Rating- PG-13

Disclaimer- The characters belong to Joss (with the exception of
Randolph
who is all mine), much of the dialogue belongs to Joss, even the idea
is
from an episode of Angel, but trust me Joss would have never let this
happen!

Author's Note- Hope you enjoy, feedback is always welcome.

Prologue- In the heavens.

Randolph Higmanur took his seat near the back of the grand hall. He
could
barely see the platform at the front of the room, upon which sat the
three
robed figures who were known throughout the heavens simply as The
Powers
That Be. He didn't care too much whether he could see or not, he was
hoping
the meeting would give him a chance to catch upon a little sleep. He
had
only just returned from a mission to earth where he had had to
orchestrate
the meeting of two teenagers who would fall in love and whose off
spring was
to be a great warrior working for The Powers. It was all rather
tiresome,
he was hoping for a few weeks rest, a chance to visit his wife,
Mayiana.

"Do we know what this is all about?" He asked the elf-like creature
who was
sitting next to him.

"A disruption in the forces of good." The creature chirped.

Randolph yawned, same old problem, warriors of good turning to evil
most
likely because they fell in love with the wrong women, warriors dying
before
their time, yadda, yadda, yadda!

A loud horn sounded at the front of the hall and then a deep voice
announced, "This meeting of the Grand Council is called into session."

Then one of The Powers rose and said, "Friends, we have called you here
today because of a serious disruption in the forces of good. One of
our
greatest warriors has sacrificed her life to save another."

"As I expected!" Randolph muttered.

The Power stopped, and looked around the hall, "One has spoken out of
turn."
It's eyes fell on Randolph, "You, do you think you are so important
that you
may speak over me?"

Randolph stood, "I am just a humble messenger, nothing compared to your
greatness, it is just we are so used to these disruptions."

"Then you have earned yourself the task of setting this disruption
right.
Come to the front of the hall."

Randolph obeyed, not so confident anymore.

When he was at the front The Power continued, "The warrior I speak of
is the
Slayer, a human girl named Buffy Anne Summers. Now is not her time to
die,
she still has duties to perform on earth, her destiny is not complete."
It
paused and then looked down at Randolph, "You are to meet her, when she
arrives she will be sent to the Xygon Chamber. Go there and tell her
that
she will be sent back to Earth, and then you are to go to Earth where
you
will weave a spell that will turn back time to the night of the battle
that
led to her death and this time you will ensure she survives. Can you
handle
this?"

"Of course." Randolph said confidently, as he had thought it was
nothing
out of the ordinary.

"Go now." The Power told him before it, and the other two Powers
disappeared leaving behind just a cloud of red smoke.

Randolph looked around the hall and grinned at all the onlookers, "Wish
me
luck!" And then he too disappeared.

....................................

The Xygon Chamber was a grand looking bedroom in the Palace of The
Powers.
When Randolph materialised there a moment after leaving the meeting he
found
a pretty, young blonde girl asleep on the bed, the Slayer, he presumed.

He went to her side and whispered a quick spell, "Drygo feran holtz,
wake
this girl!"

Her eyes flickered open. It took her a moment to sit up and take in
her
surroundings before she said, "Where on earth am I? And who are you?"

Randolph bowed, "Randolph Higmanur at your service, and you are no
where on
Earth, you are in the heavens in the Palace of The Powers."

"The Powers of what?"

"The Powers That Be."

"Are you one of them?"

Randolph chuckled, "I am nothing like as important as The Powers! I am
just
their messenger."

"Are you a human, or some sort of demon?"

"I was a human, before I was selected to join them, I suppose in a way
you'd
call me dead."

Tears filled the Slayer's eyes, "Then that's what I am too, dead."

Randolph reached out and took the Slayer's hand, "Don't cry, you must
be
strong, you are the Slayer, even here I have heard of the greatness of
the
Slayers! And never fear Slayer, it is not yet your time to die."

She smiled at him, "You can call me Buffy. And what do you mean, it is
not
my time, the first Slayer told me 'Death is your gift'. It was my
destiny
to jump and save Dawn."

"But death is your gift in more than one way, it was your gift to those
you
love and to the world but now it will be a gift to you, because your
noble
sacrifice has earned you a second chance with life."

