Lex Luthor walked into his main office on what was a surprisingly good day. Lexcorp stock is through the roof. He's been proven untouchable for his latest round of crimes and to top it all off. Some grey haired troll pummeled Superman into the ground, rumor has it he even broke a rib or two. He finally looks around the office and sees a yellow haired man. "Mercy, who is this man?"

"Bottom of the dog pile." The man pointed out a pile of flesh. "Security against me, kind of useless."

Lex looked and saw the Amazonian beauty buried under the rest of his security team. "Well then you seem to have me at a disadvantage. You know my name, but I don't know yours."

"Let's go with Smith." Smith replied.

"Well then what can I do for you Mr. Smith?" Lex asked.

Smith smiled and sat down. "I'm going to keep it short Mr. Luthor. I've recently had one of the best hackers in the world hack into the Lexcorp database all sorts of dirty secrets."

"None of which will hold up in court everything was gained through an illegal search." Lex countered. "And I don't deal with blackmail."

The man went to get a drink but heard a screech in his ear. "Maybe later, besides I'm not here for blackmail, I'm here to cut a deal."

Lex helped himself to a drink. "Deals are for the devil."

Smith looked at him confused. "Yeah, it's why I'm here."

Lex looked at the very irritating man. He did go through security so maybe he can stand hear what he has to say. "Very well Mr. Smith. What do you want?"

Smith looked at him. "A friend of mine has developed a rare case of lung cancer her deadbeat father couldn't even get a bone graft donation right."

Lex smiled hearing that, good, he's desperate, this friend sounds like a girlfriend. "A tale of woe I'm sure, how does it concern me?"

"Your lab has the cure for her. You give me that cure and a hundred million dollars, and I'll kill Superman." Smith offered as Lex just looked at him. "What? I'm fond of my friends but I'm about to become the most hated guy in history. Not going to do that without a fat paycheck."

Lex let out a smirk followed by a laugh. "You think you're going to kill Superman. Why wouldn't you before?"

"Because as much as I'm a fan of Superman I like her more and if you're good at something never do it for free." Smith replied easily enough. "I mean the guy beat you for Metropolis man of the year what is it, five or six times in a row now?"

Lex squeezed his drink a little harder. What chance does a man have to compete against a god? "And what chance do you think you might have against him."

Smith smiled as his hand showed a glowing gold triangle and his body was covered in blue light revealing the gray haired warrior from earlier with a sword in his hand. "As I said, if you're good at something never do it for free. Earlier today was a demonstration to get your attention."

Lex had a smile. "You know this can't be led back to me in any way."

"It won't." Smith assured him.

Lex thought it over for a moment and put his hand out. "OK fifty million, the vial, and Superman's carcass."

Smith looked at him considering the number. "Seventy five million, the research, the one hundred percent cure and then you get most famous corpse in history."

"No faith?" Lex asked

"Would you trust someone to save a life when he killed his own parents to make his empire?" Smith countered.

Lex looked at him for a moment. "A wise policy, sixty million."

"Done" Smith shook his hand. "Just one thing." Smith grabbed Lex by the neck and pushed him towards the back of the office eventually pushing him through the window. "She doesn't have four months, I find out you lied to me, or diluted the medicine to try to make a lifetime servant, and you won't have four seconds, understand?"

Lex nodded as Smith brought him in and put him down. "A bit over theatrical but a deal's a deal."

Smith nodded and flew out of the city.

Xander left Metropolis as fast as he could. It's going to take a month to wash all that slime off. Before long he's on his way to Smallville and lands in the Kent Barn. "Wow, there's a lot of… corn here?"

Clark smiled with a bandaged torso. "It takes some getting used to."

Xander nodded in agreement and took out an active cell phone. "So did our plan work?"

Lois smiled holding up a cassette tape. "Say what you will about automated message machines but it's always nice to have a physical copy of the tape that's going to hang Lex Luthor."

"Yeah, speaking of that, not that I mind filming a movie fight with Clark in the woods so no one gets hurt, but how am I supposed to show up with the corpse of Superman to get the stuff for your mother?" Xander asked.

Superman smiled. "When I died against Doomsday Lex made an army of clones out of me. We have one that actually died still preserved in the fortress. Let's just give it a few days before we do it so it looks like you tracked me down. Besides you're graduating high school tomorrow. Wouldn't want to miss that."

