Connor took Buffy's left side and Angel took her right as they made their way through Sunnydale. They walked in silence for a few blocks before Angel held out his hand. Buffy smiled and handed him the scythe. He began to inspect it closely, admiring the craftmanship. "This is the thing Caleb was so anxious to keep away from you?"

"That it is." Buffy confirmed.

"Maybe you should've had Spike swing by the vineyard to make sure he's sitting tight." Buffy shot Angel an annoyed look and took the scythe back. "Sorry. I've been cooped up with him all day coming up with worst case scenarios. He's a drama queen."

"You wanna be the pot or the kettle?" Angel laughed and Buffy's annoyance with his snide remarks about Spike melted. His laugh really was her favorite sound in the whole world.

"You guys aren't going to start making out, right?" Connor asked. "Cause Buffy's told me about your version of patrol together."

Buffy reached over and playfully punched Connor's shoulder. "Shut up."

"I just figured with us going to a graveyard and the looks you two keep giving each other…."

"We're not going to make out." Angel said. "Wait, we're headed to a graveyard?"

"Yeah." Buffy said. "Do you remember that big pyramid tomb at the back of Shady Hill?"

"That's where we're going?"

"Apparently it's connected to this thing." Buffy lifted the scythe for a moment. "Can you hear it?" Angel shook his head. "Just checking."

"So…. that thing talks to you?"

"It doesn't talk to me, but…. I can hear it in my head when I'm not holding it. It's like a low hum. When I hold it," She looked down at the handle clutched in her right hand. "I feel…. Whole, I guess. That humming kind of spreads through me and I can feel every bit of my Slayer-ness."

"That's pretty incredible."

"I don't think it's just a pretty weapon, though. It can't be. Caleb and the First really didn't want me to have it and then they just…. Backed off when I got my hands on it."

"You should've seen his face." Connor said. "He was terrified of her."

"He should be." Angel said. "Buffy's pretty fierce."

"I'm getting that."

The three of them walked into the cemetery and headed for the very back near the woods. Buffy opened the gate, wincing at the screech the rusted metal gave, and headed towards the pyramid. She turned to look at Angel and Connor. "We'll be out here. Yell if you need us." Angel nodded encouragingly at her and she turned to kick the door in. With one last look at the two men, she headed inside.

"Why aren't we going with her?" Connor asked.

"It's a Slayer thing." Angel said. "If she needs us, she'll call us."

"What are we doing until then?"

"Waiting."

"Oh."

They stood there in silence for a few minutes, both of them waiting for any signal from Buffy. Finally, Angel turned to look at his son. "I'm sorry about what happened with Cordelia."

Connor shrugged. "It wasn't your fault. She was evil."

Angel blinked for a moment, not expecting that answer from his son. "I know, but…. It wasn't right what happened to you. That thing that took over Cordelia…. It manipulated you. Used you. I'm sorry I couldn't protect you better."

"I wouldn't let you. I didn't want you to protect me."

Angel nodded, but his attention was suddenly on the doorway to the tomb. He rushed down the stairs to find Buffy on the ground struggling to stand up and Caleb with the scythe poised to cut off her head.

"I was kind of hoping it'd go this way." Caleb said.

"Hey!" Angel punched Caleb with all his force, sending the preacher stumbling back. Connor helped Buffy to her feet and he and Angel flanked her, getting ready to take on Caleb. She turned around, though, and pushed them both back. Angel nodded in understand. "One of those things you have to finish yourself?"

"Really kinda is." Buffy said, grateful that he understood.

Angel gently pulled Connor back toward a pillar where they were out of the way and able to enjoy the coming show. He looked at Caleb and smiled. "You are so gonna lose."

Buffy attacked Caleb first. They were almost evenly matched. Caleb managed to take the scythe away from Buffy again. He punched her, sending her careening into a wall. She turned just as he charged toward her with the wooden end of the scythe. Buffy ducked and the scythe lodged in the stone wall where her head had been. She pulled the scythe out of the wall as she kicked Caleb away from her.

"God, I never get tired of watching this." Angel said.

"She's pretty awesome." Connor agreed.

Buffy smiled, hearing their little conversation. She ducked a punch and swung the scythe in an arc and slicing through Caleb's stomach. He stumbled back, laughing and wagging his finger at her, before falling to the floor. Buffy looked at him and nodded before turning to Angel. "See? Under control."

