Summary: Dawn was created exactly at 0:00:01 on January 1st, 2000 making her the Spirit of the 3rd Millenium. And on her 19th birthday Fate comes along and sets her on path that will span a thousand years with all the powers that comes with it. So as not live her life alone, she requests that Buffy be allowed to spend it with her.

A/U: Post Chosen

Pairing: Buffy/Dawn - Yes this is an incest pairing. If you don't like the pairing then my suggestions is to stop reading now. From a story perspective this pairing makes the most sense since they will live for the entire span of the millennium. Any other pairing would have the watching as their loved one grew old and died while they did not. And please do not review stating you do not like the pairing. I have a zero tolerance policy when it comes to such reviews. I have had reviewers give me grief over the pairing in my story 'Charmed: Another Halliwell.' So if you review about the pairing, consider yourself banned from reviewing ever again.

Disclaimer: Disney owns Buffy the Vampire Slayer. CBS and Paramount Studios owns Star Trek.

Note: I am starting with First Contact because in the Star Trek Timeline the Zefram Cochrane and the flight of the Phoenix portion is before anything else in Star Trek. If I continue this series I will then head into Enterprise, followed by TOS, TNG, DS9 or Voyager and end with the other movies in that order.


Prologue

October 11, 2010

La Belleza del Barrio

Dawn Summers sat alone in the dimly lit hotel room she shared with Buffy, her heart racing, and her thoughts in a whirlwind. Her sister was currently enveloped in the soothing embrace of a warm shower, and the solitude had given Dawn a moment to reflect on their incredible journey. The room was bathed in a soft, golden glow from the setting sun outside, casting long shadows that danced across the walls.

The warm hues of the setting sun seeped through the curtains, imbuing the room with a sense of tranquility and nostalgia. It was a poignant moment, where the past and the future intertwined like ivy creeping up an ancient castle. Dawn couldn't help but be swept away by the profound significance of this chapter in their lives.

Buffy had made a promise to her, one that had filled her with boundless joy and anticipation. To see the world, to experience its wonders together. Each city had been a new chapter in their shared adventure. Paris had been enchanting, the Eiffel Tower lighting up the night like a thousand stars. Rome had been a dream, the Colosseum echoing with the ghosts of gladiators and emperors. Tokyo had been an adventure, the bustling streets and neon lights painting a vivid canvas of modernity and tradition. London had been pure magic, with the whispering winds of history and literature carrying their spirits through the cobblestone streets.

And now, they were in Madrid, a place pulsating with the heartbeat of passionate flamenco, the aroma of tapas, and the vibrant colors of Gaudi's architecture. The anticipation of new discoveries, new adventures, and new memories was almost too much for Dawn to contain. The palpable excitement danced within her, as if she were about to embark on a treasure hunt filled with hidden gems of experience.

She remembered vividly the day Buffy had made that promise, the warmth in her eyes, the love in her voice. It had been one of the best moments of Dawn's life, to hear such praise and affirmation from her sister, her hero. Buffy's words had wrapped around her heart like a protective cocoon, nurturing her with love and support. In that moment, the world had felt like an open book, with infinite pages to be written, and Dawn was ready to explore every single one of them with the person who meant the most to her.

But just as she eagerly awaited Buffy's emergence from the shower, a sudden and unexpected shock jolted her out of her reverie. In the blink of an eye, the room was no longer empty except for her. A man had materialized out of nowhere, standing before her like an apparition. Dawn's heart pounded in her chest, her thumbs no longer twiddling but clenched together in anxiety. The air seemed to thicken, and her breaths came quick and shallow, her pulse reverberating in her ears like a relentless drumbeat.

Dawn's first instinct was to yell for... "Buffy!"

"She cannot hear you," he said calmly, his presence unsettling and mysterious. His voice was an eerie contrast to the sudden intrusion, an almost hypnotic quality that sent shivers down her spine. "For at this moment, you and us are outside time. Or from our perspective, time is frozen."

Dawn's eyes widened in disbelief, and she took a hesitant step backward, her back pressing against the cool surface of the bathroom door. Panic swirled within her, but she managed to find her voice. "You froze time?" she stammered, her voice trembling with a mix of fear and curiosity. Her fingers instinctively reached for the door, her only physical refuge in this inexplicable moment. "Buffy, if you can hear me, get out here."

The man let out a weary sigh, his expression one of resignation mixed with an odd sympathy. His eyes, which held secrets that spanned countless eons, seemed to carry the weight of a world's worth of experiences. "Would it help you if she was here?" he inquired, his voice carrying an air of enigma, as if he held the key to a puzzle that spanned dimensions.

