zigpal- I liked that you liked my Satsu moment. I just couldn't not include it. As for will I be making her Buffy's girlfriend, well for the mere fact that I think Joyce's reaction would be beyond classic...we'll see. Haha. Thanks for claps, and review.

g120- I again something I like you guys like- the leaving of the non-fighty people. It did seem to fit as basically that is what Buffy tried to do with Dawn and like you said, Joyce would be definitely for that plan. Thank God they had A.I to go to huh? Hehe. And ah who is going to die in this battle? You'll just have to see...

Rabidreject- "Bloody awesome"? Why thank you! And I think you may have clicked onto one of my sneaky plot lines there. And don't worry- you weren't pestering me. Twas nice to know you cared. Haha. Thanks for the review.

NeptuneLost47- Wow, thank you very much. And not to advertise but if you liked this, you should try the other Cocorific stories. Okay...pimpage over. hehe

A/N: Okay, we come to the end of season 7. I can't believe it's been a year since I started writing CS3. This was meant to be such a small project! Just a bit of Joyce/Gilesyness. And now they're married with kids and any number of things have happened. Talk about getting out of hand! Haha. Anyway, I've nearly finished writing 8.01 so season 8 should be starting in a few days time. Watch this space. Also my brain's a brewing with a seperate futurefic about Lily but don't know whether that will come about...

Lily wouldn't stop crying. No matter what her parents, her sister, Fred, Lorne, Wesley or Angel (Gunn was maintaining a hands-off approach) did she just wouldn't stop.

"C'mon baby, it's okay, it's okay," Joyce repeatedly said as she walked back and forth along the Hyperion lounge, jiggling her gently in her arms. But she still wouldn't stop crying.

"What's wrong with her?" Gunn asked in complaint, fearing his ears would never be the same again.

"I don't know," Joyce admitted before looking over at Giles, "Do you think it's the spell? I mean I felt it a little...but she must have felt it to the nth term...and maybe the effects too? I mean doesn't this means she's a...well a Slayer now?"

Giles' eyes widened in shock and Joyce realized he hadn't yet considered that little fact.

"Dear God, I hope not," He replied, "How are we supposed to look after a child that becomes increasingly stronger than us day by day?"

"That wasn't really what I was concerned about Rupert," She told him and he frowned.

"Then what?"

"Well, Buffy told me...back when she was first explaining it all to me- it must have been just after the little event with that Nigerian mask..." She said and Giles remembered all too well when zombies had attacked Revello Drive, "And we sat down and she explained everything about being a Slayer...and she told me about how when it first happened it felt strange, like muted pain...I guess it was everything working out inside her I suppose...and at fifteen she could deal, but Lily isn't quite one yet. She's not going to know why this is all how happening and why she feels a certain way. What if she's crying because she's in pain?" Joyce's eyes were filled with worry and panic and Giles hurried to reassure her.

"I'm sure that's not the case, more that everything going on has upset her a little"

"Yeah, I mean once the others get back I'm sure she'll be fine," Fred said, "I used to get like that when I was little and my parents had gone out and Grandma was looking after me but I wouldn't be happy till-" As she spoke Fred animatedly moved her hands and accidentally pressed the on button on the nearby remote and the TV that was positioned high up on the opposte wall, sprung to life, showing a News Channel. The woman was showing shots of a barren landscape...but though there was no life anywhere around, Joyce and Giles both felt the road leading up to the crater looked familiar.

"Is that...?" Giles asked but the news reporter gave him the answer before he could finish his sentence.

"...the complete destruction of the town of Sunnydale was sudden and shocking, but reports have told us was most likely caused by a high Earthquale centered at the small town, causing the structure underneath to collapse in on itself. Nothing has been left standing, every house, street and store here has been destroyed with very little remains. However, recently hundreds of the Sunnydale residents had vacated the area rendering the small suburban town a Ghost Town so we can be thankful that is unlikely anyone was killed or injured in the collapse. This is all we can report for now, this is Joanna Hepburn speaking, back to you at the studio Phil"

"O-Oh..." Joyce said weakly

"My..." Giles sounded just as faint, and didn't even manged to complete his statement with 'word'.

