Eyes blurry with unshed tears, Buffy miraculously found I-90 again and started heading west toward Chicago. When she thought they were far enough away from the downtown area, she picked up her phone and dialed the Council Headquarters. Hoping that her phone would finally work, she breathed a sigh of relief when her sister picked up and muttered a sleepy hello. "Dawn...It's Buffy..." She tried her best to think of the words that would soften the blow that was going to come next, but Dawn didn't let her finish her thoughts. "You were too late, weren't you?" Dawn sniffled a little over the phone. "What do we do now?"

"Here's what I want you to do...You remember that room we found in the library, the one like that Jodie Foster movie? Gather what you can, including food and water, and lock yourself in. As soon as I get off the phone, I'll send Anthony for you. Do NOT open the door for anyone but him. We have no idea who took the trouble to hide the real prophecy from us."

Willow snatched the phone from Buffy's ear. "Dawn, sweetheart, listen closely. Yes it's Willow. Shh...listen. Find Viggiona's Compendium. It should be in the library, third rack, second shelf. Grab duffle bags, boxes, whatever you can find to carry things. Also, I'd grab anything that means something to you. You won't be going back to your room. Work fast and call us back when you have everything gathered in the library." Willow hit end on the phone and plugged the charger into the base. "We can't risk losing something that might help us." She then dialed Giles' nephew Anthony. "Hey guy. We uhh didn't make it in time...We need you to go back to the house and help Dawn...Get there as soon as you can, they'll be coming for you...Just Buffy and myself...I'm really sorry Tony. We tried." She hit end again, trying to hold back the tears.

Buffy glanced at the gas gauge, "We are probably going to have to stop for gas soon."

"That's ok, I could use a few minutes to ground myself." Willow said. "Just try to find a discount store. We'll need some things to get through the next few days." They had left London in such a hurry, that no one had packed much more than a change of clothes and a few personal items. Neither of them wanted to think much about the two bags in the back that wouldn't be used.

"We'll just use the cards, not like anyone will be around next month to care about the bill." Buffy added. They drove in silence through the towns outside of Cleveland. "Oooh...Mall. We may be doomed, but I am so not dying in Walmart clothes." Buffy exited off the freeway and the girls went inside.

Everyone around them seemed to be going about their normal day. Buffy wanted to yell and scream and get them to run home and protect themselves, but she knew no one would listen and more likely she'd be escorted from the mall by security. She and Willow split up, each holding a Council Visa. Willow volunteered to go to the bookstore for a road atlas. Buffy went to the nearest department store for something to carry their future purchases. They decided to meet somewhere in the middle.

Six stores and an hour of speed shopping later, they had enough to get through the next few days and were ready to go. Buffy was about to walk out of the mall, when she spotted a baby in a stroller playing with some plastic keys. He looked so happy and innocent that she knew she had to at least try to make these people understand the fate that awaited all of them. Stopping at the mall guide, she turned and looked at her friend, "Willow, could you take the bags to the car and then bring it around to this exit. Leave the engine running." she pointed on the map to the nearest exit to the mall management office. Deducing her friends motives, Willow nodded sadly, "I have to call Kennedy's family anyway," and rolled their new suitcases toward the parking lot.

Buffy made her way to the nearly empty hallway that ended at the mall office. She waited a couple minutes until she was sure she had given Willow enough time to get the car. She broke into the office, surprising the security guard on duty. "Who..." He sputtered. There was a TV on in front of him detailing the riots currently happening in downtown Cleveland. Buffy glanced away and gruffly said, "No time. Mall speaker?" She spotted a microphone off to the side and moved toward it. The guard stood up and tried to block her way. "Now just a minute here, young lady."

Buffy shrugged his arm off of her and shoved him back into his seat. "Sit down and shut up. You'd be better off listening to what I have to say." He didn't reply, surprised that the young woman had manhandled him so easily.

