I put this group together and I still believe in the good we can do. But right now I'm not sure if I can trust myself to guide us. I believe others here…" She looked at Angel, Spike, Willow, Faith, Xander and Giles. "…to guide everyone here as much as they guided me, when I began." She smiled at them in pride. "I wouldn't have come this far without any of you. And if you were able to help me come this far, I trust you can look after yourselves."

"What are you saying?" Satsu asked as Buffy sighed heavily.

"I quit." Buffy said, which hurt them all to the core, but after recent events, none of them blamed her as she turned around and walked off as everyone watched her sadly.

Faith followed Buffy as she was almost at the door to the outside. "B. You don't have to do this."

"Don't." Buffy said as Faith stopped. "Don't be afraid to lead them."

Faith sighed, remembering when they had voted to kick Buffy out back in Sunnydale when she was making risky moves and now Buffy had decided to leave, since she didn't trust in her own leadership anymore after allowing someone like Simone to rise up and she still blamed herself for Dawn's death.

"Buffy, she wouldn't blame you, you know that, right?" Faith reasoned and Buffy breathed out, on verge of tears.

"I know. Which is why this is so hard for me. But whenever I'm here, all I can think of is how I failed to protect her from this." Buffy said and Faith sighed, placing her hand on Buffy's shoulder.

"Don't punish yourself like this. You need to forgive yourself." Faith said and Buffy took a deep breath.

"You make it sound so easy." Buffy said, resisting the urge to scoff.

"It's the hardest thing in the world." Faith said as Buffy looked at her, seeing the pained look in her eyes and Buffy could tell she was being genuine, speaking from experience, making Buffy think.

"I don't know if I can do that." Buffy said and Faith nodded in understanding.

"Just don't run away from your demons or try to fight them on your own, alright? We've already seen many times where that leads us. And remember that you don't have to do this alone." Faith said as she left, with Buffy alone in the hallway left to her own thoughts, when Angel approached.

"She's right, Buffy." Angel said. "Look, you still have a choice. Just because you made a mistake and someone you love paid the price for it, it doesn't mean you don't deserve the people who love you in your life at all. And just because you failed to protect them it doesn't mean you failed them completely, it's not just your job to look out for them, it's the job of all of you to look after each other."

"I know." Buffy said. "I'm not trying to abandon them, it's just…" She trailed off and Angel nodded. Even though he didn't like that Buffy was leaving, he knew her enough to trust that she would do the right thing and eventually come back to the people she loves.

Angel walked off, when Spike approached Buffy. "You know Dawn wasn't the only family you have left, right?"

Buffy scoffed. Even though there was her father Hank, he was hardly a father figure in her life. Giles was the closest thing to a father she had, even though he had his own flaws.

"Family's not just blood. It's the people close to you that love you and who you love back. Red, Harris, Giles… me…" Spike explained and Buffy was silent. "You don't wanna blame yourself, but you still feel like you failed the Nibblet, no matter what you tell yourself."

Buffy looked at Spike, silent but the look in her eyes told it all as she sighed tiredly, with her eyes getting wet. Get to the point and tell me what you want to say.

Later, California

Buffy approached Dawn's grave, with Xander, Willow, Angel, Spike, Faith and Giles behind her as Buffy knelt down, placing her hand on the gravestone.

"Hey, Dawnie." Buffy took a breath. "I know you don't blame me, but… I can't help but blame myself for this. Maybe it's because that's who I am." She sighed as a stray tear rolled down her cheek. "There were countless of times you'd drive me nuts or that I'd want to throttle you but that didn't mean I never loved you. And I know I messed up with you countless of times and if I could take it back and do it all right, I would. I just hope you can forgive me for not being able to protect you. I'm sorry I failed you, Dawn. But… wherever you are… I hope you're alright. And I just hope one day I'll see you again.

Remember that I love you, Dawnie. I always will. And if you see Tara or Mom… tell them we love them too."

Buffy sighed, trying to hold back tears, even though her cheeks were getting wet.

Spike held Buffy by her shoulder, when she got up and walked off, with Spike running his hand down the grave as he smiled. "Good luck, Nibblet." He walked off, following Buffy.

Angel, Xander and Giles ran their hands down the gravestone and smiled, silently giving regards to Dawn.

Willow knelt down, placing a kiss on her hand before running it down the gravestone. "I hope you and Tara are alright."

Buffy and Spike were in their apartment, laying down on the couch, with Buffy asleep as she rested her head on Spike's shoulder, while he turned on the TV, seeing Buffy's message.

