Chapter 1: Prologue:

“What are we going to do now, Buffy?”

The blonde just smiled at the thought. She had done it. They had done it. They had stopped the First and, in the process, they had destroyed the Hellmouth. No. Spike had destroyed the Hellmouth. The smile faded just as quickly as it had come. He was gone from her…forever. She wasn’t ready for him to leave her yet. Buffy knew that she probably wasn’t ever going to be ready. He had always been there for her, had stuck up for her, comforted her, but that was all gone. Salty tears ran down her face as she thought of the man she’d loved. She’d finally told him that she loved him, even though she had known for some time. What he had tried to do didn’t matter. She shared fault with him. Sex had always been a game between them. “No” meant “yes”. In the end, it didn't matter that she had finally said the words to him because Spike hadn’t believed her. Why would he? She had waited until it was too late, letting him think that what she felt for him was pity. Now he would never know.

“Buffy? Are you okay?” Dawn looked worried, as did everyone else around her. Concern was etched on their faces, as they watched a few tears slip from her eyes. They were joking and celebrating, and no one seemed to understand the reason for her sadness.

"Fine, I-I'm fine." Even as Buffy said it everyone, including herself, knew she wasn't.

"I believe it is time to get going. The faster we get to L.A and the sooner we get everyone some medical attention, the better." Giles explained as he started gathering the new slayers onto the bus, preparing to leave. Everyone started to head back, until they realized that Buffy wasn't following. She was staring at the giant crater.

"Yo, B, what's your problem? Aren't you coming? There isn't anything left here, and I don't want to be around when people or the cops come to investigate the giant hole. Too many questions. Plus the fact that I'm a wanted criminal makes me want to leave here as fast as possible." Everyone nodded in agreement; most, just because they wanted to rest after all that had happened this past year.

"No." Buffy's voice turned to a whisper." There is something left here."

Xander, oblivious to the meaning behind her words, said sarcastically “Yeah, a nice big hole. Actually it’s more of a crater. Who would want to leave that behind? Come on, Buffy." Some of the group smiled, suppressing a giggle or two, until they saw more tears rush down her face.
Buffy’s moment of freedom slipped from her as the weight of everything she lost crashed around her. Spike, her mother’s grave, Tara’s grave, Anya. So many memories were lost in that crater, so many memories that she cherished. Defeating The First was all that had mattered and now that she had done it, she never fully understood the extent of the sacrifices she had made speeches about.

She had lost Angel in an apocalypse and had to escape the city to cope. A similar feeling was smothering her now. This time, however, she hadn’t just lost a lover; she had lost one of her closest friends. Her confidant. The only person who never had left her, even when he wasn’t wanted.

“Buffy please, we have to go. We are going to head to L.A. People are injured, Buffy. They need medical attention and we have to go now.” Dawn’s voice shook with concern and worry for her sister.

“I-I can't just leave him here all alone; he never left me all alone. Never." Her eyes were lost in the crater and unconsciously took a step closer, as though bringing herself closer would bring all that she lost back.

"Buffy, I know losing Spike must be difficult for you. He was a good fighter, and I know that you two were getting close…"Buffy turned her head and stared at Giles.

"Difficult? Difficult doesn't even describe what I feel." Buffy faced her friends, whose expressions were full of shock and a bit of confusion. “You weren’t there. You didn’t notice how he had changed. He is-was a good man. I trusted him, relied on him, “She turned away from her friends and stared aimlessly at the ground. “And…I loved him.”

"Buffy-" Willow took a step forward, but Xander put his hand on her shoulder.

“I think I can take it from here. Get everyone ready to go. I'm going to talk to Buffy." Xander looked over at his friend, and felt what she felt, just didn't express it so openly. He knew there would be time to grieve for Anya later, but now seemed as good a time as any.

The group did as they were instructed, though Dawn wanted to stay behind with her sister. She was still worried, but she too went back to the bus.

"Buffy?" Her teary eyes looked up at her one eyed friend. "I know I might not be the best person to help you. I never was part of the “I Love Spike” fan club, but I saw that you cared for him. I also saw the way he looked at you. Even with one eye I could tell he would do anything for you."
Xander took his friend in his arms. “I lost Anya, and it feels like the world is ending, but the truth of the matter is, it's not. Spike wouldn't have wanted this for you. He died so you could live. If we stop living now, Spike and Anya’s deaths would mean nothing. If they could, they would probably smack us both over the head right now."

"Why did he leave me? He could have run. There was still time left, he could have run with me and gotten away."

Buffy let her tears flow freely and folded into her friend’s arms.