Dawn's response was immediate, her desperation clear. "Yes," she whispered, her heartache and vulnerability laid bare for this stranger who had disrupted her world. She felt as if she were on the precipice of an abyss, and Buffy's presence was the lifeline she desperately needed.

The man waved his arm with a flourish, and time resumed its natural course, pulling Buffy back into the present moment. The boundaries of reality reasserted themselves, and the room's once-frozen atmosphere thawed, returning to its normal state. Dawn felt a rush of relief as the world began to make sense again.

"Call for her," he instructed, his voice unwavering in its enigmatic tone.

Dawn, still shaken by the inexplicable encounter, followed the man's instructions. "Buffy?" she called out, her voice quivering with a hint of trepidation. Her sister's name was a lifeline, a reassurance that the world was once again anchored in the familiar.

From the bathroom, Buffy's voice echoed, laced with concern. "What is it?"

Dawn hesitated for a moment; her gaze locked onto the mysterious man who had intruded upon their lives. She felt vulnerable and exposed, and her sister's presence was her only source of comfort in this unsettling situation. It was as if the world outside had become a realm of uncertainty and unpredictability, and Buffy represented the reassuring anchor to the familiar.

"Put on a robe, please, and come out here," Dawn finally replied, her tone urgent, her voice quivering with a mixture of fear and bewilderment. She felt a sense of urgency to bring Buffy into the fold, to share in this surreal encounter and perhaps decipher its mysteries together. "There is a strange guy out here who can somehow supposedly freeze time."

With swift efficiency, Buffy emerged from the bathroom, her wet hair cascading down her shoulders, and her body wrapped not in a robe, but in a towel. Her brow furrowed as she took in the unexpected scene before her, her Slayer instincts on high alert. Hotel rooms had never been her favorite places; they always felt vulnerable to vampire attacks, but this was a different kind of threat, one that transcended the supernatural.

"How did he get in here?" Buffy demanded, her eyes narrowing as she focused on the enigmatic intruder.

"By magic, my dear," the man replied with an air of nonchalance, as if the concept of magic was something completely ordinary. His words, though mysterious, carried a strange weight, as if they were rooted in something far more profound than mere trickery or illusion. It was as if the secrets of the universe were dancing within his explanation. "We are Fate."

Dawn couldn't help but laugh, though her laughter held a note of incredulity. The idea of Fate as a tangible, conversational presence seemed utterly fantastical. "Fate is a woman who houses the souls or spirits of three women," she said, attempting to rationalize the concept in her own way. The notion of Fate was, at the very least, familiar in her family's lore, even if this manifestation was beyond their understanding.

Fate nodded slowly, acknowledging her attempt to make sense of the situation. "You are referring to the traditional guise of Fate," he explained, his voice carrying the weight of ages. "In reality, there are many destinies, and so there are many Fates. Each Fate is like the one you mentioned, three souls inhabiting one body, sharing it equally. We personally weave the tapestries of your family." His words resonated with a sense of cosmic purpose, as if he were the keeper of the threads that wove their lives together.

Buffy, ever the skeptical Slayer, maintained a guarded stance. She scrutinized Fate, trying to detect any hint of malevolence with her heightened senses. Her instinct for danger was finely honed, but in this otherworldly encounter, her abilities seemed to falter. However, she found nothing, and that only added to her perplexity. "Not that I am saying I believe you," she remarked cautiously, her words laced with skepticism, "but if you weave the tapestries of life, why did you take our mother away?"

Fate's appearance shifted, transforming into that of an old man. He wore the visage of wisdom and experience, and his eyes held the weight of countless ages as he spoke. "We do not arbitrarily determine when a life ends," he explained patiently, his voice carrying the essence of eternal knowledge. "But we do apologize for ending her life when it had. But think of this. Would you have preferred her to suffer or die as she did?"

The memory of their mother's death hung heavily in the room, casting a somber shadow over their conversation. Dawn's eyes glistened with tears as she spoke softly, her voice trembling with emotion. "She died alone," she whispered, her sorrow and longing painfully evident in her words. "She should have had us with her."

Fate's expression softened, and his voice held a sincere note of remorse. He, who had witnessed the ebb and flow of time, understood the profound impact of their mother's death on their lives. "You are right, of course," he admitted, his ancient eyes filled with a sense of understanding. The weight of his apology was palpable, as if he carried the collective guilt of those who watched over the fates of mortals. "And we apologize again."

"So why are you here?" Buffy asked, her curiosity piqued by the revelation of Fate's purpose.

Buffy and Dawn exchanged puzzled glances as Fate shifted back into his original form, revealing that he was a young man, not much older than they were. The sight of this youthful visage only deepened their intrigue, as if age held no relevance in the presence of beings that transcended time itself. They listened intently as he began to explain his purpose for being there, their minds grappling with the extraordinary nature of this encounter.