"So you're going to send me back." Buffy thought of Angel, he had
reappeared because The Powers That Be had felt he still had work to be
done
on Earth. "How will I explain it to my friends? They will be so
relieved!"
She smiled and thought of them all, Dawn, Willow, Xander, Giles, Anya,
Tara,
Spike, she loved them all so much. "I don't want to sound stuck up but
I
know they'd have been so upset."

"Well technically they won't ever feel that upset or the relief of your
return."

"What do you mean?"

"I am going to turn back time to before the battle with Glory."

"But won't I just die all over again?"

Randolph grinned at her, "No, this time I'm going to be there to make
sure
that you win the battle without having to jump into the portal. Only
you
will remember your death and only you must know that I am there."

Buffy felt overwhelmed, for the rest of her life she would have to live
with
knowing that she had died. Even if she tried to tell her friend it
would
only upset them. And she also wondered what could be done differently
in
order to make sure the portal was never opened. "Doc!" She exclaimed
suddenly. "He's the one you have to stop, he's some kind of demon, he
was
the one who opened the portal after I stopped Glory."

"Then all you need to do is stop Glory all over again. I will make
sure Doc
doesn't have a chance to touch Dawn."

"We can do this!"

"And lets just get it done as quickly as possible, I told my wife I'd
try
and be back home for tea."

"I'm ready."

Randolph recited the magic words, "Incas humbli froggana pianto, take
us
back to Earth and to three hours prior to the Slayers death!"
..................................

Part One- The Battle Against Glory

Buffy was in the ally way behind the Magic Shop. "Ok, very odd." She
muttered.

She went to the door to go back inside but then realised she wasn't
alone
out there, a vampire chased a boy round the corner into the ally. The
same
vampire she had slain to save the same boy a little while before the
fight
with Glory.

The boy cried out, "Help me! Call the police!"

When the vampire saw Buffy he snarled, "Get out of here, girl."

Ok, Buffy thought, very eerie case of déjà vu. "Look," She told the
vampire, "Can we make this quick, I mean, been there, done that, wanna
get
on with saving the world."

She walked towards them and the boy cried, "Get out of here!"

The vampire, clueless as to whom he was dealing with said, "No, no, she
wants to stay, I don't mind a little appetizer."

Buffy remained cool, "Do we have to do this all again?" She asked him.
She
sighed, "Ok. Have you ever heard the expression, 'biting off more than
you
can chew?'" He looked at her blankly so she continued, "How about the
expression, 'Vampire Slayer'"

"What the hell are you talking about?" He asked looking more than a
little
confused.

"Wow. Never heard that one. Okay. How about. 'Oh God, my leg, my
leg?"'

The vampire lunged at her, she stepped to the side and punched him in
the
face, dazing him a little before kicking his knee so hard it cracked.
He
cried in agony, "Oh God, my leg! Ah, God!"

"See- now we're communicating."

He bound back at her and slammed her into the wall and grabbed her
throat.
Swiftly she threw her arms up and slammed him into the wall. She
looked
around for a suitable stake wanting to end this.

Managing to get free again he hit her a couple of times. She used a
flying
kick to send him crashing into a pile of boxes. A splinter from one
flew
up, she caught it and rammed it into his chest. He turned to dust.

She remembered the speechless teenage boy who was still watching in
amazement. "Been a long while since I met one who didn't know me." A
lifetime. "Was he alone?" The boy nodded. "You should get home."

She turned to go back inside but the boy called to her, "How did you.
do
that?"

"It's what I do."

"But you're just a girl."

"That's what I keep saying." Buffy said sadly. She stepped back
inside.
She felt totally and utterly confused. This was crazy, exactly the
same
thing had happened as before, how was she meant to change anything.
She was
going to have to rely on Randolph stopping Doc.

She stepped into the Magic Shop. All her friends were there. Tara
still
under Glory's spell, Willow and Giles still frantically researching to
try
and make a difference, Spike sat on the ladder smoking, the others
pacing or
hanging around nervously.

"Something going on out back?" Xander asked.

"Vampire."

"Oh."

She looked at Giles, "Anything?"

"Nothing you want to hear. The ritual is."

"Explain it to me again." Even though she knew what was going on she
needed
to prepare the others for the upcoming battle. She didn't want one of
them
getting hurt this time.

Giles looked exhausted as he said, "There's nothing new to-"

"Go through it again." Also she needed to know if there was some
little
thing she had missed before. Something she could do differently this
time.

Giles explained, "The Key was living energy. It needed to be
channelled,
poured into a specific spot at a specific time. With all attendant
ritual,
of course. The energy would flow into that spot, the walls between the
dimensions break down. It stops - the energy is used up -and the walls
come
back up. Glory uses that time to get back to her dimension, not caring
that
all manner of hell will be unleashed on Earth in the meantime."

Anya tried to look helpful, "But only for a little while, right? The
walls
come back, no more hell?"

"But that's only if the energy is stopped. And now that the Key is
human.
is Dawn." Willow trailed off not wanting to say it.

Giles finished off for her, "'The blood flows, the gates will open.
The
gates will close when it flows no more.' When Dawn is dead."

Suddenly Tara interrupted, screaming, "I have places to be!"

For a moment there was silence. Until Xander spoke, "Why blood? Why
is it
Dawn's blood, why couldn't it be, like a lymph ritual?"

For the first time in a while Spike spoke, "'Cause it's always gotta be
the
blood."

Xander looked at him disgusted, "We're not actually discussing dinner
right
now."

"Blood is life, lackbrain. Why do you think we eat it? It's what keeps
you
going, makes you warm, makes you hard, makes you other than dead.
'Course
it's her blood."

Buffy paused a moment before moving on. "Pretty simple math, here. We
stop
Glory before she can start the ritual. There's still a couple of
hours,
right?"

"If my calculations are right, but Buffy-"

She cut Giles off, "I don't want to hear it-"

"I understand that-"

Even though Buffy had lived this once before she still felt just as she
did
before- no-one was going to touch Dawn. "No you don't understand!
We're not
talking about this!"

"Yes we bloody well are!" Buffy still felt the same shock at Giles'
outburst. "If Glory begins the ritual. if we can't stop her."

He trailed off. Not wanting to say it.

"Say it. Come on, we're bloody well talking about this, tell me to kill
my
sister!"

"She's not your sister."

"No. She's not. She's more than that. More than family... my sister,
my
daughter..."

Xander was confused, "She's your sister and your daughter?"

"She's me. The Monks made her out of me. I hold her and I feel closer
to her
than... It's more than just the memories they built, it's physical,
it's...
Dawn is a
part of me. The only part that I..." This was the moment. The moment
before that Buffy had first begun to realise what she had to do. She
hadn't
even admitted it to herself but she had known.

Willow crossed the room to hug her, "We'll solve this. We will. Don't
have
another coma, okay?"

Giles was still the voice of reason, "Buffy, if the ritual starts,
every
living creature in this and every other dimension imaginable will
suffer
unbearable torment and Death. Including Dawn."

"Then the last thing she'll see is me protecting her."

"You'll fail. You'll die. We all will." Buffy couldn't help wanting to
agree with him this time. No. She told herself, it's going to be
different
this time.

"I'm sorry. I love you all, but I'm sorry."

Anya rose her hand and said in her most perky voice, "Okay, all in
favour of
Stopping Glory BEFORE the ritual! Suggestions? Ideas? Time's a-wastin'
..."

Spike interrupted with his inappropriate, "When you say you love us
all-"

Even as Xander and Giles both shouted "Shut up" at him Buffy smiled at
him.
Spike had proved to her that he'd do anything for her and Dawn. In
Buffy's
eyes he was a part of the group that she loved like her own extended
family.

She smiled as she listened to them discuss idea on how they would stop
Glory
and thought how lucky she was to have this second chance to live and to
be
with them all.

....................................

Meanwhile Randolph had gone to the construction site. It was pretty
impressive. He was already realising that this Glory women must have
been
tough.

But it wasn't her he had to concentrate on, he reminded himself, it was
Doc.

He knew where Doc lived, it hadn't been too much trouble to look it up
on
the heavens computer system. He just had to figure out how to stop him
from
starting the ritual.

....................................

Buffy had retreated to her training room. She pounded away at her
punching
bag, the same thought running through her head over and over again.
Must
make a difference. Must make a difference. Must make a difference.

When Giles found her there he asked, "You sure you're not going to tire
yourself out?"

"I'm sure." She replied.

"We're still working on ideas. Time's short, but it's best to wait 'til
the
last minute. If we go in too early and she takes us out, no chance of
getting her to miss her window." He explained.

"So we wait." She punched the bag again so hard that the chain snapped
and
the bag flew across the room.

"I imagine you hate me right now."

She answered him differently this time, "No, you know I love you.
Everything's a bit crazy right now but we'll work through it. Just
don't
hurt Dawn."

"We're going to do this."

They hugged and Buffy felt suddenly more positive, not everything had
to go
exactly the same way as before. If she could alter her conversation
with
Giles then she, with Randolph's help, could alter the outcome of the
battle.

....................................

Randolph knocked a little nervously on the door of Doc's front door.
There
was no answer. Slowly he pushed it open. Amazing that in a town like
Sunnydale people, or demons, still left their doors unlocked!

"Hullo?" He called when he entered. Still no one answered.

"Damn, he must have already left for the construction site." Randolph
muttered. He have to go back their which was going to make stopping
him
even more tricky.

...................................

Buffy went back out to the shop front where she went to Willow and
asked,
"You got anything for me?"

"Some ideas- well, notions, or theories, based on wild speculation. Did
I
mention I'm not good under pressure?"

Buffy sat down besides her, "I need you, Will. You're my big gun."

"I'm your- I never was a gun... someone else should be the gun, I could
maybe
be a cudgel, or pointy stick ..."

"Willow, you're the strongest person here. You know that."

"Well, no."

"You're the only one who's ever hurt Glory. At all. You're my best shot
at
getting her on the ropes so don't get a jelly belly now. What about
those
spells you used on her before?"

"They only worked for a few minutes. Plus she knows about 'em -- she
might
have protection, some counter-mojo set up. I mean, she's gotta know
we're
coming."

"So.."

"Well, I do sort of have one idea, but. last few days I've mostly been
looking into ways to help Tara. I know that shouldn't be my priority-"

"Of course it should." Buffy squeezed her hand and added, "Willow what
you
and Tara have is beautiful and once this is over she's gonna be better
and
then you two are gonna be as happy as you deserve."

"We're all gonna be happy." Willow said reassuringly before
continuing,
"I've been charting their essences, mapping out ... I think... If I can
get
close enough, I may be able to reverse what Glory did. Kind of take
back
what she took from Tara. It might weaken Glory, or make her less
coherent,
or make all our heads explode- I'm still working out the details."

Buffy smiled, "I don't like the exploding heads. The rest sounds
solid."

"I'll try to work it."

Buffy turned her attention to Giles, Spike, Xander and Anya. She
listened
patiently as they told her what they had discovered and agreed to their
plan, which of course she already knew well.

When they'd finished discussing she said, "I'll grab some weapons too."

"I'm looking for something in a broadsword." Xander said.

"Don't be swinging that thing near me."

"Hey, I happen to be-"

"A glorified brick-layer?"

"I'm also a swell bowler."

And Anya added, "Has his own shoes."

"The Gods themselves do tremble." Spike said sarcastically.

"Spike. Shut your mouth and come with me." Buffy told him.

..................................

Randolph was back at the construction site. Still no sign of Doc, or
Glory,
or even Dawn. Just a handful of her minions and a bunch of crazy
people.

"Where are you?" He whispered.

He couldn't fail at this task. The Slayer seemed like a nice girl,
Randolph
smiled to himself, if he wasn't married and he didn't get the vague
impression that her heart belonged to someone else he might have been
interested! But that aside, he was filled with the desire to help her
out.
And she had the real vibe of a superhero, he could sense the good she
did on
earth and he had utmost respect for that. And then there was the fact
that
if he failed The Powers would not be impressed.

"Come on Doc, show your face!" He said in his most determined voice.

....................................

Buffy strode through the front door, "Weapons in the chest by the TV.
I'll
grab the stuff upstairs"

"Uh, Buffy."

This time she was a bit quicker on the uptake and said instantly, "Come
in,
Spike."