"God!" Dawn explained, "What did Buffy do?"

"My home..." Joyce whimpered, "The gallery...my life..."

"The town is completely gone..." Wesley said in disbelief, "All of Sunnydale. The Hellmouth..."

"Does this mean it's open?" Fred asked with uncertainty.

"Or it's closed for business," Angel said the other possibility, "Permanently" He really hoped that was the case because that meant Buffy had won.

"Everyone!! We need help!!"

The group looked up to see Faith burst through the door carrying Buffy, who while conscious looked incredibly weak.

"Oh my god, Buffy!" Joyce explained and Fred took Lily from her mere seconds before she ran over to her eldest daughter, "What happened?"

"Just a little flesh wound," Faith glossed over the actual details, "She'll be fine, she just needs some medical attention"

Joyce then saw the 'flesh wound'.

"Oh my god, Faith she's been..."

"It's nothing okay?" He assured her firmly, "She'll be fine, there's worse happened"

At that moment the dozens and dozens of Slayers and Scoobies came pouring through the door, some limping, some fine, some carrying others that were more severely injured. The poured through the doors, quickly covering every space of the foyer of the hotel and the ones who had been there already immediately swung into action, helping whoever they could.

"Rona needs to get to a hospital now!" Cassandra shouted whilst trying to keep the Slayer awake, "Come on don't..."

"I've called an ambulance," Fred told her, "I've called several"

"Good, you need to keep her conscious," Cass told her before moving on, but as she turned around she walked directly into, "Oh Rupert. We need-"

"Where are the others?" He asked, "Dan...my sister...my nephew..."

"Rupert, I can't really talk about any of it now," She told him, "There's too much, too much to see to, I can't-"

"Talk about it now," Giles insisted, grabbing her arm tightly so she could not hurry away.

"I-I...th-that is, uh is they..." Cassandra stumbled over her words, "They didn't make it Rupert..."

"What?" He gasped in shock, not able to believe the fellow Watcher's words.

"I was fighting by Daniel's side...I saw him...get killed by The Bringers. It was as we were running out of the school...One tried to kill Vi. Daniel dived to save her. He fought off the Bringer long enough for her to escape but it got him. He was slashed through the ribs...he was...he was dead before he hit the ground Rupert"

"And my sister?" Giles asked desperately, fighting back tears at the thought of his friend being left dead on the hallway of Sunnydale High.

"She made it, she survived," Cassandra told her, "But Ted didn't. She didn't want to leave without him...she was still trying to find his body when the school collapsed in on itself...I'm so, so sorry Rupert. I'm sorry," Apologizing profusely for his loss, Cassandra was unable to bear the pain and sorrow anymore and she ran off to help someone who could be helped, desperate to focus her thoughts elsewhere.

Giles was left to stand alone in shock. The pain of the loss not quite hit him completely yet as Joyce, Buffy having been seen to by others more medically able than she was, walked over to him.

"Rupert?" She asked, "Are you okay?"

"They're dead..." He said softly, still in shock, "Daniel...Jaqueline...Ted...all of them gone..."

"Oh god..." Joyce said in horror, putting a hand to her mouth in shock, "They're...oh Rupert, I'm so sorry...I'm so..." She didn't know what else to say. She had grown to love Daniel since she first met him four years ago in the pub in Sunnydale when he had been effected by the Caveman inducing beer and now he was gone. And Jacqueline- a woman who at first had seemed stand-offish was one of the kindest people Joyce could have met. And oh Ted...he was barely Dawn's age...Joyce felt overwhelmed with sadness and loss. She had no idea how much worse this was for Rupert, in all honest she didn't want to. Just thinking of losing her own sister made her feel sick to the stomach.

"So all of these girls...are Slayers now?" Wesley looked around in awe.

