Disclaimer: I do not own Buffy the Vampire Slayer, nor do I own Battlestar Galactica. They are owned by Joss Whedon and Ronald D. Moore respectively. I merely play with their toys while they're away. Also, this series entirely ignores anything not directly mentioned in Battlestar Galactica, so ignore anything from Caprica. This was conceived before that, so I'm not letting it hamper my creativity.

"A myth. That's all it is. Those bastards put together a few historical accounts, a few discounted myths and ideas about an obscure goddess and use it to control the entire Colonial response to the subterrestrial threat. And I'll be damned if a bunch of inbred Taurons with their made up amazons will run my life in any way!"
-Margaret Walsh, Ph.D. (Caprica) on the formation of the Initiative

Earlier

The small convoy of Scoobies now came upon the small apartment complex in another part of Sunnydale where former Sunnydale High School librarian, and the Slayer's watcher and general research person, Rupert Giles, made his home. It wasn't a bad apartment complex, overall, and it had made for Scooby central for the last year or so, since the loss of Sunnydale High School's library and, well, any real purpose in Giles' life besides his Slayer.

Buffy, honestly, really did feel bad about basically abandoning Giles since she had started college; it's just that, with everything happening, trying to become her own person and grow outside the home, to the slaying, the Initiative, various frat parties…Buffy had really lost sight of Giles among all her other thoughts.

But now was definitely a time she needed Giles. An apocalypse. One she couldn't stop. Nukes.he gathered herself together as they approached the complex, and banged on Giles door. They waited about a minute, before the door came open, Giles in a rather embarrassing (had Buffy been paying attention to anything but the imminent apocalypse) set of pajamas. Dawn stifled a laugh, even.

"What is it, Buffy? What is this?" he said, seeing everyone else around her.

Buffy tried to put it in the simplest, non-Caprican, non-Valley Girl manner she possibly could without possibly devolving to a Sagittaron level of education – "Apocalypse. Warning. Cordelia. Not slayable. Nukes. Pack."

It took Giles a few seconds to process what she had said, but he immediately went back in. The rest of the Scoobies – Buffy, Riley, Dawn, and Buffy's mom – followed him into the apartment. After Giles had dressed in something vaguely resembling clothing and packed a bare minimum, including his absolute smallest number of ancient texts – twelve – he asked,

"What is the plan, Buffy?"

"Riley and I discussed it on the way over, Giles," Buffy said. Riley interrupted her,

"The Initiative was evacuated pretty quick after the Deucalion mess," Riley said, "I know they left a few things down there so we could pretend nothing happened, and moving some of the heavy equipment requires a little too much heavy lifting to get rid of so fast."

Riley breathed before continuing, "There should be at least a couple raptors – military space shuttles – left in the Initiative, with their launch keys. If we can get there, we can fly right out of Sunnydale and off Caprica. 'Course, if there isn't an apocalypse, they'll nail all of us for theft of military property."

Rupert Giles removed his glasses and began cleaning them, "Well, it does sound like our best option if we need to get out of Sunnydale quickly. After all, we have-"

Suddenly, Buffy tensed to the sound of a very distant explosion – one that, apparently, no one else heard. She ignored Giles as she went over to the audio wireless, clicking it on quickly, as it came out

"-cifica, Universal, Rycon, Cerberus, Ulysses and Atlas have been confirmed destroyed over the planet, and we've had reports of Cylon basestars throughout Caprican space. We're going live to Ed Gazni in Caprica City for the story there."

They all approached, eyes widening, staring at the wireless as another voice came through the speakers,

"Esther, there is utter chaos here in Caprica City! Cylon fighters are flying over the city without challenge and there is a mass jam of cars trying to get out of the city immediately – (bleep), more like yesterday! I'm, holy (bleep)! I don't know what you're seeing, but I could see a cloud hitting to the west, toward the government section of the city. In this situation, one must ask – where are the Fleet? They're supposed to protect us! Where is the President! Where is the-"

Suddenly a massive whine came down on the wireless, forcing them all to cover their ears for a few seconds before static replaced it on the wireless. Buffy took the wireless, threw it across the room, and hefted a sword,

"Let's get out of here."

