Hello fellow fanfic people! This is Spike-n-Buffy4-eva! This is my very first story! Oh course I wanted it to be about Buffy! Please be kind. I don't take rejection easy. Please send me a review whenever you feel like it!

Disclaimer: I wish I owned Spike and Anya but unfortunately, I don't! tear They belong to the very lucky Joss Whedon! I own nothing!

Aftermath

Chapter 1- After Destruction

"Yeah Buffy, what are we going to do now?" said Dawn as she was looking at the hole in the ground which was once her home. Buffy was doing this exact same thing as Dawn was doing. Looking at what was Sunnydale but it's now a huge crater in the ground. Memories started surging through her head of days at the mall with Willow and Xander, making out with Angel in the cemetery, and the most recent one that hurt her heart to think about it. A smirk started to show up on her face. "I think we should find somewhere to rest, heal the wounded and to think about what we just did." "We saved the world Buffy. You're making it sound like a bad thing." said Xander with a confused tone in his voice. Buffy started walking toward the school bus which did hold Anya, Dawn, Giles, Faith, Robin, Andrew, Xander, Spike, 30 slayers (or potentials) and herself. Now the bus is missing 15 slayers, Anya, and Spike. It hurt Buffy to think that Spike was gone, but she remembered that he saved her, the gang, and the world from The First and the Ubervamps. She had finally confessed her love for him and then he left her with memories and heartache because he was gone. Giles followed her into the bus followed by the rest of the gang. "Giles you drive to the nearest exit. There we will find a hotel and do what is needed." said Buffy as she started to walk toward some what were potential slayers. The big yellow bus engine cranked up and it started heading toward the nearest exit to find a hotel and a hospital.

One hour later they finally found an exit that had exactly what they needed. They got off the treacherous interstate and headed toward a hospital. They pulled up and they each carried each other toward the steps of the hospital. "What happened!" called out a nurse in the hospital. Buffy and the gang ignored the nurse and proceeded toward the emergency room. The only thing on their mind was helping Robin and the nine potentials who had more than just a cut on their forehead like Buffy. "Willow, Kennedy, Faith why don't you guys stay here with the others and Xander, Giles, and I will find a hotel." Buffy said out of breath because she was carrying a slayer in her arms. "What about us, Buffy?" Dawn called out. Buffy looked over at where Dawn and Andrew where standing. Both had blood from a cut on there face. "Um.... We'll drop you guys off at a grocery store so ya'll can take care of our food situation." "But we have no money." "Here, take $20. That's all I have so don't buy too much junk!" The doctor met the gang in the hallway before they could enter the emergency room. "Okay, I need to know exactly what happen here. Your bringing in tons of injured people! I need to know what happen!" The doctor was practically yelling at Buffy by now. Faith and her attitude decided to step into the conversation. "It doesn't matter what happen. Just help these people or you will have to answer to me and B." The doctor looked at Faith with the scowl on her face and then decided to get to work. "I'll take care of things here B. Don't worry." "Thanks Faith. Let's go Xander, Dawn, Giles, and Andrew!"

They approached the grocery store to let out Dawn and Andrew. "Okay guys, we'll pick you back up in about thirty minutes. Pick up food and bandages. No junk food!" "Okay Buffy! Don't get all mommy on me!" Dawn and Andrew turned and walked toward the doors of the grocery store with only $20. Dawn said in a whisper to herself "What can we buy with $20 dollars? Not enough food to last us a week." Buffy, Xander, and Giles pulled away from the grocery store in search of a hotel that was cheap to fit ten people in one room. What Buffy didn't know was that number was going to decrease on their return to the hospital. "So, Buffy, how are you?" Buffy knew exactly what Xander was saying. She was asking her how she felt after losing Spike. "I'm okay. I'm focusing on getting sleep." "Yes, I think we all are Buffy." said Giles with exhaustion in his voice. "How are you Xander?" Now it was Xander's turn. He knew what Buffy was talking about. How he was after losing the love of his life: Anya. "I'll be better once I have sleep." Xander then put down his head thinking about Anya. How he wish he was fighting with her instead of Dawn, but it was Buffy's wish that he fight next to Dawn . "There's one. Let's try that one." Buffy said interrupting Xander's thought. It's a good thing cause he started to tear up and he didn't want people to see him like this: vulnerable.