"I don't know special occasions without the hellmouth aren't that special anymore." Xander countered. "Also if you're gonna be on my back about booze again you're going to take the fun out of tomorrow."

Clark held his head as Ma came out.

Ma held up a pie. "Hey for you, Buffy and the others."

"Aww thanks now I gotta get back home before the guys send up the SOS. Thank you for your hospitality."

Clark watched the sky with his family. "You know how I always said I wanted a younger brother."

Ma nodded. "What's on your mind son?"

Clark just kept looking. "If Xander is any indication… I'm over it."

Lois looked away and laughed at it. Well at least very soon now Lex won't matter. And her mom won't be on his leash.

The next day Buffy was running up to school, the last day together and she's late. The gang is splitting up after today as vampires and demons now do everything possible to avoid Sunnydale because of the people in it and no hellmouth. Snyder has been relieved of duty after this year. She got accepted to the University of Los Angeles, her, her mother, and Angel are leaving Sunnydale. Willow has opted to stay in Sunnydale for the time being. Giles being credited as to have destroying the hellmouth is on his way to England with Jenny… to take over the council in Quentin's absence. Xander and Faith will hit the road immediately after graduation but they're a phone call away from each other if ever needed.

Buffy saw the steamed up windows in Oz's van and just kept walking. Faster Buffy faster, she walked into the library and saw Angel and took a seat next to him. Buffy sat calmly with Angel waiting as Faith and Xander came in. The four looked at each other. No one wanting to say a word. Another twenty minutes and Willow and Oz came in. Everyone in the room looked at each other. Everyone avoiding saying anything until it was summed up in two words by Willow.

"This sucks!"

Xander weakly nodded. "Oh yeah, big time."

Buffy simply shrugged her shoulders. "All the hell we've been through, all the things we've faced… all of the sudden those things seem small now compared to what's out there now."

Xander nodded. "Can't believe this is happening."

Willow nodded knowing Xander and Faith are off to Cleveland after this. "Well we have to go separate ways at some point right?"

Buffy rolled her eyes in surprise. "Oh please, I think it's impossible for the three of us not to be close. Even if we're on opposite ends of the world. We're a minute flight a second's teleport, this is far from the end for us."

They all smiled at each other having a renewed sense of hope.

Snyder looked at the group in the library; does Summer's boyfriend even work here? Well one bright side to all of this being over, he'll never see these people again. He looks at the group well he can one last measure of fun. "What a sad sight this is. Your little gang breaking up."

Xander clenched his fist. Two more hours, two more hours and he would have been free of that damn troll. "Well, one bright side to all of this is we'll never see you again."

"Don't be so sure Harris, maybe we'll run into each other in the unemployment line." Snyder offered.

"Is that how you motivate your students?"

Snyder and the others turn around as their bodies move without their consent each open their mouths for one big gasp in shock. They saw a man younger then Giles and an old British man holding boxes. The former principal was the first one to speak. "Br- Br- Bruce Wayne? What are you doing here?"

"I'm here to give the graduation address." Bruce replied, nothing like being a billionaire to give you a successful cover. "Also I'm here to try to talk Ms. Rosenberg into giving up the simple life for a well off life in computer design for Wayne Enterprises." The old man opened the boxes revealing phones not just for Willow but each member in the room and maybe more.

Willow looked at him. "Mr. Wayne, I'm honored but I don't think I want to talk about my future today."

"Because you and your friends are going your separate ways?" Bruce asked.

Buffy looked at the phone in awe. "Whoa, I didn't even think these came out for another year."

Willow's eyes rose in surprise. "OK, how do you know that?"

"I'm rich and on a recruitment drive. It's my job to know. Alfred" Bruce replied as he took the phones off the older man and gave one to each Scooby even Jenny and Giles.

Xander looked at the phones high end for sure and with a $200,000 dollar tab in the menu. "Well you certainly made sure we wouldn't need money for a while this really too much Mr. Wayne." And also probably a way to track them now that Xander has taken the time to see if he's strong he realizes Bruce's power level is a perfect match for Batman.

"Think nothing of it." Bruce assured him. "Besides Mr. Harris I hear you're working for me."

"I am?" Xander asked.

"He is?" Faith repeated.

Snyder just looked at them this has to be some kind of nightmare. "Him?"

Bruce calmly nodded. "Takawa enterprises are owned by Wayne Enterprises."

Xander nodded in disbelief. He knew it; he knew Batman would find a way to keep tabs on them. "Thank you sir, I'll, do my best."

