I continued the story after the end of the seventh season. Everyone is headed for the second hellmouth, in Cleveland. This is my first story so I hope you all like it. -smrogers

"Now that is what I like to call kicking some ass!" Faith sat in the seat across from mine. I sat with Dawn, who was asleep against the window. It was dark out and the only ones who were awake were Faith and I. She was sharpening a wicked looking knife that I was pretty sure belonged to Willow, but I said nothing. Willow was in the back with Kennedy, who was sitting with all of the potentials. I smiled as I spotted Andrew drooling in the seat in front of Xander's. I knew that nothing would be the same. Too much has happened not to notice all of the hurt and pain that we will have to suffer in the weeks to come. I knew we would have to make some changes and some exceptions, but nothing would change the fact that we survived. Once again, we were the heroes.

Giles, our designated driver, slowed down and pulled into a deserted gas station. He got out and started pumping gas into the school bus. The night seemed warm, though it held no actual comfort. I should probably be feeling happy that I stopped yet another apocalypse, but, instead, I seemed void of emotion. It was as if my mind had shut down and was only sending me factual data. What I saw was what I saw. It wasn't how I interpreted it, but how I merely registered it.

"So, B, what are you going to do, now that there are so many of us?" Faith sat, but at the edge of her seat and leaned forward.

"I don't know. I mean, I have dreamt about it for so long… but now…." I let the sentence hang and watched as she glanced over toward Robin. I was unsure about what had happened between them, but something definitely had. The way Faith studied him was unusual for her. Before I could ask, Giles got back in and started the bus. We headed out on the highway again. It was dark and I knew Giles was tired. Of course, he was the only one on this bus qualified to drive the bus, especially because Robin was hurt. Of course, we had stopped at a hospital for supplies because he had insisted on waiting until we got to Cleveland before he was admitted or actually treated. Faith had fought him for a while, but she caved when Giles pointed out the fact that they were wasting his time fighting. So, here we were, driving almost twenty points over the speed limit and in a school bus about to break down.

"Giles, how far are we from Ohio?" I stood up only to end up on the floor as a spear skimmed my shoulder. The bus swerved as Giles tried to keep us on the road and Faith was already ready with a nasty looking sword.

"What's going on?" Dawn woke up and began to stand.

"No, stay down." Everyone was awake and the potentials were hunting for weapons. I was on my feet and standing beside Giles in less than a second.

"Faith, can you fight from on top?" I ducked an arrow and grabbed a crossbow.

"You bet I can."

"Great, take Kennedy." I ducked and tried to make my way to the back of the bus. On the way, I armed Dawn with a knife.

"What is going on?" Xander met me in the back with a sword. The bus swerved again and Xander tripped, cutting himself with the sword.

"Xander… be careful." I turned to the rest of the potentials and nodded. "Ready?" I got a few nods back and then got a surprise as an arrow pierced the brain of one of the girls.

"Get down!"

I opened the emergency exit and began shooting the top row of demons. Again, the bus swerved and I was thrown out of the bus. I rolled and was soon surrounded. I moaned and flipped to my feet. I punched one, knocking three back before front kicking another. Xander and Willow were on the ground seconds after me. I was handed a sword and immediately put it to use. As I swung, beheading yet another unmentionable demon, I was stopped by the fire engulfing the school bus.

"Dawn!" My voice cracked at the pitch of my scream. I had no way of getting to the bus. Demons surrounded me.

"Faith… Dawn."

I swung at a familiar looking demon, slicing his neck. He fell backward and I catapulted myself over the body and ran full speed toward the bus. The fire was out but the steam coming off of the metal stung my skin. I could hear coughing but it was almost impossible for someone to have survived. I walked up to the front and saw movement.

Giles!

He was alive. I ran to the windshield and kicked in the remaining glass. It melted and stuck to the bottom of my boot. I reached in and pulled Giles out. He was hurt pretty bad but I didn't see any major burns. I could tell his shoulder was out of place and his leg was broken, but the only thing I cared about was the fact that Giles was breathing.

There was a shout and I turned in time to see Faith hit the ground.

"Faith!" I pulled Giles to safety and ran back into the fight. Willow was off to the side working some kind of magic and Xander was in the middle, fighting for his life. Faith lay helpless on the ground, probably dead. A ball of flames appeared in the sky and each demon burst into a cloud of dust. Willow collapsed and Xander fell from the lack of the demon body he was strangling. I turned back to the bus, stunned into complete silence.

"Buffy?" Willow walked up to me and softly touched my arm. I turned to her, giving her a blank stare. I had no idea what had just happened. How could an ambush happen so quickly after the destruction of the hellmouth, and where exactly did it come from if the city had been completely destroyed?

Giles groaned and I was immediately at his side. "Giles?" I tried to feel for a pulse but was too shaky. Willow put her jacket underneath his head and wiped blood from his face. Xander came up behind us and collapsed at Giles' feet. For a moment, each of us just stared at each other in silence. Behind me sat the bus, smoldering and completely destroyed. Inside was Dawn… my baby sister who I had died for and cared for…. Nothing could change what had happened and nothing would.

Giles looked at me. I could see every ounce of hurt in his eyes. "I'm so sorry, Buffy."