She flicked the on button. "Testing." Satisfied that she was getting through the speaker system, she began her hastily prepared speech. "Everyone listen up…SHUT UP, AND LISTEN…" She waited a beat. "Soon, you'll be hearing about the riots going on near here. They aren't riots," Buffy turned around to look at the nervous security guard, "we are being invaded by things we deny exist. You have always believed them to be a myth, a bedtime story to scare children. I know that most of you won't believe me, but many of you have seen things...things you've tried to explain away. You know it's the truth. Demons are real and trying to take back the Earth." She took a deep breath to calm her shaky nerves and continued, "All I can tell you is get as far away from here as possible, go somewhere safe and prepare yourselves for the worst. Never, ever verbally invite anyone into your house, even if you think you know them. And make sure you have some kind of weapon nearby. Wooden stakes, axes, swords, holy water...guns in some cases will work. You need to protect yourselves. Go, please, please, please." The last part came out pleading more than Buffy would have liked, but she kept seeing that baby in the stroller. She hoped that at least some of them would listen.

Buffy set the microphone down and turned to the stunned guard. "You might want to go home. Heck find a cabin in the middle of nowhere, you'll have a better chance." With that, she flew out of the office and towards the exit where Willow would be waiting.

Buffy jumped into the passenger seat and Willow took off. "I tried to warn them. I know most will think I'm crazy, but maybe a couple...Oh God…." She trailed off as her voice started to crack. Willow grabbed her hand. "You did the best you could. We're not going to be able to save everybody. We have to keep reminding ourselves that." Buffy squeezed her hand as tight as she dared and watched the landscape go by. The phone rang and Buffy picked it up.

"Buffy, it's Dawn. I've got everything. The book is right in front of me and I think Anthony is pulling in the gate right now. Ask Willow what I need to do next."

Willow was already pulling over onto the next off ramp. "I'm going to pull into this gas station, you fill it up and I'll work with Dawn."

Buffy ran around the car working on getting them on the road again, while Willow talked Dawn into doing a spell from the compendium. "Turn to the page with the picture of the ugly lamp. It should be near the center. You found it? Good. What does it say we need?" There was silence as Willow listened and collected her thoughts. "Halfway down the next page, there is the spell, it's not in English, but we are going to rewrite it so it will be. Grab a pen and paper. You are going to write this down, but don't say anything until it's all written." There was silence again as Willow waited on Dawn. "Anthony's there now? Good. Have him find the two taper candles, one black, one white. Also the lamp oil and the sage, they should both be in the kitchen." She listened patiently while waiting for them to get the preparation items. She grabbed a notebook from the glove box and started writing down lines. "Got it? Okay, this is gonna be kinda messy. You need to pour the oil around you in a circle. Make sure you have a holder in it with you, it'll be necessary to set the burning sage on something. You light the sage, then say this..."

She recited her hastily prepared spell for Dawn, satisfied that it should work and then added. "After you finish, have Anthony blow out the black candle and then you the white. The oil should go poof and then it should smell like a burnt martini. Make sure most of the lights are off because everything that you still need to pack should give off a faint glow. Put it all away in the secret room then drop the anti-theft spell on the books. You remember how to do that right? Good. The two of you lock yourselves in and we'll call you when we can get you out." She hung up and waited for Buffy to come out of the Shell station with their snacks.

When they made it back onto the road, Willow kept the Hummer running 10 miles over the speed limit, pushing it faster whenever someone passed them. They made very good time to the Indiana border. Once they were clear of Ohio the girls started to relax and think about their predicament.

They discussed how they were going to manage from this point on. They agreed that every time they stopped for gas, they would also stock up on things that would be necessary to survive the coming days. They had a small supply of food, clothes and a couple swords that they had brought from London with them. But, they knew it wouldn't be enough, life as they knew it was coming to an end. They started making a list of things that they wanted look for when they stopped.

Willow nervously drummed her fingers on the steering wheel. "Buffy, where are we going to go?" Willow quietly asked.

"I don't know. I was so intent on getting out so we could regroup. Why did you tell me to go west?" Buffy glanced at Willow.

"I'm not sure, it just blurted out. Maybe my subconscious knew we'd run out of real estate fast if we went east." Willow stared blankly down the road. "At least going this way, we don't have to worry until we reach the crater formerly known as Sunnydale. I know it will take weeks before the demons catch up with us. But what are we going to do then?"

Buffy sighed, knowing the answer to their problems lay in California, but still not liking it. "Angel, we'll go to Angel's place in LA." Buffy yawned and snuggled into her seat intent on taking a short nap. "Let me know when we are near Chicago, one of Giles' contacts there is a sword maker. He'll be able to help us out in that department."