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Author's Chapter Notes:
Disclaimers:
I obviously do not own or claim to own any of the people, places or events written for BTVS or Angel. I do own all original people, places, and events in my stories. If I borrow from another writer I claim no ownership they own what I borrow and will have credit for it. I think that covers it.

Author's Note: Have not been able to find reliable Beta readers so this story has not been beta'd. I am looking though and reviews help a lot. I do take suggestions seriously.

REVISED 5/11/06 Will be revising other chapters soon.
Buffy Season 5 Episode #100: "The Gift" FLASH BACKS
Buffy turns. In slow-motion, she runs down the platform as Dawn stays there crying.
Buffy swan-dives off the end of the platform and into the portal.
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(Here is where we go off cannon)
Dawn’s body had begun to shake and glow green. She slumped down until she was sitting cross-legged on the platform. Her human form was in a deep meditative state as her true self emerged like an astral projection. Those on the ground saw the portal open and the green light growing. They all screamed as they saw Buffy dive into the portal. They stood there in shock not sure what to do. Before they had the chance to do anything something happened.

Dawn’s green energy took the form of a beautiful lady, not quite ghostlike, transparent but not solid either. Spike was still struggling and coughing after his fall from the tower. His body suddenly went stiff as Lady Dawn raised her hand and he floated up to the portal where Buffy had just jumped. All the Scooby gang panicked but could not move. No one had a clue what was going on and did not know if this was a good thing or bad thing. Lady Dawn reached out and surrounded the portal and the two blondes within it. With a blinding flash the portal and the two blondes could no longer be seen. The lady had disappeared as well. After a moment the Scoobies ran up the steps of the tower to get Dawn. At the top they saw that all three were there. The unstable structure swayed a bit and they decided to figure this out elsewhere. They helped the three down to the ground and headed to the magic box.

Once at the magic box the gang sat around the table looking at the vampire and the two Summers women waiting for the story. Xander finally had enough. “Hello, guys. Little explanation here please. I mean, how did captain peroxide go all matrix on us, what was that green non-hulk thing, and WHY THE HELL DID BUFFY JUMP?” Xander practically screamed as confusion and fear over took him.

The three finally looked up at them. Dawn’s eyes growing green as she spoke. What looked like Dawn spoke in a calm voice that worried everyone, ” Patience, all will be answered in time. Not everyone is here and I am too old to repeat myself.” It was Dawn’s voice, but instead of the teenage whine it normally held it sounded of ancient wisdom and maturity in its words. “May I ask who you are?” Giles asked sensing there was something else using Dawn to speak. Xander almost told Giles they all could see it was Dawn but even he had clued in to the fact that these three bodies where not the same people who had been with them a few hours ago.

”You may call me Lady Dawn. I have had many names and many incarnations. Answers you will have soon enough grey one.” Lady Dawn said to Giles. Usually one would have thought she was calling him old. Xander no doubt thought that was what she was doing. Tara, Willow, Anya and Giles all knew she was speaking of his magic, his balance of light and dark, his struggle with being evil to be good. Something finally clicked in his head at that thought. Spike had over come his instinct to be evil and was only “evil to be good”. Giles sat back in his seat as the weight of his thoughts became too heavy.

The door to the magic box swung open and Angel walked in followed by Gunn and Wesley. They were ready for combat. After the shock of the sudden arrival of the “Calvary”, Xander breaks the tension a bit with a crack at Angel. “All dressed up and nowhere to go. Show's over guys. You missed adverting another apocalypse, but don’t worry we will be sure to let you know when the movie is due to be showing again.” Angel ignored Xander as he stared at Buffy and Spike. As one they raised their eyes to lock on to his glare. Angel stumbled back into Wesley and Gunn looking like he had been staked but had missed the heart by only a fraction. He looked away and the blonde ones looked down again. Giles took charge while the LA gang regrouped.

”Angel, what are you doing here?” Giles demanded rather than asked. It had been a hard night and was not getting any easier from the looks of things. “Cordy had a vision.” Wesley supplied before Gunn jumped in, “Angel said Buffy was in trouble and left out the door. We barely caught him.” Wesley turned to the former Watcher, “Rupert what has happened? The whole area is crackling with mystical energy.”

Angel had begun to recover. Giles motioned for them to sit down and listen. Wesley and Gunn were a bit surprised when they seemed to be addressed by a small teenage girl with glowing eyes. They somehow knew this was Buffy’s sister but the LA gang knew nothing about the key and were puzzled by the one they called Lady Dawn. Wesley and Angel had been in the presence of one of the PTB or a messenger of them. They knew this was no mere teenager and so sat quietly as if attending court in days of old.

When all were settled the lady started. She spoke “As I said you may call me Lady Dawn. I am the keeper of the keys to the gates of the universe. I am a fraction of the gates themselves. The Gates are one of the Powers that Be. I am sent in many forms to test heroes and warriors. This time it was to reward them.” She pointed over at Buffy and Spike before continuing, “Buffy would have died tonight. She would have been ripped from heaven and put back on this world by one of you. Spike would have gone on and tried to help fill the void left by taking on her duties with her sister as he promised and with Slaying in her absence, he would have faced the trials to win back his soul and give himself to save the world. He would have done this out of the love he holds for the Slayer and through the love of her to each of you here tonight. Each of you would throw it back at him. As reward for the deeds they would do, we have given them a chance to find love and happiness.” She paused for a moment to let her words sink in.

She continued, “They both died tonight and have ascended to another level of being. They will require help adjusting to their new selves, as you will all require help accepting what has and is to happen. They are joined as they have always meant to be. Human feelings will try to cause problems. Do not let yours be the cause of them. I will return to my vessel from time to time to help when need be. A part of me will always be here in Dawn but this form could not hold all of me for longer than a few hours. I depart from you tonight so you may rest and come to terms with what has happened. They will return with Dawn to our home. I will meet you here again two nights from now and will try to answer your questions.