Present

As they now sat on the main deck of the Colonial One, they exchanged stories of their last hours. Xander and Anya's incredibly lucky break with the Malafide in Saloniki, Willow and Tara's simply being in the right place at the right time on the newly christened Colonial One, and, of course, Buffy, Dawn and Giles' daring escape from Sunnydale itself on an Initiative raptor.

While they told the stories in a rather light tone, a sense of sadness – no, depression – had descended upon the Scooby gang. Indeed, the sense had fallen upon everyone on the ship. Willow continued to leave and come back, working with the woman, who Buffy had vaguely realized was now the President. Gods, how things could change quickly.

Buffy was now in a relatively abandoned part of the craft, near the cockpit, staring out the windows into the blackness of space and the botanical cruisers and other ships that floated outside Colonial One.

Buffy could hear (supernatural hearing really can come in handy, after all) the long, winded tones of Rupert Giles describe, in great detail, the later parts of their escape from Sunnydale through the Initiative base. Dawn had, uncharacteristically, barely spoken since their arrival at Colonial One, contenting herself with frequent hugs to Xander, Willow and Tara, which all three had provided liberally.

"Hey, Buff."

Buffy looked back, and it was Xander standing there, a half-smile now on his features.

"So, looking at space? I find looking at space to be a bit too spacey for me."

Buffy smirked slightly as she 'hit' her friend's arm, "That was terrible, even for you."

"Eh, you hit and you miss. Well, except you. You hit and you hit and you hit and…that's not really the point, now, is it?"

Buffy gave a small, genuine smile, her eyes joining her mouth for the first time since…gods, was Dawn's birthday only yesterday? It had felt like so much longer.

"There's the Slayer we know and love."

Buffy turned back away from her friend, her face going blank as she looked out the window again, "It's hard."

"I know."

The simplicity of Xander's answer, the reassurance in his voice, at least in this moment, made Buffy wipe a tear from one of her eyes, turn around, and embrace him fully, though softly, not straining his lungs with her 'excessive' Slayer strength. She spoke quietly, so only Xander could hear her, and even then, just barely, "How am I supposed to defend humans when they destroy themselves?"

Xander just returned the hug, rubbing his friend's back fraternally, "I dunno, Buff. But, they're not all gone. You can still do…what you can."

Buffy opened her eyes, looking up at her Xander-shaped friend, and smiled slightly, before she frowned. Xander noticed the change in her readiness, and asked, "What is it?"

Buffy strained her hearing to hear the words being exchanged in the cockpit –

"Well, I just thought you should know. That girl you met earlier, Cammy – her ship can't make the jump."

Silence for seconds,

"Thank you."

"Set ESB trajectory."

"Colonial One, for gods' sake, you can't just leave us here!"

"Set."

"Colonial One, this is Picon 36. I can't believe you want us to leave these people behind!"

"Cycle."

"At least tell us where you're going! We'll follow at sublight!"

"No. If they're captured, then the Cylons know too."

"Please!"

"I've got fifty people aboard! Colonial One, do you copy this?"

"Spinning up FTL drive now."

"Don't leave us here! Sweet humanity, we don't have any weapons!"

"All ships, prepare to jump on our mark. Five,"

"Colonial One, please respond!"

"Four,"

"May the Lords of Kobol protect those souls we leave behind."

"Three,"

"I've got dradis contact. Inbound targets, headed this way!"

Buffy closed her eyes, mentally preparing herself for the stress of faster than light travel.

"Two,"

"I see them too, are they Colonial?"

"One,"

"Oh my gods, they're Cylons!"

Buffy squeezed Xander harder as he held the blonde Slayer protectively.

"Mark."

"I HOPE YOU PEOPLE ROT IN HELL FOR THIS!"

After Colonial One jumped, the floodgates of Buffy's eyes were let loose, and she cried into Xander's chest.