“No, Buff, he couldn’t have. For once he did the right thing and stayed behind. He went down fighting, and hell, Spike took the entire town of Sunnydale with him. That’s the way he would have wanted it. I know it would be that way.”

“Still, Spike was always there. I know it’s what he wanted, but I feel like Sunnydale isn’t the only hole he left. What we had wasn’t perfect, hell, we were at each other’s throats most of the time, but, regardless, it worked.”
Xander sighed, but a smile formed at his lips. “I guess I can see what you mean. Even when
Anya would describe the men she mutilated or just said what was on her mind, I knew she was the one. I just wished I never let her go…”

Xander and Buffy turned and looked out on the horizon, lost in thought about the people they loved and lost, until Xander broke the silence. “There will be plenty of time to grieve, but now we have people who need medical attention. Plus, here isn't the best place. I’m thinking more of a cheap rent motel, with the radio going on some depressing country music channel, while we stuff our faces with tons of twinkies and ice cream."

With that, Xander earned a smile from Buffy. “Xander, when did you become Mr. Insightful?"

"Ahh, it is just one of the many qualities that come with the Xander package which includes a healthy dose of sarcasm as a gift with purchase.” Xander smiled then asked, “Are you ready, Buffy?"

Buffy and Xander took one last look at the place that had been their home. She truly didn't know where they were headed, but she knew that part of Spike would always be with her, even if now she couldn’t feel it.

"You know, Buffy," Xander said with a smile on his face as he watched his friend stare into the empty crater.

"Spike knocked down the "Welcome to Sunnydale" sign."

“He always liked doing that,” Buffy laughed, for what felt like the first time in ages.

“I know Buffy, I know. Now let’s get moving. We got a hospital to go to and slayers to find.”

With that Xander and Buffy back to the bus, remembering the ones they had lost and thinking of the ones they had yet to find.

TBC

Chapter 2: Unexpected Guests

"Do you think it is wise to raise her after all that has happened?" asked the mysterious woman wearing a grey pin-striped suit jacket and a matching skirt. She was standing next to two men in dark suits. They were in a very dark room; the only light coming from a box glowing with orange energy. Their faces were almost indistinguishable masked in the darkness.

"What other choice do we have, Nerezza? They have beaten down our army. Look what they have done to us - making us pretend to flee the world because they have control. This is the solution to our problems. She will kill them once and for all, and we will be able to get back to business without further interruptions."

Both men nodded in agreement, but Nerezza continued to look uncertain.

“I want them gone just as much as you do, Dughall, but this is not the way to do it! Elenya will carry out her task, but she will also seek vengeance for her imprisonment. Do you really think she will stop after her task is complete? What is your say in this Gethen?"

Nerezza and Dughall looked expectantly at Gethen.

“We can always imprison her again. I say, let her out. This decision is for the best, Nerezza. Elenya will walk the Earth again, as she did long ago."

Gethen's mouth twisted into an evil smirk and Dughall looked satisfied, yet Nerezza's eyes displayed her fear as they glowed from the reflection of the orange energy. Though she was just as powerful as they were, she knew not to defy the other Senior Partners.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

"BUFFY!!!" Dawn grabbed her sister’s shoulders urgently, trying to wake her up. Buffy had been thrashing in her sleep almost every night for the past week.

Buffy bolted upright in bed. "Dawn?"

"Was it the one with the dragon or was it something else?" Dawn's concern showed in her eyes.

She had grown up a lot since the destruction of the hellmouth. Dawn had been going to school, majoring in History and Language, in order to improve her researching skills. She wanted to help, to become a Watcher in the new Watcher's Council, which Giles had taken over.

"It was something else. There was a cage and it was glowing. There were three people talking, but I don't know who they were. Dawn, it was like I was there watching them, it felt so real. I need to call Giles."

"At least it wasn't the dragon, right? With that army of demons?" Dawn questioned as she rushed down the stairs trying to catch up with Buffy.

Buffy had had the same dream repeatedly in which hundreds of demons were charging, but before she would get to see who it was they were attacking, she’d wake up. Nothing compared to the fear that had gripped her when she had seen the new three figures and the cold look in their eyes. There was something different about them. They were definitely not human.

“Truthfully, the demons were less scary than those people.” Buffy pressed the speed dial on the phone and held it to her ear. “There was something about them that just gave me the wiggins. Come on, Giles! Pick up the phone!" Buffy was getting frustrated as the phone rang for the fourth time with no answer.

"Hello, Rupert Gil-"

"GILES!! My god, it took you long enough to pick up your phone!"