Angel smiled and leaned down to kiss her. "Get a room." Connor joked.

"You've only had him for a few weeks and he's gained a sense of humor." Angel said, lightly punching Connor's arm.

"He's a good kid." Buffy said. "Just needed some room to grow."

"Can we get out of here?" Connor asked.

"Yes!" Buffy hefted her scythe and turned for the door.

Angel, who was bringing up the rear, was suddenly hit over the head with a large cat statue. He went tumbling across the floor to reveal Caleb standing there with black blood streaming from his eyes and nose as he raised the statue. "Are you ready to finish this, bitch?!"

He swung the statue at Buffy's head, but she blocked it with her scythe. The hit knocked her backwards and she hit the ground in a roll. Connor moved in to help, but Buffy waved him away as she popped to her feet. "Check on your dad." She swung the scythe at Caleb's head again, but he blocked it with the cat statue before knocking her to the ground. He threw the statue at her, but she dodged it. "Ok, how many times do I have to kill you? Ballpark figure."

"You understand nothing." Caleb said.

Buffy swung her scythe at Caleb again, but he grabbed it, holding it still, and punched her twice in the face. While she was still holding tightly to the scythe, he lifted her into the air and pinned her against the ceiling. Buffy struggled to get away, fighting to keep the sharp blades in the middle of the handle. Caleb finally let her fall to the floor as he walked around her in a circle. She managed to get to her feet and he picked her up by her neck.

"You think you have power over me?" Caleb growled. Buffy broke free and kicked him backwards. "Stupid girl." He got to his feet as Buffy grabbed her scythe. "You'll never stop me. You don't have the ba…." Buffy cut his words off by swinging the blade of her scythe between his legs.

"Who does nowadays?" Buffy used her significant strength to pull the scythe up through his body, making one Caleb into two very dead Calebs.

Connor helped Angel up off the floor. "Ok, now I'm pissed." Angel said. "Where is he?"

Buffy and Connor each looked at one half of Caleb on either side of Buffy. "He had to split." Buffy said as she burst into giggles. Angel laughed too, shaking his head at her joke.

Connor suddenly laughed and they looked at him. "Sorry. I just got that."

That caused Buffy and Angel to start laughing again with Connor joining in. After a few minutes, they headed out of the tomb and back out into the fresh night air. "Hey, who was the dead woman?" Angel asked.

"Uh, she said she was a Guardian. She watched the Watchers." Buffy said. "She told me she was one of the Guardians who put the scythe in the stone."

"She's just been hiding out in the little pyramid all this time?"

"I guess. She also said that this thing is a powerful weapon, but I've already got weapons."

"What does that mean?" Connor asked.

"No clue. I want to check in with Giles and Willow to let them know what I've found, then I want to go get some rest."

"Sounds like a plan." Angel said.

They walked through the front door a little while later to find Dawn waiting by the front door. She kicked the wide-eyed Buffy in the shin. "Ow." Buffy griped.

"Dumbass." Dawn retorted.

Buffy looked accusingly at Xander at his spot in the dining room with Anya, Giles, and Willow. "Don't look at me." He said. "This is a Summers' thing. It's all very violent."

Buffy sighed and looked at Dawn. "If you get killed, I'm telling."

"Did you find out anything about the scythe?" Willow asked.

"It slices, dices, and makes julienne preacher."

"Caleb?" Giles asked.

"She cut him in half." Connor said proudly.

"All right!" Willow cried.

"He had that coming." Anya said.

"Hey, party in my eye socket and everyone's invited." Everyone turned confusing stares on Xander. "Sometimes I shouldn't say words." He said sheepishly.

Buffy smiled sympathetically. "I'm going to go upstairs and pack a bag. Connor, Angel, and I will be at the mansion if you need us."

Buffy and Angel sat curled up on the couch in the living room in front of a roaring fire. Connor had gone to bed, giving them their privacy. Angel gripped her hand in his, bringing her knuckles to his lips every so often. Every time his lips made contact, he said a silent prayer of thanks to Willow for giving him back his happiness.

"What are you thinking?" Buffy asked, looking up at him.

"I'm not thinking much of anything." Angel said. "Except how happy I am."

"Even with the end of the world looming?"

"Even with." He confirmed. "I might have something to help you."

"What do you mean?" