TITLE: Prologue
SERIES: Still need a series title
AUTHOR: Libby Rojas
RATING: NC-17 Eventually
SUMMARY: Death is not always her gift
SPOILERS: None
DISCLAIMER: Nothing belongs to me, it is all Joss and his minions.
DISTRIBUTION: Please email me, I’d be thrilled
NOTES: AU season six.
FEEDBACK: Please
THANKS: Joan the English chick for transcribing this on Buffy vs Angel and betas Dinah, Kris, Nikita, Tania, and Tehaunu.

Prologue: From The Gift

Shot of the portal continuing to do its destruction.
Cut to above. Buffy turns back to Dawn as Dawn continues staring at the portal.
Dawn (tearful): I'm sorry.

Buffy: It doesn't matter.

Dawn tries to run past Buffy but Buffy grabs her.
Buffy: What are you doing?

Dawn: I have to jump. The energy.

Buffy: It'll kill you.

Dawn: (softly) I know. (Buffy staring at her) Buffy, I know about the ritual. I have to stop it.

Buffy: No.

The tower shakes underneath them, making them both stumble.
Dawn: I have to. Look at what's happening.

More lightning crackles, even larger than before. Buffy looks up. A huge dragon flies out of the portal and buzzes the tower, flying away as they watch.
Dawn: Buffy, you have to let me go. Blood starts it, and until the blood stops flowing, it'll never stop.

Buffy stares at Dawn in anguish.
Dawn (tearfully): You know you have to let me. It has to have the blood.

Buffy gets a realization look on her face.

Flash to Spike earlier in the episode.
Spike: Cause it's always got to be blood.

Flash to Buffy and Dawn in the hospital at the end of Blood Ties. Buffy putting her hand to her wound, then pressing it against Dawn's bloody hand. Buffy voiceover: It's Summers' blood. It's just like mine.

Flash to Buffy earlier in this episode.
Buffy: She's me. The monks made her out of me.

Flash to Buffy beside the fire in Intervention.
First Slayer: Death is your gift.
Buffy: Death...

Flash back to the present. Close shot on Buffy's face.
First Slayer voiceover: ...is your gift.
Buffy frowns. Turns around slowly.
Shot of the platform extending into the air. In the distance, holes seem to be opening in the sky. The sky is growing lighter as the sun tries to rise.
Buffy looks peaceful. She turns back to Dawn, who stares wide-eyed.
Dawn: Buffy ... no!

Buffy: Dawnie, I have to.

Dawn: No!

Buffy: Listen to me. Please, there's not a lot of time, listen.

The camera pulls out on the two of them. Buffy holds Dawn by the upper arms and continues talking to her: Dawn, listen to me. Listen. I love you. I will *always* love you. But this is the work that I have to do. Tell Giles ... tell Giles I figured it out. And, and I'm okay. And give my love to my friends.
You have to take care of them now. You have to take care of each other.
You have to be strong. Dawn, the hardest thing in this world ... is to live in it.
Be brave. Live. For me.

Dawn begins to cry. Lightning continues to crackle behind them.
Cut back to close shot of Buffy. She strokes the side of Dawn's face, then kisses her on the cheek. Dawn continues to cry.
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.
Dawn watches, sobbing.
Below Anya looks up and sees the beginning of Buffy’s dive, “Spike!”

Spike looks up and despite his pain rises and runs, leaps with supernatural speed and catches Buffy in his arms. They collapse to the ground.