"Every single one..." Buffy nodded weakly. Though her injury was bad she had opted not to check in at the hospital. She hadn't lost too much blood and it was already healing. The other Slayers may not be used to injuries and how fast they healed but she was.

"But how was the spell achieved?" He asked, "I'm afraid neither your Mother nor Giles went into much detail."

"We used the Scythe," Willow exclaimed, "This ancient weapon meant for the Slayer. Tara and I used it..."

"To spread the power," Tara smiled, "Among them all. Every single Potential...even..." Tara trailed off and her girlfriend frowned at her.

"What is it baby?"

"Lily. She was a Potential...so that means now sh-she's..."

"A Slayer," Buffy finished in awe, "But she's like one. Oh god- that's gonna be hell for any babysitters"

"But...But...Sunnydale," Wesley interrupted their thoughts and the girls looked at him with a frown, "Could we please stay on topic here?"

"I thought we were," Willow replied and the ex-Watcher/Rouge Demon Hunter sighed.

"About the entire Hellmouth being left a crater in the ground"

"Spike..." Buffy replied quietly, "That was Spike..."

"Spike?" Angel immediately picked up on that, turning around and walking over.

"Buffy, did you say Spike did all..." Joyce gestured in the general direction of the TV where the news was still playing as she and Giles wandered back over to Buffy and the others, "all...this?"

"Spike?" Giles couldn't believe his ears.

"Just in case we need the name clarifying," Willow smiled, "Yes. Spike"

"What, what did he do?" Wesley asked, completely flummoxed as to how a vampire, particularly William the Bloody, could have closed the entire Hellmouth.

"The amulet," Buffy explained, briefly looking over to Angel, "The one you gave me. He wore it and it just seemed to channel...sunlight. Directly through him. It destroyed all the ubervamps, brought the Hellmouth in on itself. At first, I mean, at first he was okay, like he was protected from the sun or something and then..." Buffy trailed off as she looked at the scorch marks on her palm from when she had held hands with Spike till the very last moment. When she had told him that she loved him.

"Dear God there's not enough bandages to keep these gals in one piece!" Lorne explained in exasperation walking over to them with Lily, whom he handed over to Joyce. The little girl had now stopped crying.

"Well, I think Fred called the hospital..." Willow said, "They should be here soon."

"Guys, I need a place! Guys help!" Xander called out over the crowds, and it was only then that the gang realized that well, not all the gang was there. The carnage around them distracting them beyond all other thoughts.

Dawn was the first one to rush toward him from out of the crowd. He was carrying an unconscious Anya and she was draped lifelessly in his arms.

"My God...is she okay?" Dawn asked as the guided him through the crowds next to the sofa Buffy was resting on.

"I-I don't know..." He replied, his voice tense with worry.

"Anya!" Joyce exclaimed in shock as Xander placed his wife gently down on the Hyperion couch next to Buffy. The blonde ex-demon was covered in bloodied cuts and her right arm was definitely broken. Her face was also heavily bruised and dried blood had gathered at one corner of her mouth. She was a mess.

As if coming to Xander's aid alone as he looked upon the bloodied Anya, the sound of ambulance sirens reached all of their ears as the paramedics tore down the road, screeching to a halt outside a moment later. A moment later, dozens of medical staff came running in, taking in the carnage around them with a flick of their eyes, before immediately swinging into action, going to those in most dire need of help first.

"What the hell happened here?" One man asked as he helped Anya onto a stretcher.

"They're survivors...we're survivors..." Dawn explained, "From Sunnydale...an..." She faltered, what she could say, "We don't know what happened..."

"Neither does anyone else miss," The paramedic replied, he then caught sight of the weakened Buffy and his eyes widened as they landed on the bleeding wound in her gut, "Oh my god..." He gasped before shouting out to any colleagues who were free, "We got ourselves another one! Needs to be at the hospital now!"

"No, really, I'm fine," Buffy shook her head, dismissing his concern.

"Sorry Ma'am, but you can't not go into hospital with that wound," He told her.