The look on Spike's face as he said "Presto. No barrier" made Buffy
want to
reach out and hug him. But feeling a bit awkward he was the one to
move
away. He headed over to the chest, "Won't bother with the small stuff.
Couple of good axes should hold off Glory's mates while you take on the
lady
herself."

Buffy was serious as she warned him, "We're not all gonna make it. You
know
that."

He came back with a couple of axes, "Yeah. Hey, I always knew I'd go
down
fighting. Sure as hell never thought it'd be on this side...or for this
reason..."

She smiled softly at him and reached out to touch his hand, "I'm
counting on
you, Spike. To help protect her."

"'Til the end of the world - even if that happens to be tonight. Nobody
touches the Little Bit while Spike's around. I promise."

Buffy stepped back, not trusting the way she was feeling right now.
"I'll
be one minute."

She started upstairs. He called up to her, "I know you'll never love
me. I
know that I'm a monster. But you treat me like a man, and that's..."
He
stopped. "Get your stuff. I'll be here."

Buffy paused and went down a step, "Spike."

"Buffy." He looked like a cute little schoolboy, so happy just because
she
had talked to him.

"I. I. don't think you're a monster and I'm sorry for all the times
I've
laughed at the way you felt and teased you."

He smiled, "Don't go all sappy on me, Slayer."

"And after tonight, who knows what'll happen."

"We could all be sucked into hell."

"Or we could all be given a second chance."

He started up the stairs until they were so close they were practically
touching.

"What are you saying?"

Buffy moved away from him, "I don't know exactly just that know isn't
the
time to talk about it."

"When is the time? After we're both dead?" He snapped and then his
voice
softened, "Let me face death knowing the truth."

She stepped back towards him and whispered, "Spike, I don't think I can
explain some of the things that have been going on, it's pretty
confusing."
How did you say, I died and some guy told me we were turning back time?

"Well you're bloody well confusing me!" He turned and stomped
downstairs.

"Spike!" She ran down after him. "This thing is so huge I can't
explain
it, but it's not my feelings about you I'm confused about, they're
pretty
constant at the moment."

"What, you hate me?"

"No, I love you." Buffy couldn't believe it when the words came
tumbling
out of her mouth. That was definitely not in the script of how tonight
was
meant to go!

A huge grin spread across Spike's face, "You love me? You love me!"

She laughed, "I guess."

"I knew it all along, under all the banter, you were in love with me!
A
vampire only needs to watch Dawson's Creek to be able to figure that
out!"

Buffy glared at him, "That doesn't mean you don't drive me absolutely
crazy
and that right now I'm not tempted to drive a stake through your heart
just
to shut you up!"

He moved closer, "You couldn't."

He kissed her softly, then more urgently, it was the moment he had
longed
for, the moment she had secretly desired.

Eventually she pulled away.

"Hey!" He said, "I was enjoying that."

"I really need to get some stuff from upstairs."

"I could join you."

She hit him playfully on the arm, "Remember, saving the world?"

He gave her another quick kiss, "Later."

.................................

Randolph looked up to the top of the construction. Something was going
on
up there. Dawn? Doc? He couldn't see.

....................................
Buffy and Spike walked back into the magic shop. She blushed pink as
she
imagined what the scoobies would say if they knew what had just
happened.

She instantly forced herself to get back to business, "We on schedule?"

"Yes. It's time." Giles told her.

"Willow?"

She watched as Willow said softly to Tara, "Tara. baby. is there
somewhere
you should be?"

Tara looked panicked, "They held me down."

"Nobody's holding you. It's the big day, right? Do you want to go?"

Tara hesitantly rose and began to go to the door. On her way she
stopped
and pointed at Giles and said bitterly, "You're a killer. It's all put
down."

Then she wandered out of the shop.

"Willow, stay close but don't crowd her. We'll follow in a minute.
Everyone
knows their jobs. Remember, the ritual starts, we all die. And I'll
kill
anyone who comes near Dawn." Buffy delivered her final instructions
and
added "Good luck" before heading back down to the basement.

....................................

Randolph wasn't sure what to do- should he go up the tower. Or was
that
just a certain way to get himself killed leaving Buffy completely
helpless?
He had to do something soon, make a move, stop this stalling.

..................................