She turned to look at Angel., “Vampire, suffering of soul. Come to me.” Angel arose and walked to Dawn as if under a thrall. He stood before the Lady, his Childe, and his love. “The rest of you leave us. Do not enter this room for one hour or all will die.” Wesley started to protest but Giles took the younger man’s arm and led him out the door and the others followed. They all walked to the Espresso Pump to wait out the hour and speak of the things that had happened in the last 24 hours.

Back at the Magic Box Angel was down on one knee head bowed before the three higher beings. “Look at me Vampire.” Lady Dawn commanded. Angel looked up and met her eyes. “Their hearts are meant for each other, their souls joined, their destinies entwined. You must let go of them and grieve as if they died, for that is what they did. You must show proper reverence for the loss of a mate and childe that where never yours to begin with. Then you must return to your own destined path and leave them to theirs. You will receive your reward in time but only when you learn to accept yourself as you are and balance your needs. Fighting yourself has fractured you into two that should be one. Find balance and you will be the champion you were meant to become. Tell them goodbye then go and grieve for what you have lost. Return to LA, find what you have gained and rejoice.” With that Lady Dawn rose and left the room so they could say goodbye in private.

Buffy and Spike still sat in their chairs unmoving. No one but Angel had noticed that they were both gone. Just empty shells left here until they made their transformation. No mind or soul inhabited these vessels. Angel touched Buffy's face first as his tears began to fall. He stroked her hair and her cheek. He kissed her lips one last time. He then did the same to his beautiful childe. Angelus had felt love was a weakness and so had always fought against it.

That had caused the rift between him and Spike, the same was true with him and Buffy. He had held so much love for them both that his demon had shown them equal hate. He slipped into game face and tore at his shirt until he was naked from the waist up.

Letting out an inhuman howl he beat at his chest in a primal manner. He then took one claw and drew symbols over his unbeating heart. He dug into his flesh as he carved his symbol for Buffy and Mate. He then carved another for Spike and Favored Childe.

He made the marks so deep that they would never fully heal. He took his blood in his hands and put one to Spike's mouth and one to Buffy's sharing his blood with them.

He then moved Spike's shirt and marked over his heart the symbol and did the same to Buffy. He replaced the clothing and kissed the blood off their lips. Neither moved during this exchange. Angel sat back again and let out a painful howl that had every vamp in Sunnydale responding.

Giles, the Scoobies, and the Fang gang all shook at the sound. They also realized there were a number of people in the coffee shop returning the sound. The group decided to return and wait outside the shop. Soon the haunting howls quieted and Angel came out the door of the Magic Box.

Angel quietly stood there for a while before speaking, “I have made my peace and said goodbye to the dead. It's time for me to return to LA. If you ever need me, Giles call. Although I will not expect to hear from you; I would like you and Wesley to keep in touch to share research discoveries. We will be looking up Prophesies when we get home that I hope will tell us if this is a good thing or bad thing. I'll be in the car when you're ready.” With that Angel headed for the car still in a daze waiting for what happened to really sink in. Wesley and Gunn nodded their goodbyes to the group before rejoining their friend and employer for the trip back to LA. Giles and the Scoobies returned to the Magic box and once again sat around the table.

Willow finally asked a question everyone was curious about “Lady Dawn why have they not moved at all but one time to look at Angel.” Lady Dawn ignored Willow and spoke to Xander and Anya instead, “Loyalty and Vengeance are meant to be. Find your true selves and do not compare to others. See the truths of your bond with open eyes as the Slayer sees her own love and happiness. You are dismissed. Say your goodbyes to those now dead.” Xander looked frightened but Anya understood and took him over to Spike and Buffy. She kissed them on the cheek and told them goodbye. Xander caught on but was not sure why. They left for home.

Lady Dawn turned to Giles, “Guardian, trust you slayer. Watch the witches. Balance light with dark and teach them Grey. Make your peace and leave.” Giles walked over to Spike and Buffy. He ruffled Spike's hair affectionately not truly knowing why and kissed Buffy's forehead, whispering "Daughter not of my blood but of my heart. I will see you again some day." he then left.

Lady Dawn turned to Willow and Tara “Wicca come.” The two drifted over just like Angel had done, and bowed before the lady. “Red of fire and passion listen to the Gray and the White as they try to guide you. If you do not you will become dark and then Evil. White guide her, grow with her, and learn from the Gray as well. You as the couple who left before you will form a bond with the one meant to be yours. Passion and Purity are your gifts to the group not spells and quick solutions. Say your goodbye to those already gone and leave.” The two did as the others before and bestowed a kiss and a hug with a few soft words before they left the three alone.

Lady Dawn told the shells beside her, “Rise and follow me.” The bodies of Buffy and Spike did just that. Lady Dawn had them follow her to Spike's crypt where she ordered him and Buffy to pack his things. She then took them to his car. Once loaded Spike, upon instruction, drove back to the Summer's home. They parked the Desoto in the driveway and moved Spike's things into the basement. Once set up the two bodies where sent to lay in Buffy's bed. Lady Dawn returned to her own plane of existence and Dawn laid down on the bed in her room.

Everyone rested

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No one was sure why they had not gone to Buffy’s house or even called to check on Dawn for two whole days. The second night they had gathered at the Magic box again to await the arrival of the Lady and her blonde charges. She said that she would give them answers but mostly they had more questions. No one had found any prophesies yet regarding what was going on and Giles was getting very nervous.





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