Disclaimer: Obviously I don't own any Buffy or Angel characters. Otherwise I wouldn't have to write fanfiction.

Warning: This fic contains some spoilers for season 5, in that Spike is resurrected.

I would like to apologize in advance for any shocking inaccuracies in plot or character representation that may appear.

Reviews are very good. Even if they're just a number out of ten. But please remember that this is my first ever fic.

This starts a few weeks after "Home". There are going to be a lot of old characters appearing, but I'm going to attempt to write them in with vaguely plausible reasons for coming, so they could take a while to arrive. Try to enjoy!

Reality Chapter 1 Wesley's Office-Day

Wesley is sitting at the desk looking through a book, and Lilah hurries in. HE looks up surprised.

Wesley: I thought you were going back to Hell.

Lilah: Oh yes, I am. But I was let out to see through the deal with Angel Investigations, and we're not quite finished.

Wesley: What else is there left? I have my books, Fred has her lab, Lorne has his entertainments, and Gunn and Angel have… whatever they got out of this.

Lilah: You didn't really think there wouldn't be one did you?

Wesley: The catch.

Lilah: Ah yes. In fact it's quite a spectacular one. It's almost amusing when you think about it. In the space of a few hours we go from world peace to our… final triumph.

Wesley: (Angrily) What are you talking about?

Lilah: You people really should read the fine print. Or in fact, any of the print. Have you seen my neck? Lately, that is. Standard perpetuity contract.

Wesley: I know all this!

Lilah: You probably should have thought about it. I'll make it clearer. When you die, we get your soul. And your boss has been dead for more that 200 years.

Wesley: You're lying!

Lilah: No, really. Didn't the way he burst into flames in sunlight give you a clue?

She snaps her fingers and a contract appears in them. The signature on it slowly changes from Angel to Angelus.

Wesley: And why would you tell me this?

Lilah: The thing is Wesley, you tried to save me. You failed miserably, but the thought that counts a little. I owe you at least a warning. And what do I have to lose? I can't be punished anymore. Now Angelus usually likes to savour this sort of thing, and he may be feeling a little confused right now. If you hurry you may be able to save your friends as well. Personally I wouldn't risk it, but I know you will. Of course, maybe I am lying, just tried to spread discord. Do you really want to risk that I'm not?

            See you in Hell.

She vanishes, leaving behind only the smell of scorched meat. Wesley looks, panicked for a moment, then runs out of his office.

Office of school governor-Day

Robin Wood is sitting in front of the governor, who has just finished reading through his file.

Governor: Interesting case. I don't think that anyone has ever encountered anything like this before. You need a new job because your former place of employment was struck by a meteor.

Wood: Yes, well when you put it like that it does seem odd.

Governor: However, I don't think that anyone could possibly consider that to have been your fault. We can't have people put out of work due to an act of God, now can we?

Wood smiles slightly at the irony of associating God with it.

Governor: Now normally it would take quite some time to find you a new job, much less one in the area, but luckily- for you, that is, the principal of Grangefield High disappeared three weeks ago. The deputy principal has been coping thus far, but he's not a young man, and we would be thrilled to have you on board. I've heard nothing but good things about you.

Wood: Really?

Governor: I've been told that you did as good a job as could possibly be expected under the circumstances, though of  course…

Wood: With the obliteration of the town looming, tensions do run high.

Governor: Indeed. Just try to avoid any riots here. He smiles and extends his hand. Welcome to Grangefield High. I just hope you'll last a little longer  this time.

Outside Cheap Hotel-Day

The former Potentials, Buffy, Giles, Willow, Xander, Dawn, Faith and Andrew are standing outside with an estate agent.

Agent: Okay here are the keys, if you've got any problems you know the num,ber. Good luck with your. He stops, then gestures at the mixed group. Commune. Or whatever it is. Walks down to his car.

Rona: Still don't see why we've got to stay here. I mean we totally kicked the First's ass. Isn't it over?

Xander: Well this place shouldn't be the star attraction for assorted weirdness anymore.

Giles: Yes, but the vast majority of the demons which fled Sunnydale do seem to have settled in this town. And even with the Hellmouth gone there are still the few residual weak points in the inter-dimensional fabric that it left behind.

Dawn: But it's just temporary right?