Back at the grocery store Dawn and Andrew were focusing first on bandages then food, or maybe it should have been the other way around. They didn't care right now. The only thing they focused on was getting food and then going to the hotel to get some well deserved sleep. "Does everybody like burritos? How about cheese sticks?" Andrew was saying while looking at all the food in the frozen food isle. "I think it's best if we didn't get cold food. We are staying in a hotel after all." Twenty minutes later, Dawn and Andrew made there way toward the check -out counter with little food. "Your total is $10.75." Stephanie the cashier said. "$10.75! Only $10.75! Dawn let's go get some more food!" "No, Andrew. Let's save the money so we can get more food if we need it." "Why not just stock up now so we won't have to come back?" Dawn thought about his statement then a big yellow thing appeared out of the cornor of her eye. "Because Andrew" before Dawn finished she looked up to see the yellow school bus waiting for her and Andrew. "It's time to go that's why." Andrew looked up and saw his and Dawn's ride was here. They both grabbed their 5 bags off chips, drinks, and bandages. "Next time we buy more stuff!" Andrew said walking through the doors of the grocery store.

"Hey B. We got some bad news. Four of the potentials died while you were gone. So that makes the total of slayers left eleven." Buffy looked down at the ground as though she failed. "You couldn't help it Buffy. It's not your fault. It was that damn First and the thousands of ubervamps that killed them." Willow said reassuring Buffy. "I still feel responsible." Giles felt it was his turn to talk "Well, let's get everyone else to the hotel and let the others recover here for now. Willow and Kennedy why don't ya'll stay here and watch over everyone." "Are you kidding Giles? We want sleep!" Willow and Kennedy both said. Giles stood there dumbfounded and then agreed that they do in fact need rest. Then he realized that he would have to be the one to stay and watch over Robin and the four potentials. The rest of the gang headed toward the hotel to get some well deserved sleep. "Okay Giles, here's the plan. We will pick you, Robin and the four potentials up tomorrow 11:00 no later. Then we'll drive to Cleveland." Buffy finished and everyone started to question. Cleveland? Why there? "Remember what Giles said? There is another hellmouth there and we need to watch over it making sure that nothing as bad as what we went through happens again." "I agree. We'll travel there and make our new residence, our new beginning there, in Cleveland." Finishing that statement Giles said goodnight and headed toward what he hoped were comfortable couches in the waiting room.

"Oh wow! This bed is so comfortable for being a hotel bed!" Faith practically yelled so the whole gang could hear her. The gang all shook there heads as they all laid either on the floor or shared a bed. "I'm starting to feel bad for leaving poor Giles by himself. Maybe I should go stay with him, just to keep him company." Dawn then disagreed with her own statement because her bed changed her teenage mind. "Hopefully some counting sheep will visit us tonight instead of those stupid ubervamps!" Everyone turned and looked at Xander with disgusted faces. "Okay, maybe that wasn't the best thing to say before bed." "Maybe it wasn't Xander!" "Sorry Faith, geez!" "Everyone let's try and get some sleep. We've got a big day ahead of us!" The gang agreed with Buffy and all started to fall fast asleep.

"I don't know what I would have done if you went up those stairs." "This is a dream, it's just a dream." Buffy tried to keep telling herself that while she was actually having the dream. "It's just a dream Buffy, just a dream. You've beat the hellmouth. Spike's gone. It's just a dream." "I love you Buffy." "Just a dream!" Buffy then sat up in her bed breathing heavy waking up from the dream but since she woke up so abruptly would it be a nightmrare? "Buffy? Are you alright?" Dawn said exhaustly. She was laying next to her and felt her jolt up which cause her to stir awake. "Dawn. Go back to sleep. We've got a busy day tomorrow." "Okay, are you sure that you're okay?" "I'm fine Dawn. Now, back to sleep you go." "Good night Buffy." With those final words Dawn went back to her dream. Though she couldn't remember it now. Buffy then decided to just stay awake. It was only four in the morning. She took the covers off her legs and put her feet on the beige carpet. She stood up and walked toward the window, making sure not to step on anyone, and the saw the sun starting to rise in the distance. The only thing she could think of was Spike. He was now coming in her dream. It was like he was trying to tell her something. "Nah." she whispered to herself to not wake anyone else up. The thought of him made her remember everything good that happened after he returned to her with a soul. Except she skipped right to when he found her in the abandon house after being "kicked out" of her old one. She loved every minute of that night. She loved to peek through her eyes and see him constantly staring at her. It comforted her. Tears started to collect in her eyes but she ignored them and decided to give sleeping one more try. Once again watching her step she walked toward the red covered bed which her and Dawn shared. Buffy pulled the covers back as quiet as she could so Dawn wouldn't be disturbed.