"No," She shook her head again, "I'm a fast healer. Look-" She stood up to argue properly, but once she did it was as though all the adrenaline that had been minutes ago pulsing through her veins, rushed out of her, knocking her out for the count, and she collasped with Angel barely catching her in time.

"Let's get her out of here..." The paramedic ordered, helping the Slayer onto another stretcher and she was carried out after Anya and the others with her Mother, her sisters, Giles and the others following on worriedly. Lorne stayed behind with Angel. Two people who could not go along, but for entirely different reasons.

Joyce was waiting in the hall alone. Just pacing, being worried for Buffy. And for the others. Rupert was in an office signing forms. He had Lily with him, mainly because in her state of worry Joyce didn't trust herself with her. Worry made her clumsy. As if subconsciously proving her own thoughts she walked into one of the waiting chairs mid-pace.

"Ow..." She complained out loud, rubbing her ankle, "Stupid..."

"Joyce?"

At the sound of that voice saying her name her entire body stiffened.

"Joyce?" The voice said again and she stood up straight and turned around in the direction it had come from to look at the man behind it.

"Hank." She smiled tightly, trying to mask her surprise. Last she'd heard he had been in Spain with his secretary.

"Joyce I knew it was you...well, I was slightly not sure, but I had a feeling," He told her as he walked over, "What are you doing here?"

"Oh well, I'm sure you heard about Sunnydale..." She explained, "...blowing up? And with it our home"

"I just found out about it actually, on the lobby TV," He told her, "What I actually meant was what are you doing here? At the hospital?"

"Oh erm...I-I-I," Joyce stumbled over her words, "Buffy. She's just being tidied up. She got hurt...in Sunnydale"

"Oh my god, is she going to be okay? What room is she in?" Hank Summers oozed concern for his daughter and Joyce found a strange comfort in being able to share that. Yes, Rupert cared deeply about Buffy- loved her like a daughter, but it wasn't the same as this.

"She's going to be fine...they tell me," She assured him, "She's going to be transferred to a room soon. I don't know which one"

"Oh"

Silence. A weird silence.

"So uh..." Joyce eventually said, "What are you doing here then?"

"Oh, a, uh, friend of mine. Just had his appendix removed," Hank explained, "I was just paying him a visit"

"So how's...Trixie?"

"Tracy" He corrected and she feigned apologetic.

"Sorry, right. Tracy." She nodded, "Things still going...well between you two?" She asked tightly, not being able to help thinking that was the woman Hank essentially chose over his daughters. "Enjoy Spain did she?"

"How did you..." He went to ask in shock, but then sighed as he realized he already knew the answer, "Buffy. She always did tell Mom everything" He smiled and Joyce just managed to smile back. "We haven't spoken in such a while Joyce. It'd be nice to catch up, see what's been going on. Perhaps even compare anecdotes?"

She looked at him a moment before asking:

"Did you die Hank?"

Understandably he looked entirely thrown by the question, "What? No"

"Oh," She nodded, throwing him a winner's smile, "Then my anecdotes are going to win"

"What?" He asked yet again, "You died?" He then smiled, as though he understood everything and it was Joyce's turn to frown as he continued, "Joyce" He sighed, "There's no need to be bitter you know and play petty tricks. I always thought you were better than that. You were always more mature than me"

"I won't argue with that"

"So," He continued, choosing to ignore her comment, "I wish you wouldn't be so bitter over me and Tracy"

"And you and Janice. And you and Hannah. And you and Vicky..." She listed off.

"Okay, this is exactly what I'm talking about," He pointed out, cutting her off mid-list, "I would think we were past such bitterness now. I mean we both have our own lives. You don't still hold a grudge do you?"

"No, certainly not," She told him, "Especially since-" She stopped. She didn't really want to talk to Hank about her love life. Or any part of her life full stop actually.

"Especially since what?" He prompted and as she went to reply, they heard the sound of a nearby door opening from a couple of paces behind Joyce and she turned to see Rupert walking over with Lily (Dawn was with Willow and Tara).