"Him?" Snyder repeated.

Alfred rolled his eyes and looked at him. "Yes, I do believe he said Mr. Harris will be working for us."

Bruce looked at the kids. They all seem like practically all of them dying four months ago had no effect on them. He turns to Willow. "I believe you all have to get ready for graduation so a rain check for later?"

"Yeah later."

Snyder looked out to the future college degenerates of the world. "Congratulations to the class of 1999. You all proved more or less adequate. This is a time of celebration, so sit still and be quiet."

Buffy rolled her eyes. "Yeah, that was inspirational."

Buffy smiled in her cap and gown, after Bruce's speech she wasn't willing to toss up the cap though she did find it funny that three of her classmates threw their hats at Snyder. Buffy smiled as her name was called as she walked up to Snyder. "Come on you know you want to?" She smiled and hugged him to the principal's discomfort. Snyder looked like he was a vampire being hugged by a nun.

After graduation Buffy looked into the crowd and saw Xander, Willow, and Oz having a couple of laughs with Cordelia whom is on her way to Columbia. She had her own money transferred to an account in her name by Willow shortly before her parent's tax status came out. She smiled seeing Faith, and Angel join the rest of the graduates.

Buffy looked at them soaking the visual into her mind she wants to remember them like this happy and strong.

"Your friends?"

Buffy turned around and saw a big guy in a suit. A very familiar oaf too but she can't remember. "My family actually, I know you don't I?"

"Yes, I'm Clark I did a story for you high school a while back, my wife interviewed you."

Buffy's eyes flashed in recognition of course that's who Clark was… but it's something else, she can feel it. "Thanks"

Clark looked at and smiled as an idea came to him. "Why don't you all gather around I'll take one big picture."

Buffy thought it through as Snyder was walking by. "Yeah, why not, one last picture of the whole gang before we go our separate ways." Snyder heard that and just violently kicked a can as hard as he could while heading for the unemployment line. No one even showed up for his retirement party. Not even common courtesy.

Buffy looked at everyone as they all seemed to agree. Angel put his arms around her and Buffy could only smile as Giles did with Jenny. If most people read this they'd assume it was just her being greedy with that book she read last year on Halloween… and they're probably right but there was another reason she went with Captain America. Keeping Angelus in check. Angel has regrets for being a living breathing… well undead, murder weapon and the scooby he was the closest to being a friend with was Giles. If Angelus would return he'd have more guilt and lose a friend to him, and Giles would have lost Jenny. She didn't want that for her watcher.

Buffy watched as Xander hoisted Faith up bridal style and she took the cap off his head and stuck it on hers. She knew she was making a fighter so why not an all powerful one. So he'd always be able to take care of himself because try as she might she doesn't believe a power on earth will keep him from patrolling. She was hoping Willow in leather would open his eyes to her, but no one seemed to mind the end result with Faith. Cordelia might have if she had known. Xander with a warrior woman who will absolutely call him out on his crap, Faith with someone rather fond of slayers. She can see it now. Problem is those two seek adventure. Unlike her and Willow, they're leaving Sunnydale because it's too docile. Chalk that up to Faith genuinely enjoying being a slayer, along with the good she does with it, and Xander given a saiyan's craving for a fight. Although Giles is going to have to explain Cleveland to her, and why that would be a good fit for them.

Buffy watched as Oz knelt in front of the camera and Willow put her arms around his neck. 'Sweet, shy Willow'. She doesn't even think she can use that sentence anymore after today. Out of everyone she's come out of her shell the most. Of course dressing her up as Xena Warrior Princess will do that. She's given up that crush on Xander. She's happy with Oz. And most important to Buffy, she's more then capable of taking care of herself and is courageous enough to go after what she wants now.

Buffy smiled with everyone else for one last picture with the gang ready for that peaceful life in LA.

Author's Notes

Not my favorite story but done at last.

Neither Faith nor Xander could walk away from the fight since Faith didn't kill anyone and unless it's a vampire in trouble Xander has chronic hero syndrome. I couldn't picture them going yeah that's enough let's go to Hawaii. I pictured Willow staying in Sunnydale for the time being so it wouldn't be completely unguarded since she becomes the de facto leader of the Scoobies when Buffy isn't around. (Another reason I'm not overly fond of empty places.) And Buffy… she's a slayer trouble always finds her whether she wants it or not.

Thanks to everyone whom read this and stood through for five months.