Giles: Well theoretically demon population should eventually drop down to normal levels. And of course apocalypses will be far more difficult to arrange. However, they can still engage in normal demonic and vampiric activity which we must be aware of and take measures to-

Buffy: In other words, watch out for the ugly guys going "Crush, Kill, Destroy". What about Cleveland?

Giles: Yes with this one gone the other will soon be the centre of supernatural attention.

Dawn: What I don't get is why we've never heard of that one, but someone tried to end the world here once or twice every year. Why didn't they go there? Was this one more important or somethin'?

Giles looks embarrassed.

Giles: Actually no, we believe there was quite a simple reason why the Californian Hellmouth was more, well, popular.

Buffy: Which is?

Giles: Um, the weather's nicer here. In any case, they will now feel themselves drawn there, and it must be dealt with. I had a first hoped to send Faith, but she-

Faith: Is stayin' here. You've got about thirty of your little mini-slayers, you can find another victim.

Giles: Faith! Please don't refer to them as victims. We're not sending anyone off to die.

Faith: Wasn't talking about dying. Kinda meant havin' to live in Cleveland.

Buffy: Hey! You've never been. Cleveland might be nice.

Faith: You volunteerin'?

Giles looks at her hopefully.

Buffy: Oh no. No way. I'm not the only one now, and anyway, I've finally found a mall. I'm not trading in all my new outfits. Not considering how much they cost. Not that that I went on some crazy shopping spree and spent all our money on clothes.

Dawn: If you did then I get half of them.

Giles: Well, I had been hoping that one of the two more experienced of you could go, but as you say, there are enough now that you can have considerably more choice in the matter. In any case, we do plan to keep some Slayers here.

Buffy: Plan? We have a plan now? Why didn't anyone tell me we've got a plan?

Willow: We sorta wanted to surprise you.

Buffy: And who's we?

Willow: Uh, me and Giles.

Giles: Buffy, we have brought about a fundamental change in the balance of our struggle. We no longer need to locate the area of the greatest danger and send one Slayer to it to desperately try to prevent apocalypse. We have many Slayers, and many of them are still scattered throughout the world. To find them and to decide where a Slayer is needed we need organization. We need a new Watcher's Council.

Willow: An we thought that here would be a good place because most of the new Slayers can speak at least a little English-

New Slayer: Shouldn't it be in England then?

Willow: AND we wanted to get away from the bureaucracy of the old Council.

Giles: Also, this is where the nature of being a Slayer changed forever. We thought it would be fitting to have our new base of operations here.

Xander: And the reason the two of you decided this and didn't tell any of us is because?

Willow: I'm going to be a Watcher.

Kennedy: Mine? I like the sound of that

Giles: Actually, intimate relationships between Slayers and Watchers have been banned for several cen… Trails off as they glare at him. But of course the point of this is to make a fresh start.

Xander: And the reason we're putting it right next to the old Hellmouth is to say "Look at us. We killed the First. There are loads of us now. Be afraid. Be very afraid." Isn't that a little boasty?

Giles looks sheepish

Giles: Actually once the town has been rebuilt we were hoping to put it directly over the former Hellmouth.

Andrew: I like it. We put our Fortress of Solitude over the site of our greatest victory. It's neat.

Xander: And we want your opinion on this because?

Andrew: Sorry.

Buffy: I think the California things a great idea. Means teenage girls don't have creepy older men coming up to them and saying they've got to come to the graveyard with them. That was not a good way to start.

Rona: You mean we've got to stay in this place? 'Cause have to say, not thrilled.

Giles: Well, we hope to procure less Spartan accommodation soon, and of course if you can find a place to stay no-one will force you to stay here. But the option is open. 

Buffy: Okay, so the new and definitely temporary headquarters for the… Hey is it still called the Watcher's Council? 'Cause right now we sorta outnumber you 30 to one.

Giles: I'm sure we can think up a new name if you'd prefer.

Andrew: I can help with that. I'm good with names.

Dawn: We're not gonna call it something like the Justice League are we? 'Cause that'd be really lame.

Buffy: Don't worry. Any names put forward by Andrew will first have to undergo a rigorous set of anti-lameness treatments designed to remove all trace of Andrewness from them.

They walk into the hotel. The non-English speaking Slayers look on confused for a moment before following. Giles glances back at them.

Giles: We'll also need to find some translators. It was bad enough when frightened teenage girls couldn't understand us, but when supernatural strength is added we could have a serious problem.