"All done Joyce. Unbelievable amount of signing," Giles complained. "Almost as though they wanted to test how much we wished Buffy to have medical attention. Hello" He said to Hank, positive he had seen the man before but for the life of him he couldn't remember where. Luckily, Joyce explained as she introduced the two of them.

"Rupert, this is Hank Summers; Buffy and Dawn's Father," She explained, "Hank this is Rupert Giles. My..." She bit her lip self-consciously before looking at Hank directly and finishing her sentence, "My husband"

"Husband?" Hank repeated faintly in an amount of disbelief that Joyce found insulting. What? He thought he was the only man she could ever get?

"Yes," She nodded, "And this is our daughter Lily"

"Daughter?" That faint voice again, "Wow...Joyce. I mean, wow. A whole new family unit? And Dawn has a little sister. Bet she was a bit miffed she was no longer the baby"

"Actually, I believe she found the concept exhilarating," Giles told him, "Being the youngest is such a loathed title when you're in your teens"

"Yes, I suppose so," Hank found himself agreeing.

"Hey Giles, Joyce!" Willow called from down the corridor, "We can go in and see people now! Come on"

"In a moment Willow," Giles told her before he and Joyce turned back to Hank.

"I'm sorry Hank," She apologized, "But we have to go. It was nice seeing you again"

"Yes, er, same here Joyce"

"And I'll tell Buffy and Dawn to...well, about looking you up"

Hank was a little too stunned to reply and instead just watched his ex-wife walk off with her new husband and new daughter towards the red-head, Rupert had called Willow. The moment they reached her, Willow eagerly took Lily and started fawning over her. Then they were joined by another girl, and Dawn. He went to go forward, to talk to his youngest daughter but something stopped him. Maybe it was the way That Rupert but his hand on Hank's daughter's shoulder in a reassuring Fatherly way, or perhaps the way Dawn smiled at this and treated it as normal. Or the way Dawn said something that made Rupert frown and Joyce laugh. Or Rupert gently putting his arm around Joyce and giving her a kiss before gesturing for the group to move on, talking and walking as one.

It was a family scene. And Hank realized he was no longer in it. It was the saddest moment in Hank Summers' life.

Willow had left the others with Buffy. She wanted to go see Xander. She needed to go see Xander. He needed to be seen.

She found him, on the intensive care corridor looking through a large window at Anya inside the room. She was hooked up to several machines and had any number of wires coming out of her arms, wrists and hands. The heart monitor beeped steadily as Anya slept on, her cuts bandaged and her bruises tended to.

"How is she?" Willow asked quietly, joining him. He didn't take his eyes off Anya as he replied.

"The Doctor's say they've done all they can," He told her, "That it's all up to her now. She's gotta decide to wake up," He looked to Willow with a weak smile, "I'll guess we'll be waiting for forever huh? Anya doesn't like doing things on command"

"She'll be fine Xander," Willow insisted reassuringly, "Anya's a fighter. And she'll be damned if some little Hellmouth fight is gonna keep her down. We just have to be patient. She'll wake up"

"I'm just.." He looked at his best friend, tears blurring his vision, "I don't know...I don't know how to go on without her. I don't know if I could"

"Well, you're not going to have to find out" She said firmly and Xander broke down, bursting into tears and clinging onto his lifelong friend desperately.

"I'm just so scared, Will! I'm so scared..."

Joyce closed the door behind her and Giles as they carried Lily out of Buffy's room, leaving Dawn to have some much needed alone time with her sister. Buffy was recovering excellently and would be out of the hospital by tomorrow which was a huge relief. Joyce just hoped everyone else recovered as well.

The couple took seats on the corridor chairs and sat in silence, Giles looking into his lap with a sad expression that broke Joyce's heart.

"Are you alright?" She asked softly, knowing it was a stupid question but asking it anyway.

"I'm fine.."

