The Rosenberg's

Sacrifice

***Willow's POV***

I knew the portal had opened, since Buffy's speech earlier about how the last moments Dawn would see would be her fighting for her life I knew the world was going to end. I had a small feeling that Buffy wouldn't let that happen, I mean she has had the weight of the world on her shoulders since she was 15, would all that really be for nothing?

I didn't care though, Tara was back in my arms. She was back for me, I will never take her company for granted ever again. If there is an again... I could feel Tara's soft hair against my fingertips, the sent of the vanilla shampoo and conditioner I had to run through her hair while she wasn't, *herself.* I held her as tight as I could. It feels like if I loosen my grip for just a second then that's it.

I hear a crash in the background and I feel Tara tapping my shoulder and getting up. I follow but as I try to stand I feel a sharp pain shoot up my leg, I stumble but Tara instantly grabs me and pulls me up. All the pain from smashing into those crates was starting to take a toll on me, if Tara hadn't have been there then I would have fallen to the floor and had to have army crawled to the sound. We manage to make it to where the loud crash came from about the same time as the rest of the scooby gang, to my horror I see the lifeless body of my best friend. All the memories we had together flash past my eyes, I step forward and start to fall but Tara pulls me close. I can't look away from Buffy's lifeless body but I tuck my head away into Taras shoulder as I continue to stare. I felt cold.

I cried. I felt the salty burning liquid pour out of my eyes and I didn't care... I will never see Buffy's face ever again... I won't hear her laugh and speak. I will never hear the sound of her singing on a karaoke night... Never again.

***Tara's POV***

I could see Buffy. Her eyes were shut. I'm sure she was peaceful, I know she is. She no longer has the weight of the world on her shoulder, millions of innocent lives are no longer down to her. One slayer moves to the next. It's sick and twisted, why should it be down to one girl? Why did it have to be Buffy?

I could hear Willow's sniffles and I held her tighter as her sniffles developed into sobs. I took one of my hands to run my fingers through her hair as I knew it always helps her calm down. She's been looking after me for God knows how long, now it's my turn to look after her again.

I look up and see Dawn standing at the bottom of the stairs to the rickety tower, "Dawn..." I mumble under my breath, I hear Willow's sobs become more violent at the thought of how Dawn is feeling. I also notice that the portal is closed. I know she sacrificed herself.

Dawn runs up to Giles and we all gather round, even Spike who has a tear stained face (although he tries to hide it) wants to listen to what Dawn has to say.

***Dawn's POV***

"She sacrificed herself- I-" I try to look into everyone's faces but I just broke down and kneeled down to the body of what was my sister. I hugged her cold skin, I didn't want to let go. "I'm so sorry..." my voice was barely audible and the words Buffy had said to me echoed into my head. Her final words...

I felt a hand on my shoulder and I looked up to see Tara with one hand on me, one hand on my shoulder and the other supporting Willow. "Dawnie, they need to take the body." Tara's words echoed almost as much as Buffy's. But the most chilling part was that she said body. She was no longer my sister. Just a shell of what she once was.