Author's Note (1/22/24): I have been doing some rewrites. I am up to the end of the first arc (Batman Begins). The new chapter you likely got a notification for is actually Chapter 8: Interlude. It's set between Batman Begins and The Dark Knight. Included with the new chapter there are some added scenes scattered throughout the first 7 chapters.

Before anyone comments upon the chapter numbering, due to the interlude's inclusion, please note as I finish the rewrites the numbering will be fixed.

Epilogue

Gordon banged the files in his hand against the air duct to straighten them. His gaze drifted across the familiar rooftop, then came to an abrupt stop.

His jaw dropped, and he forgot all about the arrest reports in those files.

The searchlight he himself had shattered eight years earlier, when Huntress and Batman had taken the rap for Harvey Dent's crimes, had been repaired. A brand-new bat-symbol, freshly cast in gleaming steel, was mounted atop an unbroken glass lens.

Stepping over to it—hesitantly, as if afraid it might vanish—he ran his fingers reverently along the outline of the emblem. He then felt the presence before he saw it.

"Turn it on."

Gordon turned and saw Nightwing standing at the edge of the shadows and Gordon smiled as he did as ordered and the spotlight projected a bat into the sky.

"Bruce Wayne and Buffy Summers are alive," Nightwing said.

"I am glad to hear that," he replied. "I had feared when the core exploded."

"They know. It's in part why I am here today. They and I figured you would figure out from their hints whom they were. And that you would be worried."

Gordon nodded. "I was."

"The other reason is you can tell no one that they were Batman or Huntress," she said.

He sighed, but he understood the reasoning. "I kinda figured that. So, what of Batman and Huntress?"

"You will tell people they died saving this city," Nightwing said. "It will give them the chance to live the life they always dreamed of."

"And what about you?" Gordon wondered.

"Jim," she said, "Batman wanted the real heroes like yourself to take a stand. Bane was the beginning and hopefully the end of my career as a hero. For now I am retired. But if you ever need me," she motioned toward the spotlight. "You know how to get a hold of me. But let us hope things do not get so bad that you ever have need of me."

Gordon nodded and watched as Nightwing shot up into the sky like a bat out of hell. There was a small sonic boom as she flew away. "Let us hope, Ms. Summers," he agreed. He was almost positive despite the fact she had not revealed her identity to him that she had taken up the mantle that her sister and friend had left behind. He hoped for her sake that she was right that they would never have need of her. But still it brought a smile to his face knowing that she would be there…a silent guardian watching for the signal that she would be needed.

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"In the light of Batman and Huntress sacrificing their lives for the city of Gotham, we have been invited to witness a new beginning. Today in this church behind me Bruce Wayne and longtime close family friend of the Wayne family, Buffy Summers, will be married."

Buffy clicked off the TV and shook her head. She didn't consider herself a close family friend of the Wayne family. After all she and Dawn both had lost contact with their friends in Gotham for a number of years. As a result, Rachel had been closer than she had. Still as she watched the news, she was happy they were referring to her as such.

For several years Bruce had been grieving for Rachel's death and Dawn's injury. Buffy herself had grieved for Rachel at first and then devoted herself to helping Dawn to walk again. But it had been in part the death of Rachel and Dawn's injury, that had brought Buffy and Bruce closer to the point that Bruce had realized that he had loved two women in his life, well three if he counted Dawn. But Bruce considered Dawn more like a sister.

Dawn stepped into the room wearing a strapless lavender colored bridesmaid dress that clung to all of her curves. "Are you ready?" she asked.

Buffy looked at her sister. "Like you wouldn't believe." Then she smiled as she thought about what she had told Angel a decade ago. She had given him the cookie dough analogy. Had said she wasn't done rising. Now that she was in her early- to mid-thirties she was finally ready, she was done rising. She was ready to not only get married but to settle down and start a family.

"You deserve to be happy Buffy," Dawn said.

Buffy nodded in agreement; she knew Dawn was right. After everything her life had thrown at her; from the Master, to Angelus, to the Mayor, to Adam, then to Glory and the First. Then finally the human criminals she had fought alongside Bruce as Huntress. She knew Dawn was right that she did deserve to be happy.

While Buffy would always be a Slayer, Giles wedding gift to Buffy was allowing her to retire, after all there were hundreds if not thousands of Slayers all across the world. He had said short of an apocalypse that needed everyone onboard he would not call on her ever again. Well not for anything related to being a Slayer anyways. He had said he might call on her just to check in on her from time to time as any loving father might.

As an added small gift Giles even let Dawn retire as Watcher as well. He thought it was time that the younger Summers sister start her own family as well. And as a result, Dawn had decided to finally go to college. Dawn had decided to double major. One major was devoted to languages, something she continued to excel at since she had learned to speak seven languages fluently, so that maybe she could teach foreign languages after she graduated. The other major would be in business. After all Bruce and Buffy both had said that should Fox ever step down that Dawn would be their first pick to replace him.