"Rupert it's okay," She told him, "It's me you're talking to. You don't have to be...British. I know you're hurting"

It seemed for a moment as though he wasn't going to reply or say anything at all but then he gave in with a sigh.

"It's just I can't believe they're gone...all of them. My sister...my nephew...my friend. All at once. I've always had a big sister Joyce...I mean we may not have always been close but she was always there...always...and now..."

"She's not..." Joyce finished quietly in understanding, "I can't imagine what you're going through Rupert. The thought of losing my own sister tears me up inside, I just...I don't know what to do to make you feel better. I don't know if I can"

"You know Daniel always used to joke about the women I dated?" Giles said with a sad, nostalgic smile, "Said I went for the Quiet yet Deadly ones..." He laughed to himself, "Made him immediately suspicious of you...though he admitted he was quite amazed any woman had managed to tie me down." He shook his head in disbelief with a smirk.

"What?"

"After that he added 'Whether that's literally or figuratively is well, you're game'" He laughed, "He never stopped poking fun at me. Probably afraid I was going to turn into another Travers Follower if he didn't. He was doing his best to keep me grounded." He looked at Joyce, "What am I gonna do without him there?"

"I don't know..." Joyce replied quietly and honestly, thinking on her own memories of Dan- the most prominent being his embarrassment after accidentally drinking the Caveman beer that Buffy had had. Then Jac when she'd had the little 'I'd like us to be friends' talk in the kitchen right before Joyce had accidentally turned them all into teenagers again with leftover Band Candy. And Ted- so young. Barely a chance to live at all. Dawn's age. Just Dawn's age, "I don't know..."

"Well, I did as you asked," Cassandra said as she walked into the hospital private lobby where Giles, Joyce, Dawn and Tara and several others were gathered. Buffy was sleeping off her injuries, the other Potentials were all together being seen to or supporting those being seen to and Willow was standing by Xander as they waited by Anya's side. The A.I gang were busy making calls to their new contacts organizing temporary yet fantastic rooms for all who had come from Sunnydale. Was the sun set they suspected Angel would immediately go to Buffy. "I called those...numbers of both ah, Xander and Willow's parents"

"And?" Joyce asked.

"Willow's parents are staying with a relative in ah...Phoenix I believe."

"They didn't think to take their daughter with them..." Joyce shook her head in disbelief.

"They expressed mild concern." Cass told her, "I assured them she was perfectly fine and that ah, Mr and Mrs Giles were taking good care of her. It seemed to satisfy them"

"And what about Xander's parents?" Giles asked as he jiggled Lily on his knee, "Were you able to track them down"

"Yes...but I was unable to retrieve much information from them. I'm afraid Mr Harris was in a state of intoxication and Mrs Harris briefly said something about a motel but the line was cut off."

"Hey, how's everybody doin' in here?" Faith asked, walking into the room casually with Wes and Fred, "Just checked on B. She's not exactly five by five but she's good. The other girls are copin' too. But how's the Fielders Brigade here?"

"We're okay," Dawn said quietly, whilst trying to put across confidence.

"Course," Faith nodded, "Lil fighter like ya sis. Just don't go all knifeing on me or nothin'"

"Well despite the chaos of before I believe everything is coming together wonderfully," Wesley told everyone, "We have rooms organized for you all at a local hotel. Five star of course"

Joyce went to say thank you but Cassandra spoke over her.

"Oh my, Wesley?"

Wesley's head turned around so fast it nearly came off of his head.

"Cassandra?"

"I didn't know you were here!"

"Well, things were rather chaotic. I expect we walked right past one another without realizing-"

"You're living in L.A. I-"

"You two know each other then?" Fred guessed, seeming, in Dawn's opinion, very much jealous of the female Watcher.

"Why uh yes," Wesley told them all, "Cassandra and I ah...used to..."

"We uh used to..." She also faltered over the explanation. Faith 'saved' them both.

"You two used to screw?"