"Because of Dawn," Fate replied, preempting their questions. His voice held an air of significance, as if the destiny of the world hinged on what he was about to reveal. "But before either of you say anything, we are not here to warn you of her death. She will live for a very long time. We are here to tell her that she is a Millennial."

"A what?" Dawn and Buffy chorused in perfect unison, their confusion deepening. The term 'Millennial' had always evoked thoughts of generations and technological advancements, but in this context, it seemed to carry an entirely different significance.

Fate proceeded to clarify, his words resonating with a sense of profound destiny. "A Millennial is someone usually born on January first of a millennium, at exactly one second after midnight. Dawn was created on January first of the year two thousand, exactly one second after midnight. She is a Millennial; she will live for the entire millennium. She is the Spirit of the Millennium."

The weight of Fate's revelation settled upon them like a cloak of wonder and responsibility. Dawn, who had always felt like the ordinary sister in the presence of Buffy's extraordinary destiny, was now faced with a legacy that stretched across the ages. Her existence was intertwined with the very essence of a thousand years, a destiny that transcended the boundaries of a typical human life.

"What does that mean?" Buffy finally asked, her concern for her sister evident in her furrowed brow and compassionate tone. "I get that she will live for a very long time, watching the rest of us grow and die in front of her. But the rest..."

Fate nodded, acknowledging the complexity of the situation. "She will feel Earth's woes and joys," he explained, his words carrying a sense of cosmic weight. "The last Millennial was severely depressed during the Great Depression and felt deliriously happy during the Roaring Twenties. Dawn will have the ability to transform into energy and travel through power lines and anything that uses such energy. She will also have the ability to use and control that same energy."

Buffy tried to grasp the magnitude of it all, her thoughts whirling in the face of this extraordinary revelation. The responsibilities and the sheer magnitude of Dawn's unique role in the world weighed heavily on her mind. Her protective instincts flared up, and she met Fate's explanation with a mixture of concern and determination.

"I know comic books are not your thing, Buffy," Fate continued, his gaze never wavering from Dawn, "but do you know the basics about Superman?"

"More or less," Buffy agreed, her eyes locked onto Dawn, a mixture of concern and determination in her gaze.

"Dawn's body will be a giant battery," Fate elaborated, his voice a resonant echo of destiny itself, "she can store the energy she takes in and release it later into a device or at any form of life in defense of her own or another's life." His words painted a vivid picture of Dawn's extraordinary abilities, abilities that could shape the course of events in a world teetering on the edge of chaos.

Dawn, overwhelmed by the weight of this revelation, spoke up with a trembling voice, her vulnerability showing as her world was irrevocably altered. "What if I don't want this responsibility?" The enormity of the task thrust upon her was a heavy burden, one she hadn't asked for and wasn't prepared to shoulder.

Fate's response was stern but compassionate, a reminder that destiny could be inescapable. "I'm afraid it is too late to back out," he said firmly, the unyielding force of fate palpable in his words. "The moment you were created, it was too late to back out. You are the Spirit of the Millennium." His words, though harsh in their finality, also carried the weight of his acknowledgment of her existence's profound significance.

Dawn's shoulders slumped, and she cast her eyes downward, her dreams of a normal life fading away like a distant memory. But then, she looked up with a spark of hope in her eyes, a glimmer of determination that had been kindled in her heart. "I don't want to live that kind of life alone, can..." Her voice trailed off, the unspoken question hanging in the air, the unspoken plea for her sister's presence and support.

Fate turned his gaze toward Buffy, his eyes reflecting the eons of wisdom he held. "We have already anticipated that request," he said, his tone filled with an air of ancient knowledge that transcended their understanding. "Your life, Buffy, is tied to your sister's. You will live as long as she does. On the last day of the millennium when she dies, you shall as well."

Buffy and Dawn exchanged a deep, wordless look, a silent vow passing between them. The bond of sisterhood had always been strong, but now it had transformed into something even more profound. The burden of Dawn's destiny was now a shared one, a testament to the unbreakable love and devotion they held for each other. As they faced the challenges of the coming millennium together, they knew that their fates were irrevocably intertwined.

With a wave of Fate's hand, Dawn became frozen in time, her presence temporarily suspended. "What we have to say is for your ears only, Buffy," Fate said, his voice carrying a note of solemnity. "With the passage of time, the two of you will grow closer. The line between sisterhood will blur, and you will find yourself falling in love with Dawn, and she with you. This is your destiny, Buffy. To live for a thousand years, the only person to not only love Dawn but to be in love with her. To share her burden."

Buffy's heart ached with a mixture of emotions as she absorbed Fate's words. The profound revelation hung heavily in the air, like an indelible mark on her heart. She had always loved Dawn as her sister, her family, but the idea of a love that transcended even those boundaries was both astonishing and overwhelming. The weight of her responsibility as Dawn's protector and confidante had just taken on a whole new dimension.