"Let's go gang!" Xander yelled at the top of his lungs while in the yellow school bus waiting for the crew. It was 10:00 in the morning but Xander still wanted to get to the hospital before Giles started to spaz. "Don't make me come in there! We told Giles 11:00, no later! Andrew go get them." "Me? Me? I don't wanna walk in there to see girls in bras and their underwear!" Andrew then paused and got off the bus to go get the girls. Xander could help but smile at what Andrew said. "Come on gang! Let's go! We've got to go get the watcher and slayers and Robin---oh wait--he's a slayer---or sorta is-----would he be?" "Andrew! This isn't time to argue with yourself! We've got to go!" Kennedy yelled as she was walking toward the bus which was starting to fill while Andrew was arguing with himself. Andrew then ran to the bus like Xander was planning this so he could leave him in this unknown town. Right when Andrew got on Xander started with his laugh of the day. "Welcome to the hellmouth bus ladies and gentlemen. Hope your ride will be a comfortable one. Since this is a school bus there will be no seatbelts or food service on this ride and if no one needs anything we will be heading off at this time." The gang let out small giggles while Xander was talking. "Put the pedal to the metal already Xander!" yelled Buffy who was sitting right behind him. "Right, okay, and off we go." The school bus pulled out of the hotel's paved parking lot and headed toward the hospital.

"Okay gang, you stay here while Willow, Xander and I go get the other half of the gang." Buffy stated while looking at the group who still looked half asleep. "Right. Okay, let's go get our watcher." Xander, Willow, and Buffy walked through the double doors of the hospital and hurried toward the waiting room. They were on a xschedule and they didn't want to make Giles upset they weren't there There they found Giles asleep on one of the couches. "Should we leave him? He looks so peaceful." "Giles! Wakey Wakey!" yelled Willow. "We have to do more research! Huh? Oh, Good morning. How was the hotel?" "Comfortable, how was ?" "Comfortable." Giles tried to say the couch was comfortable when it was actually hard as a rock. He kept a smile on his face to try and keep from rubbing his back because he felt like a thousand needles were constantly poking his back. "That damn couch!" he thought to himself. The head doctor walked into the waiting room to deliver the news of who was still alive and who passed on after saving the world. "Well, I've got good news and bad news." Buffy then thought of a GEICO commercial and started to let out a small giggle. Xander, Giles, and Willow looked at her with a confused look on her face. Buffy looked up at them and said "Oh, sorry, you were saying? Oh...bad news first I guess." The doctor contined "Well, unfortunately three of your group died. Head trama." Buffy once again looked at the ground like she failed. Xander walked up to Buffy and put his arm on her shoulder. The doctor decided to continue "We need the last two to stay here one more night for observation." Buffy walked toward the doctor with a look of disgust and anger on her face. "Or maybe you can take them with you." "That's what I thought. Let's go."

Twenty mintues later Robin and the remaining potential that was in the hospital came out of the hospital and loaded onto the school bus. "Um...Giles......we have a problem." Kennedy said and the group loaded onto the bus. "What would that be Kennedy?" "We need gas and not just ten dollars worth if we want to get to Cleveland." "I see our dilemma. Well, let's see. Does anyone have any money?" "I have five dollars!" exclaimed one potential. "I have ten!" yelled another. "Why don't we try and get at least thirty dollars into this puppy!" Xander said trying to lighten up the gang. "Yes, let's do that. Then, Cleveland here we come!" everybody couldn't help but let out a small giggle to Willow's statement. A smirk appeared on Willow's face.

So? What did you think? Remember this: I like reviews!!! Please send me some so I can know what to fix! I know I'm not big on details but you can help me fix that!