"Well, Buffy some of us mere mortals do need sleep. Has something happened, because phones calls at... 4:23 in the morning, dear lord it is that early?" Giles was sounded extremely tired and sounded like he started to nod off and then woke up again.

"Yeah, apocalypse is something. Giles, something big is going to go down. I had a dream and there were three people around a cage, but the cage was surrounded by some sort of energy. They were going to unleash it. I think it was one of my slayer dreams…like the one with the dragon. Giles, I need to know if they are connected!"

Giles perked up immediately. "Tell me everything you can remember, and I will get a group of watchers on it. Let’s make plans to touch base on Monday when we will all be together, assuming everyone arrives as scheduled.”

"Yeah, everyone’s still flying in. We will explain everything when they get here - no use spoiling their remaining chaos-free days.”

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
2 Days Later...

Everyone arrived at Buffy's apartment, just as planned. It had been exactly one year since the destruction of the hellmouth, so they thought it was a good idea to get together. They had been going their separate ways for awhile and hadn’t had the time to visit, let alone get enough time to really talk with one another.

Buffy and Dawn had moved to Rome and lived in an apartment owned by the Council. The other slayers lived and trained there as well. Andrew lived there too, and served as a watcher to the new slayers, which he was surprisingly good at.

Xander had gone to Africa to find slayers and also to give himself some space to grieve for Anya. He had fallen in love with Africa and had decided to stay, traveling from country to country. In just a year he had located or gotten tips for almost 50 slayers that were either in Africa or somewhere nearby.

Willow and Kennedy both lived in England. Kennedy trained with other slayers, and Willow tracked down new slayers with the Coven. Giles had gone back to England to reform the Watcher's Council, who had arranged for the charges against Faith to be dropped. Faith had moved to Cleveland with Wood, Vi, and Rona to protect the hellmouth.

“So, there is a new big bad in town, huh?" Xander asked. "Does the world ever stay saved?"

Everyone was sitting around in Buffy's living room, waiting for Giles to arrive. Although they were all excited to see each other again, concern and fear hung over them, as it always had when an unknown threat became a priority. However, it was as if they had never been separated and they were at just another Scooby meeting.

"You know, I don't think it ever does," Buffy added to lighten up the mood a bit. "We will know more when Giles gets here, hopefully."

“Where’s Giles? I’m bored and I’m missing a Star Trek marathon, I was right in the middle of the episode where…..” Andrew once again started complaining, as he always did when he got bored as he did when he found things dull.

“We get it - you don’t want to be here, but please don’t go on about a Star Trek marathon. Let us keep what little sanity we have left!” Buffy rolled her eyes as Andrew slumped farther into his chair.

The door opened and the gang glanced as Giles entered. “I’m here. Sorry, I’m late. I’ve invited some guests who have news that we all need to hear,” Giles explained as he made his way through the door carrying a briefcase full of books and papers. “Here they come now.”

A teenage boy with messy sandy brown hair, a woman with red highlights who was dressed in very tight leather, and a green demon followed Giles into the apartment.

“Demon? Why is there a demon here? Does anyone else see the demon?” Xander shouted, half jumping out of his chair.

“Yes, Xander. We are all quite aware of the demon. As I said, our guests have important news that I think you should all hear. I was investigating Buffy’s dreams and made a few calls, which led me to our guests. After they explained the seriousness of the situation, I thought it best to fly them out here to tell us what they know.” ”Giles glanced at the expectant faces around the room as he began to empty his briefcase.

"Lorne?" Willow ran over and hugged the green demon. "Wow, it has been a while!"

"Yeah, really has. So, what brings you and the boy wonder to these parts?" Faith inquired as she also got up and welcomed them in. She merely glanced at the girl and leather and turned her attention back to the others.

"Well it is good to see you too, girls, but there will be time to catch up later. We have serious business to attend to." Lorne looked grave, his usual lightness and energy had disappeared.

"Lorne, what happened to you - oh my god! Angel!" Faith started to get worried as did everyone else in the room.

“You all might want to sit down for this one,” started Lorne. Everyone sat down as the three new guests filled in the remaining vacant couch. “You probably already know that Angel and the rest of us took over management of the L.A. branch office of Wolfram & Hart. I know that you all think it was a bad idea and that we switched over to the other side, but we really did some good. Just look at what happened. You probably already know…” He took in the confused and blank stares from the Scoobies and began to explain.

