A/N – This is set post the L&O:SVU fifth season episode "Loss" spoilers for that episode.

Epilogue

Former Assistant District Attorney Alexandra Cabot sat in a chair of her new house and stared out the window into her backyard. It had been a little over a month since she had been declared dead and Federal Marshals had put into protective custody to keep a Columbian drug lord from killing her.

The sling she had been forced to wear ever since a gunman had nearly killed her on a New York street had finally been taken off the day before. She still felt stiff. And her side hurt whenever she moved her arm.

She looked around the small nicely appointed kitchen. The Marshals had tried to do a good job for her. After all she wasn't some informant cutting a deal to get out of jail. She was one of their own. It was a nice house. She now lived in a small town a few miles outside of Phoenix. After a few days of the heat she found herself already missing a cold New York morning.

She didn't know what she was going to do now. She couldn't go back into trial work. Too much risk a case might end up in the papers. She couldn't work for local DA for similar reasons. She had no interest in corporate law.

She looked up when she heard the doorbell ring. She left the kitchen and walked to the front door. Following the advice grilled into her by the Marshals she first looked through the peephole in the door to see who was there. She had to check again. How did she get here?

Cabot opened the door to see a short blond haired woman. She looked up at Cabot and smiled.

"Ms Cabot it's nice to see you again."

"Buffy?" Cabot was still having a hard time processing. "Buffy Summers? How?"

"Did I find you," Buffy replied. "You mind if a come in. I'm a California girl and I think it's hot out here."

"Come in," Cabot opened the screen door and motioned Buffy inside. The two sat down in the living room.

"I was upset when I found out you had been killed in New York," Buffy said. "I followed the Cummings case. You did a good job nailing him. So I had a friend of mine do a little a digging."

"You were planning on going after the shooter?" Cabot asked.

"No," Buffy said. "I've got enough wars to deal with. I don't need to add any more. Dawn and I just wanted to find out what happened. Our friend figured out pretty quickly that somebody faked your death certificate. We've had a little experience with such things ourselves. After that it was just a matter of hacking the Marshals service's computer to find out where you were."

"You realize you just admitted to a half dozen felonies," Cabot said.

Buffy shrugged her shoulders. "Maybe, but I don't think you're going to report me. At least not until after you heard why I came."

"And why is that?" Cabot asked.

"I need a good lawyer," Buffy smiled. "Like I said I followed the Cummings case. Dawn also took a little time to study your record. You're a good DA. You understand that there are monsters in this world. You understand that sometimes you have to walk a very delicate line to make sure they are put away. And from everything we've learned you've never crossed that line. You've come close a couple of times. A few people might think you have. But I know you haven't. That's why we need you."

"As what, legal advisor to a vigilante group?"

"No," Buffy said. "We're not vigilantes. I need you to help make certain we don't become vigilantes. What happened in New York got me thinking. Let me tell you a little bit about my world Ms Cabot."

For next the next couple hours Alexandra Cabot listened to Buffy's tales. She learned about the demons of the world. That magic was real. She looked at the broken items on her floor from Buffy demonstrating her strength. She felt the power of a Slayer.

"I still don't see why you need me Buffy," Cabot said. "I don't have any power. I can't fight demons. I don't think you're planning on taking any of them to court."

"Like I said, what happened in New York got me thinking," Buffy said. "Over the last couple of months Willow's been deploying a computer search program to scan news reports, police records, death certificates and a lot of other databases for evidence of demonic activity. A lot of the hits we're getting are just ordinary bad guys. People playing with things they don't understand."

"So?"

"We have the knowledge and the skill to help catch these kind of people," Buffy said. "But I'm not going to turn the Slayers into a vigilante force. When we come across humans I want to make certain they're caught and prosecuted legally. I need someone who can advise us on the law. Who can help make sure we don't cross that line."

"And you think that person is me?"

"Yes."

"So how would it work?" Cabot asked. "I am technically dead."

"You'd disappear from the Marshal's records," Buffy said. "Willow's real good with computers. They'll never be able to find you. We'll set you in Cleveland. You'd be given free reign to hire the people you want. Run the department as you see fit."

"I still don't understand why you want me."

"You understand the line," Buffy said. "And I think you're strong enough to fight with us when it looks like we might cross it. I'm not going to lie to Alex. It's not going to be an easy job. It's going to be frustrating. There will times when we're dealing with humans playing with real power. When we'll have no choice but to do what needs to be done to save lives. And this is war, one that's been going on longer than the one you fought in New York."

"So why do you fight it?" Cabot said. "I spent years putting rapists and molesters in jail and there was always someone there to take their place."

"Because somebody has to fight," Buffy said. "Because every day you wake up and have a chance to make the world a better place is a day you've won the war. I forget that sometimes. But it is the truth. I've given you a lot to think about. Here's my card. When you make a decision one way or another. Give me a call."

"How do you know I won't just call the Marshals when you walk out the door?"

Buffy smiled. "You won't. Think about it. It won't be easy. But it will be worth it."

Alex sat in thought. A chance to wake up and make the world a better place.

"Buffy," she said.

"Yes."

"One more question."

"Shoot."

"When do I start?"

End

A/N – Thanks to everyone who took the time to read this story. And thanks to everyone who took the time to leave a comment or review. They were appreciated.