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Dawn stood beside her sister smiling as Buffy looked into Bruce's eyes. Standing beside Bruce as his best man was Alfred, he had come back when he had learned that Batman and Huntress were dead. At first he feared that Bruce and Buffy had been killed themselves. He was overjoyed when he had learned that with Dawn's help, they had staged Batman and Huntress deaths, so that they might live a long, happy life together.

"Do you Buffy Anne Summers take Bruce Thomas Wayne to be your lawfully wedded husband in sickness and in health, for richer or poorer?" the minister asked.

"I do," Buffy said love evident in her voice.

"Do you Bruce Thomas Wayne take Buffy Anne Summers to be your lawfully wedded wife in sickness and in health, for richer or poorer?"

"I do," Bruce said as he gazed lovingly into Buffy's eyes.

The minister smiled as he looked at the pair. "I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride," he said as Bruce leaned in and kissed Buffy passionately. "May I present… Bruce and Buffy Summers-Wayne."

Bruce and Buffy had debated on what last name they would take. Would Bruce leave his family's name behind or would Buffy? In the end neither of them wanted to leave their family's names behind so they went for the hyphenated approach and combined their last names as one.

Dawn smiled when Buffy turned and looked at her. She leaned over and whispered in Buffy's ear as she pulled her sister into her arms. "Congratulations."

"Thanks," Buffy whispered back as she returned Dawn's embrace. "Give me that," she stated motioning toward the bouquet. When Dawn handed it to her she made to throw it up into the assembled guests and then at the last minute she tossed it back to Dawn.

Two Years Later

As the next two years passed them by Buffy and Bruce found that married life had suited them and at times wondered why it had taken either of them so long to get to this point.

Bruce smiled down at the baby girl in his arms. And then he looked at Buffy as she lay in the hospital bed holding another baby girl in her arms. It had surprised them both when they had found out that Buffy was not only pregnant with twins, but girls. "What are we going to name them?" he asked. He had decided to leave the naming of their children to his wife.

Buffy looked between both of the girls and smiled before looking up at her husband. "Martha Joyce and Rachel Dawn," she said as Bruce nodded in agreement. Both names sounded good to Bruce's ears and both names honored some of the people they loved the most. "And I want to name Dawn as their godmother."

"I have to say that is a wonderful suggestion?" Bruce agreed.

"What is?"

Bruce and Buffy turned at the sound of the voice and saw Dawn standing in the doorway.

"So, where are my wonderful nieces?" Dawn asked though she could clearly see them in Buffy and Bruce's arms. She smiled at her brother-in-law and sister as she made her way across the room to stand next to Bruce.

Buffy reached over and handed baby Martha to Dawn. "Her name's Martha Joyce."

Dawn looked down at the baby in her arms and smiled. "I think mom would have liked that. And so, would've Mrs. Wayne," she admitted.

Bruce had to nod in agreement. Both women would have approved of the name. "They would. And this little bundle of joy in my arms is Rachel …" He studied Dawn's face and there was a tear in her eye and he smiled. If Dawn held tears for just the first name, he expected she would burst out crying when she heard Rachel's middle name of, "… Dawn."

Dawn smiled as she looked between her sister and brother-in-law and she proved Bruce right as more tears came to her eyes. But these were not tears of sadness but tears of joy. Tears of joy at having her niece named after her. "You named her after me?"

Buffy smiled at her sister as she nodded her head slightly. "After you and Rach."

Dawn carefully cradled baby Martha in one arm as she wiped the tears from her eyes. "Thank you," she said softly.

"There is one other thing, Dawnie," Bruce said as his sister-in-law turned to look at him. "Buffy suggested it and I whole heartedly agree. We want you to be their godmother."

"I'd be honored." Dawn said as she looked first at baby Martha and then at baby Rachel and smiled. "So, can you two sweet little pum'kin bellies…"

Buffy chuckled. "Giving my daughters the nickname mom gave you, are you?"

"I think it's time it should be passed down," Dawn admitted looking at her sister. "Don't you agree?"

"I do at that," Buffy agreed. "Now you were going to say something before I interrupted. Go on."

Dawn nodded as she smiled. "So, can you two sweet little pum'kin bellies say Auntie Dawn?" she asked as she, Bruce and Buffy all chuckled at the question.

Author's Note: Over the last few months I have well not exactly rewritten, though you could probably say I did, but fleshed out the story a bit. Over 20k words have been added.

I changed some parts of the story surrounding Dawn that start in Dark Knight and go on through the end of the story. If you follow me on Facebook you would have noticed one of the parts that got changed.

The armor that Dawn gets is actually based off a movie I saw years ago that intrigued me called Guyver. If you research Guyver you will see some of the elements I borrowed for Skjolder. I intend to explain a little on Skjolder in what would likely be a one-shot sequel where I cross Slayer Begins with the Marvel movie, Thor.

Okay that's all for now, I hope you all like the revised story.