"I uh, well ah fuh, huh..." Wesley made a collection of nonsensical sounds before finally taking a deep breath saying. "I used to court Cassandra, yes"

"Then what happened?" Dawn asked bluntly and her Mother reprimanded her, "What? I just wanna know"

"It didn't work out," Cassandra told her, "We had different priorities"

"Meaning?"

"Wesley became rather obsessed over being chosen to Watch the next Slayer...course it never happened"

"It did eventually!" Wesley protested, "After Rupert was fired"

"Well thank you very much," Giles said sarcastically, "And I'll have you know that I was rehired by the Council"

"Besides it didn't work out too well anyway did it?" Cassandra smirked, "During your reign Buffy resigned from our Watch and Faith-" She glanced over at the rogue Slayer, "Well, I don't suppose we should get into that should we?"

"Speaking of which...what is Faith going to do now?" Tara asked, "I mean you are still...well wanted"

"By the state or just in general?" Faith instantly replied causing Tara to blush in a way that made Faith sympathetic and so answer honestly, "I don't know T. Still a wanted fugitive ain't I? And I don't think they let you out early for having saved the world. Lack of belief and all"

"We'll think of something Faith," Giles assured her, "I promise you"

"Sweetie?"

Buffy looked up from where she lay in bed and saw her Mother in the doorway.

"Can I come in?"

"Of course..." Buffy replied as though it was absurd for her Mother to ask that question despite the fact she had thrown her out of her room as much as Dawn back in Sunnydale.

Sunnydale.

"I just saw..." Joyce gave Buffy her nervous smile a moment before continuing, "I just saw Angel leave" She took a seat on Buffy's bed, "Did he come see you?"

"Yes"

"And.."

"It didn't go too well," Buffy told her Mom and she looked at her sympathetically, taking her hand.

"Oh honey. Why not?" Buffy didn't answer, "Do you want to talk about it?"

"I think I talked too much about Spike," Buffy admitted. "Not the best subject I could have chose but he saved us...he saved the world...how can I ignore that?"

"You can't." Joyce replied softly, "Though I will take a moment to say I told you so"

"You told me so?" Buffy frowned in genuine confusion.

"I always said Spike was worthy of more than you believed. That there was more to him than meets the eye didn't I?"

"Guess it took an apocalypse for me to realize..." Buffy said quietly, her eyes glazing over, clearly reliving Spike's last moments. "There were so many vampires Mom..so many...thousands of those ubervamps just wanting to kill us all...I was so terrified. For one moment I didn't think we'd do it. I thought we were as good as...as good as dead"

"Oh honey..." Joyce gasped, going to hug her daughter but Buffy shook her head.

"Please no Mom. If I do...I don't...I'm not ready to let it all out yet" She said and Joyce nodded sadly. "He just knew what he had to do. He just stood there...letting the amulet do it's job. It was burning him from the inside but he didn't care. He knew it needed to be done. I tried to get him to leave but he wouldn't let me. The building was collapsing...I...I had to. When I finally left he was still stood there, unwavering...just golden"

Joyce reached out a hand to tuck a strand of her daughter's ash blond hair behind her ear, stroking it gently in place before caressing her cheek lovingly. Buffy closed her eyes, falling into the loving gesture, embracing the moment of having someone be stronger than her.

"You're so grown up..." Joyce whispered, a touch of nostalgia to her voice, "More grown up than I've ever been. I'm so proud of you"

"Mom.." Buffy whimpered, sitting up in bed suddenly to wrap her arms tightly around her Mother. It surprised Joyce slightly for a moment, but a second later she put her arms around her daughter, holding her tightly and warmly back as Buffy cried her eyes out on her shoulder.

And Buffy was just a little girl again who needed her Mommy.

Anya was awake. Awake but incoherent. Awake but pepped on drugs. Awake and having an aggressive reaction to drugs. As in awake but telling Xander to get the hell out of her room as she couldn't stand his hovering. Awake but telling Xander he should have better things to do than drive her nuts.

Xander could not be happier. And as he sat in the huge conference room of the Wolfram and Hart Branch that Angel Investigations now owned, despite being exiled from his wife's hospital by his wife, he had the widest grin on his face.