In that moment, Buffy felt a profound sense of connection, an unspoken pact between them that extended beyond the confines of ordinary sisterhood. Her gaze lingered on the frozen figure of her sister, a visual reminder of the extraordinary journey they were about to embark upon. Their shared destiny was now forever altered, and Buffy understood that their path would be one of extraordinary challenges, but also an extraordinary love that would defy time itself.

"So," Buffy said as she looked back at Fate, her voice tinged with a mixture of confusion and curiosity. "I am to in time become what… her lover… her wife?"

Fate's response was unwavering, his words carrying the weight of destiny itself. "Yes," he answered with a solemn nod. "That is your destiny now. Your destiny as a Slayer is over."

Buffy's life had been defined by her role as the Slayer, a responsibility she had embraced with unwavering determination and courage. It was a path that had led to countless battles and sacrifices, a life dedicated to protecting the world from the forces of darkness. But now, the path she had known was coming to an end, giving way to a new, uncharted journey that was as unexpected as it was profound.

The transition from Slayer to a role that was both unconventional and deeply personal filled Buffy with a sense of uncertainty. The idea of becoming Dawn's lover and wife represented a significant departure from the life she had known. It was a destiny that challenged her perceptions of identity and purpose, opening up a future that was as unpredictable as it was extraordinary.

As Buffy contemplated the implications of her new destiny, she couldn't help but feel a mixture of emotions, from the weight of the responsibilities that lay ahead to the profound love and commitment that would bind her to Dawn for a millennium. It was a transformation that would redefine her existence and test the limits of her understanding of love and destiny.

September 26, 2035

Harmony Haven, Colorado

Twenty-five years had passed since Fate's visit, and Dawn and Buffy now found themselves in the midst of chaos and destruction, caught up in the horrors of the Third World War. The world had become a nightmarish battlefield, a place where hope seemed to wither, and despair reigned supreme. Dawn was the embodiment of her time, a living mirror reflecting the world's joys and sorrows. But now, in the midst of this global conflict, her connection to the world's turmoil was overwhelming.

Dawn's empathy was a double-edged sword, a gift that allowed her to share in the joys of humanity but also made her a witness to its darkest moments. The constant barrage of violence and suffering weighed heavily on her shoulders. She felt the pain of families torn apart, the cries of children who had lost their innocence, and the grief of a world that had lost its way. Her empathy wasn't just a passive observation; it was a visceral experience that left her emotionally battered and spiritually drained.

Dawn's anger burned like a raging inferno within her. It was an anger born of helplessness, of witnessing the senseless destruction of lives and the unrelenting suffering of innocent people. She couldn't escape the raw emotions that surged through her, the collective pain and anger of a world at war. It was as if the world's anguish had found a home in her heart, and the burden of carrying it was almost too much to bear.

Buffy, her sister and protector, could see the turmoil in Dawn's eyes. She could feel the waves of anger emanating from her, like an unquenchable fire threatening to consume them both. But Buffy knew she had a duty, not just as Dawn's sister, but as her confidante and the one person who shared this unimaginable burden. Their roles had evolved over the years, with Buffy assuming the dual role of protector and anchor, a source of strength and support for Dawn in the face of the world's suffering.

"Dawn," Buffy whispered, her voice filled with empathy, her eyes reflecting the depths of her understanding. "I know it's overwhelming. I know you're feeling all of it, every bit of anger and pain from this war. But you're not alone in this. We're in this together."

Dawn's fists clenched, her nails digging into her palms, as tears welled up in her eyes. She struggled to contain the torrent of emotions within her, the overwhelming flood of anger and sorrow that seemed to surge through her like a relentless storm. "It's just so much, Buffy," she said, her voice trembling with the weight of the world. The burden of her power, the ability to absorb the world's suffering, had never felt more daunting.

Buffy took her sister's hand, their bond stronger than ever in this dire moment. She understood the magnitude of what Dawn was experiencing, the incredible weight of her gift and the toll it was taking on her. "We'll find a way through this, Dawn," she assured, her voice steady and filled with determination. "We'll use your power to bring about change, to stop this war, and to heal the world. You're not just the embodiment of anger; you're also the embodiment of hope."

As they stood together on the brink of a world torn apart by violence, Buffy and Dawn knew that their journey was far from over. But with their unwavering love for each other and their shared determination, they would face the challenges of this new world head-on. They were united by a profound connection that transcended time and destiny, fighting for a better future and a world where peace could once again reign. In the midst of the chaos and destruction, they were a beacon of hope, a testament to the power of love and resilience in the face of adversity.