"My name's Buffy Summers. Some of you might know me. Some of you may have heard stories about thousands of extraordinary women roaming around the world, either saving people from monsters or abusing their power to prey on the weak and helpless."

Scotland

Giles and Xander and the remaining Slayers were in the compound strategizing and listing every recruit that they might need to look out for, while thinking of how to contain any possible renegade Slayers like Simone once was.

"I just want you to know that I started all of this and I have every intention of fixing it."

San Francisco

A group of vampires was on the run, when Kennedy was chasing them down an alley with a stake in her hand, ready to take them out.

"To those that have the power, but have no idea what to do with it, I want you to ask yourselves what is the right thing to do. Because I've been trying to use it to protect the innocent from darkness and forces they don't understand and for a long time I was fighting it on my own with few people until I decided that more women might need the power, but I hadn't realized that there are those who would abuse it for their own gain, to oppress, bully, intimidate and hurt innocent just because they have the power to."

Brazil

Riley and Sam and a group of operatives were walking down the jungle with weapons ready before they were facing a pack of feral demons.

"To those I say no more. I gave you the power, even though you don't deserve it. And for far too long I've let you hurt and kill innocent people."

Los Angeles

Faith and Willow were both in bed with their naked bodies pressed against each other as they were kissing before Faith saw the night creeping in as she and Willow stopped in their lovemaking session and they smiled at each other.

"Give them hell." Willow said, smiling at her girlfriend before Faith got up, picking up her clothes and weapons.

"Good people who had a lot to offer to the world, but their lives were snuffed out too soon because the people who had much bigger power than it fits for one person decided to abuse it for their own gain, bullying and intimidating and putting down anyone that got in their way they thought that was weak. There's been enough death and violence. Enough innocent blood has been spilled. I'm going to put a stop to it now. I gave you the power when some of you don't deserve it."

Angel was about to jump out of the window, but stopped, when a blonde woman entered and she smiled at him.

Angel turned around and smiled as Nina kissed him for good luck before he jumped out of the window.

"You have a choice, either try to fight me and face the consequences one way or another or do what is right and see for yourselves how much good that power can have. It's up to all of you what choice will you make."

Angel, Faith, Connor and Gunn were in an alley, facing a group of demons, with Angel holding a sword in his hand and he, Connor, Gunn and Faith looked at each other.

"Let's get to work." Angel said as he, Connor, Faith and Gunn rushed at the demons.

"Because a friend taught me that even the smallest act of kindness can be the greatest thing in the world."

In Summers's residence, Dawn was eating with her mother Joyce as they were laughing and joking, even though they were sad Buffy was not with them.

Dawn walked out into the garden and looked at the sun above, staring and smiling before she heard footsteps and frowned, wondering who it was but after a moment she smiled again, realizing who it was.

"Hey, Dawnie."

Dawn beamed with happiness as her eyes began getting wet as she turned around. "Tara…"

Tara smiled at Dawn, with her eyes also getting wet as they hugged each other, Dawn happy to be with her surrogate mother again, both reunited in afterlife. And while they were together, now they just needed to wait for Buffy and Willow and everyone else they loved to one day come to them.

So, that's all, folks. Honestly, I wasn't sure at first about this fic, as I had just the basic outline planned out and didn't have much free time to write but when I had the time, I tried to give into this as much as I could to make this a good read and I hope you've enjoyed this story as much as I enjoyed writing this, even though it was saddening to see Dawn die, but at least she is reunited with Joyce and Tara in the afterlife and one day they might see Buffy and Willow again and couldn't resist the reference to Supernatural finale and Arrow Season 4 finale, even though that season sucked in general.

I think Buffy would have her reasons to quit Slayering for a time, given what she had lost and seeing for herself the consequences of her decision to activate all Potentials around the world and it was shown both in the show and in comics that her leadership skills leave a lot to be desired and while she does believe in the cause of Slayer Organization, she can't really trust herself to lead after allowing someone like Simone to rise up and her failing to protect Dawn, plus, it'd be foolish of her to disband the Slayer Organization, even though in the follow-up comics she did disband it after some mess she had made which resulted in her destroying all magic on Earth and all the Slayers losing their faith in Buffy's leadership. While the comics are a decent read at least in Season 8, it suffers from some terrible writing at times, mainly by not bringing Tara back, which is so stupid and dragging out the love triangle Angel/Buffy/Spike.

While Angel/Cordelia is OTP for me, Angel/Nina had potential, so a small scene with Angel coming back to her felt fitting.

See you next time with my next story.

Please review and let me know if you have enjoyed the story to its end.

With regards

Bl4ckHunter