Everyone was gathered in the large conference room. Absolutely everyone except Anya. They were discussing where to go from here.

"Well, I think first thing is first," Buffy said to everyone, "We need to find these girls. I mean we have Potentials here but there's hundreds and hundreds more out there who are Slayers now too. We need to find them"

"And Watchers," Giles added.

"Yes," Wesley nodded in agreement, "Some must have been hiding. Or perhaps those who are presently retired who may wish to take up the role once again"

"Are you looking for a job Wesley?" Cassandra teased and he immediately became flustered.

"Not at all. I have a job here. But I would be willing to help in anyway I can"

"That would be very much appreciated Wesley," Giles assured him with a grin.

"The problem is," Buffy said, "All those Watchers are from the 'One girl in ever generation' variety and haven't ever come across me. Not sure they're gonna be for the whole Sunnydale Rule of Slayer"

"Well, that's just tough B" Faith said, "We're all Slayers now. They're gonna have to deal"

"These Watchers aren't scary are they?" Vi asked nervously, "I don't wanna be watched by scary men"

"Then don't walk round downtown New York" Kennedy told her.

"Now, as for Council HQ...rebuilding it we're gonna need a new one," Buffy said, "Heck, we're gonna need a Slayer HQ too"

"I believe I may have the answer to that" Giles told her, "There's a secondary Headquarters residing in a small town called Holdsworth in New England"

"Secondary headquarters?" Buffy asked, clearly wanting more information.

"It involves a place for Council meetings, a large block of apartments for Council members- though of course in this case it could also include our ah, new Slayers. And many materials and resources that could...well, come in handy"

"So what? We move to New England?" Dawn asked in disbelief looking from Giles to Buffy.

Buffy maintained eye contact with Giles before telling her sister:

"Yes. Temporarily at least. It's the best option" Buffy sighed, "But we're gonna need some people constantly recruiting Slayers"

"I'll do it," Faith volunteered before quickly explaining herself, "I hate staying in one place too long anyway and somehow I don't think the new HQ is gonna be the place for me"

Buffy thought about this for a moment before nodding with an understanding smile.

"Okay. But you have to be thorough. Only ask to recruit those of age. Those under age, record their ages, their location, give their parents a way to contact us if there's any...problems. Anything at all. See if a Watcher is wanted or needed. Assign where necessary. I want all these girls seen to, on record, everything."

"Cool" Dawn said, "You're making it sound like X-Men." She laughed a little to herself.

"Anyway," Buffy continued, "Kennedy. Vi. Rona. You're also on Slayer Search duty. That's your job. Take a few of the others if you wish. But that's all"

"Okay," Vi nodded, "Sure"

"Right." Buffy thought about what else needed to be done, "Well, as nice as it sounds that place in Massachusetts isn't gonna be enough eventually. We need to find a Slayer HQ. Some place big enough for all of 'em. Like Dawn said- think X-Men. That kinda large. Someone needs to do the boring search of doing that"

"I'll do it" Cassandra volunteered. "I would be honored."

"You're sure?" Buffy asked.

"I've never been more so"

"Wow..okay then. I guess that's settled. Then all that's left is-"

"I'll find the new Watchers," Wesley told her, "From here I'll contact all I can. Get those to contact also. I'll get them to contact you directly for information. I don't wish to risk Wolfram and Hart knowing more than they should"

"Good idea, good point and good help" Buffy told him, "Thank you"

She looked around at everyone. Everyone here was survivor, a fighter no matter what kind and they were all here. Together. It was the end of one era and the beginning of another. The question had been asked before but now Buffy really thought about it; where do we go from here?

In Memory of

Jacqueline Giles

Edward "Ted" Giles

Daniel Wright

Amanda Cartman

Natashe D'Arjon

Andrew Wells

Caridad Mayor

Lydia O'Kell

Chao-Ahn

Olivia Swift

Robin Wood

and

William

"Spike"