"It doesn't matter. If Dawn dies, I'm done with it, I'm quitting." What if quitting wasn't all Buffy promised?

With the final battle of Glory upon them, and Buffy's adamant refusal to kill Dawn, the Scoobies make the quiet decision that should any of them be in the position to 'do what must be done' they'll do it. As the final battle commences, Buffy being occupied with Glory and Spike fighting with Doc atop the tower, Xander and Giles hatch their plan. When Spike is thrown off the tower by Doc, Xander is up on the tower and throws Doc to his death. The problem is Dawn's been bled and the portal is open. Xander cuts Dawn loose, and after chillingly telling her she's the key he needs to save the world and Buffy, pushes her off the tower into the portal. All the while, Giles watches remorselessly.

It works, the portal closes and the world is saved. Well done, Xan-Man, you've finally become Buffy's White Knight.

As Buffy kneels over Dawn's body, numb at her failure to save her sister, Giles gives her a speech about how she was wrong to prioritise Dawn over the world and that she 'forced their hand.' Xander also offers no apologies for his actions as everyone reels in shock at what has occurred. Buffy says nothing, silently broken that her friends may have needlessly killed her sister because they had such little faith in her. She simply cradles Dawn in her arms, Spike standing over them in grief. Giles states that with time, Buffy will understand that they did the right thing before leaving with Scoobies.

To their dismay, Buffy and Spike don't return to Revello Drive the next day and simply disappear altogether. Still Giles reports the defeat of Glory, and Buffy's disappearance, to the Watcher's Council and is promoted to the Council for his 'heroism.' Xander is pleased as punch at having saved the world, but angered that Buffy didn't thank him for it.

But in sacrificing Dawn, an innocent girl to save the world from Glory, the Scoobies instead created a threat far worse. As, unknown to them, Buffy had sworn to Spike that if Giles decided to sacrifice Dawn she'd make Glory look like a playground game compared to what she would become.

During the 147 days after Dawn's death, Buffy's grief and fury enable a dark transformation that leads to the birth of a vengeful Slayer known only as Dusk. On the 148th day, Buffy/Dusk returns from her exile, an unchipped and equally furious Spike as her love/mate, with only one thing on her mind: Vengeance. Against the world for taking her family from her, the Watcher's Council for their mistreatment of Slayers, Angel for abandoning her when she needed him and most of all, against her former friends for betraying and murdering her little sister.

Giles and Xander quickly the learn the deeper meaning of 'Better the devil you know...'

Must Haves.

- Buffy becoming Dusk: Dusk is the opposite of Dawn and so Buffy chooses the name to remember her sister. She dyes her hair black, dresses in black leather, and takes on an overall darker and vengeful persona that is out to make everyone who wronged her suffer. Underneath, she is still Buffy Summers though this will ONLY come out when she is alone with Spike.

- Dusk learns to harness the shadow demon within her, making her more powerful than Glory ever was. Not only this but she can access ancient and forgotten magic, making her as powerful as the Old Ones. Powers such as telepathy, mind-reading, telekinesis and blood magic. Have her use her telepathy to torment Giles and Xander specifically with visions and taunting.

- Unchipped Spike: I can imagine that if Dawn had died because of the Scoobies, Spike would've tossed his white hat to the wind if the Scoobies had been involved. He has reverted back to the Spike from season 2: violent and ruthless and like Buffy, has ascended to a higher level of power but without the magic that Buffy possess. He particularly targets Xander, hating the boy for killing his Niblet.

- Dusk and Spike are lovers: Their mutual grief over Dawn's death led to the breaking down of the barriers between them and allowing them to bond of profound level. They are deeply in love upon their return to the world.

- Dusk has a new 'Scooby Gang:' members of this group can be anyone who has been wronged by the Scoobies, Council or Angel. Possible members include a relapsed Faith who is tempted back to evil by Buffy, this time with no regrets. Drusilla, sees Dusk as a new 'dark princess' and is willing to have her vengeance on Angel. Harmony, Anya, etc. Anyone who could become dark and want to get back at the world. Would love to see a dark Tara who is furious at the loss of Dawn, reminded of her abusive family.

- Dusk destroys the Watcher's Council: They are her first targets. Dusk slaughters them, saving Travers for last and slowly tortures him for his actions. If Faith is part of the group, she joins in.

- Dusk goes after Angel: whether or not she dusts him is up to the author, but she must make it very clear she despises him and blames him as much as the Scoobies for Dawn's death.

- Dusk torments Giles and Xander for months, taunting and belittling them for their actions. Does she kill them in end or does she force them to live with the knowledge that they created something worse than Glory?

- Buffy is still the hero/ Scoobies are the Big Bads: This is the biggest part of this challenge because Dusk and Spike are essentially the 'Big Bads' of this story, but it's the Scoobies who made them this way. So, Dusk/Buffy and Spike must be seen as tragic villains over being straight Big Bads. The Scoobies, mainly Xander and Giles, are the target.

Can Haves.

- Riley returns to Sunnydale as in canon: this is encouraged but optional as Buffy could easily blame Riley for not being there to help protect Dawn due to his masculinity crisis. Riley must die if he returns.

-The Powers That Be warn Giles and Xander that their actions have had terrible consequences. Joyce could be the one sent to tell them, as she is furious with them both.

- Buffy takes over Sunnydale like the Master does in the Wishverse, uses the Hellmouth to further augment her power.

- An optional pairing of Faith/Dark Tara- I get serious bi vibes from Faith and I'd love to see her and Tara fall into a relationship.

Can't Haves.

- Buffy can't go back to the side of good: her anger and hatred of the Scoobies and her grief at the loss of her mom and Dawn in such a short time has embittered her too much.

- No Spike turning on Buffy: Spike is just furious as she is and will not go back to being a white hat after seeing what they chose to do.

-No killing Tara or Anya: if the two don't join Buffy, Buffy must allow them to live and leave Sunnydale. They didn't have anything to do with Dawn's death and spoke against Giles, Willow and Xander when they killed her.

- No Angelus: Buffy doesn't want Angel to lose his soul, she wants him to pay for not helping her.

- No First Evil/Nerd Trio: from typical stand Dusk is the Big Bad, from the reader standpoint, the Scoobies are the Big Bads. No First or Nerds in this one.

That's all for this one. Quite a dark and angsty challenge this...but I look forward to see if there're any takers.

Axell has been kind enough to make an awesome banner for this challenge, be sure to PM them for  personalization on the banner.