Buffy slowly followed the rest of the gang. She would leave the
BuffyBot to
deal with Glory first, just like she had before. That meant she could
preserve her strength for the real battle. She knew she'd done it once
before but would she be strong enough to stop Glory again?

And what about the scoobies? Could they hold off her minions? What if
one
of them got hurt this time? Willow, or Xander, or Spike. she didn't
want to
face that possibility either.

And Randolph. She wondered how he was doing. Had he found Doc? Would
he
be able to help her?

"Please" She whispered aloud. "I know I'm not exactly a good
Christian but
if there is a God of the non hellbitch variety then can you help me."

She stopped and laughed at herself. It was a bit late to start
praying. If
she was gonna do this then she was gonna have to use all her strength
and
all her heart.

....................................

Randolph watched as Buffy (well some form of her!) and the scoobies
arrived.
He saw Buffy and Glory fighting, the rest of the gang fighting through
the
crazy people to get to Glory's minions, Willow first hurting Glory and
then
being reunited with Tara, but still no sign of Doc.

....................................

"Wow. the Slayer's a robot! Did everybody else know the Slayer was a
robot?" Buffy heard Glory ask. That was her que.

"Glory." She spun around and Buffy slammed Olaf's hammer into to her
face,
she flew back into the wall and dropped into a dazed heap. "You're not
the
brightest god in the heavens, are you?"

Before Glory could recover enough to answer Buffy heard Dawn's scream,
"Buffy! Buffy! I'm up here!"

Buffy looked up, she could vaguely make out Dawn's figure on the top of
the
platform. As before she bolted for the stair, easily taking out the
only
minion who stood in her way.

She ran as fast as possible but Glory hot on her heels quickly caught
her.

"Do we have to waste time fighting again?" Buffy asked to no-one in
particular. She didn't wait for an answer before launching towards
Glory.

....................................

Randolph watched as Glory knocked the giant hammer out of Buffy's
hands, as
she knocked Buffy down and as Buffy grabbed hold of her so they both
plummeted of the tower. "Ouch, that must of hurt!" He said to
himself.

"And that's even worse!" He exclaimed as the wreaking ball crushed
Glory
into the wall.

He looked back up at the platform. For a moment he thought his eyes
were
playing tricks on him but then he realised there were now two figures
up on
the platform, "Damn it! Doc! I must have missed him while I was
watching
Buffy!"

He swiftly crept out from his hiding place and made a dash for the
tower and
then up the stairs. Please let me be in time, he thought.

....................................

He arrived just after Dawn noticed Doc.

"You. can you help me? Untie me."

"Oh, sweet girl, I can do magic!" Doc answered.

"Please help me. she's coming."

"Well she seems to be running late. And if her splendidness isn't
here to
bleed you. Yes it's all coming together at last." He paused. "Hey
kid.
Wanna see a trick?" He produced a gleaming knife.

That was Randolph's cue for action, "I'm bored of your tricks already."
He
said with a yawn.

Doc stepped closer to Dawn. He produced a watch from his pocket, "I'm
afraid it's just about time now."

"Yes, it's time for you to do us all a favour and jump off the tower so
that
I can untie this-"

He was cut off. "Who the hell are you?" He heard a voice from behind
him
demand.

"Spike!" Dawn cried. "I think he's on our side!"

"And I'm going to trust him?" Spike asked cynically, then he noticed
that
Doc was up there as well, "Doesn't a fellow stay dead when you kill
'im?"

"Look who's talking."

"Come on, Doc. Let's you and me have a go."

"I do have a prior appointment."

"This won't take long."

"No, I don't imagine it will."

Spike pushed past Randolph but before he knew it Doc had sidestepped
him and
was some how behind him. Randolph winced as Doc drove his knife into
Spike'
s back.

...................................

Buffy slammed her hammer into Glory's face again.

"This isn't fair." The god moaned in pain.

"I'm sorry. You want to rip apart the fabric of reality, destroy my
world
and kill my sister and now you're introducing the concept of fairness?"

They carried on fighting.

"You're just a mortal. you couldn't understand my pain."

"I guess I'll have to settle for causing it."

She hit her again and Glory staggered back, "You can't kill me."

"No. but my arm's not even tired."