“Just about a week ago, Angel made a plan to take out the Circle of the Black Thorn, which was a high demonic secret society. The Circle was supposed to be one of the major players in the apocalypse, and naturally had close ties with the Senior Partners. Angel got some useful information on exactly who was part of it and decided to use that information to destroy the Circle.”

“Well, we did it. We took out every member... Of course, the Senior Partners, being the grumpy gills they are, sent down an army of demons to take us out. Unfortunately, that’s where I go fuzzy on the details since I wasn’t there for the end. I came back after hearing rumors that the demon army and our team had just disappeared. According to the rumors, there was a flash and a boom, and then -- All gone. All of them, everyone.” Lorne’s voice started cracking towards the end.

The room was silent, everyone was in total shock.

"Did you just say an army of demons?" Buffy looked around the room. "There didn't happen to be a dragon, did there?"

"Well, aren't you clever? I'm not sure, though there were some sightings of one. I wouldn't put it past the Senior Partners to dish one out."

“My sources tell me that every Wolfram & Hart firm has been destroyed,” Gwen spoke for the first time. “Things were getting pretty bad in L.A. and as I was trying to leave town, I ran into Lorne. He told me everything he knew and we headed to the Hyperion to find out if anyone had survived. Connor arrived at the hotel shortly after we did, and then Mr. Giles called... How did you know where to reach us anyway? Why didn't you call the law firm?"

"I was redirected to the Hyperion. I just assumed you had moved back or didn't want to be reached." Giles took off his glasses and started to clean them.

Dawn studied Connor for a moment. She found him quite attractive, though she already had a boyfriend. “And how do you fit into all of this?"

“I helped a bit. I am Angel’s son. It’s a long story, a really long and complicated story," Connor explained, shifting nervously in his chair as all eyes in the room zeroed in on him.

“Dear Lord. No one ever mentioned that!” Giles exclaimed as he cleaned his glasses to the point where they almost snapped in two.

“A-a-a-a KID!! Angel had a kid?!” Xander shouted. “How? Why? When? How?”

“I thought Angel was a vampire." Rona looked around at all the others for some kind of explanation.

“Angel had a kid?” Buffy scrunched her brow as she processed the information. She slowly glanced up. “With who?”

Willow answered first. “It was Darla.” The room erupted into shouts and questions, while some in the room just looked confused. She raised her voice so was louder than the others, causing everyone to quiet down. “This is not the time. Connor can explain everything later. Remember the apocalypse? Let’s focus on that first. Lorne, do you know what happened to any of them? I mean, was there any mystical energy or a portal or anything?" Willow looked hopeful.

“Definitely mystical, but nothing I could identify. Just a big flash of light that went through the entire L.A area. I’m sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but I thought you should know. Angel told me that if anything were to happen, I should give you the news. I wasn't much of a fighter, so I did my task and moved on.” Lorne answered.

"So all of them disappeared, just like that? No bodies or dust?" Giles put his glasses back on as he started flipping through his notes.

“Well, there would have been only one body to find, but no, nothing was left. The alley was cleaned out. It was just the four of them." Lorne looked away trying to hide the pain that nearly overwhelmed him. .

"Wait, four? What happened to everyone? I mean the last time I was there, I saw you, Connor, Cordy, Fred, Angel, Gunn, and Wesley.” Silent tears crept down Willow’s face as she leaned into Kennedy for comfort. “There were lots of ya.”

"Well, that was a year or more ago. A lot changed since we last saw you. Cordelia was put into a coma by some mystical god and died about a month ago. Fred’s body was taken over by an Old One named Illyria. God rest her soul." Lorne narrowed his eyes at Giles and silently whispered. “We called you about that for help, but our call went unanswered.”

“Wesley died after the fight. When we went to look for them, we went to the places they were assigned. We found Wesley's body. So, Angel, Gunn, Illyria and Spike were the only ones left and they apparently disappeared in the flash of light,” Lorne continued.

“SPIKE!?!” Buffy exclaimed causing everyone to jump and turn toward her. Tears for both Spike and Angel were flowing freely down her cheeks. “No, he's dead. I saw him die a year ago. It must have been someone else. You’re wrong." The pain in her eyes was so intense. He couldn't be alive. If he was, he would have come for her.

Andrew looked around uneasily, but he felt it was time for the truth to come out. “It was him Buffy...Spike was there when I went to go pick up Dana. I'm sorry, but he didn't want me to tell you. Spike wanted you to be happy."

"But I don't under-" Buffy was cut off when the apartment was filled with the most blinding of white lights. Slowly, the light began to fade, and standing there in the middle of the room were four figures soaked in water and blood.

“Oh, bollocks!"

TBC