....................................

"You don't come near the girl, Doc."

"I don't smell a soul anywhere on you. why do you even care?"

"I made a promise to lady."

Randolph stepped forward, "Look I've had enough of this, what do ya say
we
end it."

"This is my fight!" Spike told him fiercely.

"Stop being so pigheaded." Randolph said, pushing him gently out of
the
way. He faced Doc, "Sorry for wreaking your plans."

Doc laughed, "You think you're a match for me?"

Randolph punched him and sent him flying over the edge. "No I think
I'm
tougher than you."

Spike looked at him in amazement, "Uh, thanks mate."

"No problem." Randolph said reaching over to shake his hand.

"Uh, thanks, but can one of you please untie me?" They heard Dawn ask.

Spike laughed and untied her, "Sure, little bit, and then we can go
tell big
sis that you're all OK."

..................................

"Stop it." Glory said, still in pain.

"You're a god. Make it stop."

She rose the hammer again and went to hit her again but at the last
minute
hesitated.

Glory morphed into Ben.

He looked up at her helplessly, "I'm sorry..."

"Tell her it's over. She missed her shot. She goes. She ever- EVER-
comes
near me and mine again."

"We won't. I swear."

Buffy knew that perhaps she should kill him but she could do that. All
she
could think of was Dawn. She left him and bolted for the tower.

...................................

Buffy reached the top of the tower. Despite Randolph she half expected
to
see Dawn alone and the portal ready to open.

Instead Dawn was free and running towards her, followed by Randolph and
Spike.

"Buffy!" Dawn cried happily.

"Dawn!" The two sisters hugged.

Over Dawn's shoulder, Buffy could see Spike and Randolph. When she let
her
sister go she hugged them both in turn.

"Thank you so much." She whispered to Randolph.

"Been a pleasure." He told her, "But if you don't mind, I'll be off
now."

"Come back and visit anytime you like."

He shook his head sadly, "I don't think The Powers will give me much
time
off for visiting humans."

Before Buffy could speak again he had disappeared leaving behind just a
puff
of smoke.

"Odd kinda fellow." Spike said casually.

"He saved my life."

"How do you figure that, you only just got up here?" Spike said a
little
confused.

"I've seen what could have happened." She took Dawn's hand and asked,
"Shall we go down?"

"Yes please, then we can go home and order pizza and have a video fest
and
forget all about Glory!"

The two sisters walked down the steps together with Spike following
slowly
behind.

....................................

Part Two (The Conclusion)- After the battle.

It was two days after the battle. Buffy had heard about Giles killing
Ben
and felt a huge wave of relief but also a little tinge of sadness, she
thought sadly what might have been if she was just a normal girl and he
was
just a normal guy.

Anya and Xander had told the gang they were engaged. Buffy had smiled
at
those two, they always boosted her hopes that a (relatively) normal
relationship could exist on the hellmouth.

Willow and Tara were back to normal, perfectly happy and already back
to
work on their magic, Willow was convinced she'd finally found a way to
de-rat Amy.

Dawn was still a little bit in shock about everything that had happened
but
she seemed to be getting over it and tonight she'd even gone out to a
party
with her friends. Buffy was glad to see her living a normal life.

Plus, Dawn being out gave Buffy the house to herself and there was a
certain
someone she hadn't had a chance to be alone with since the battle.

....................................

Spike knocked nervously at Buffy's door.

He was so scared she'd have changed her mind.

As soon as she opened the door and he saw her face he knew she hadn't.

"Buffy." He whispered softly.

"Spike, come in."

"You only needed to invite me once. You know you're never going to get
rid
of me now?"

"That's what I plan." She led him into the living room and they sat
snuggled on the sofa.

"This is crazy you know?" She said.

"What is?" He asked softly nuzzling her neck.

"A Vampire Slayer and a Vampire. I mean it's been done before and it
didn't
work out then."

"Well I'm not Angel, and you're a very different Buffy to the one who
used
to date nancy boy. Something tells me this is going to be very
different."

"You're right, I am different. And you are different."

"I'd never run off to LA."

"And I'd never let you."

They kissed.

Buffy felt perfect contentment. Randolph had given her a second chance
at
life and she planned to make the most of it.

The End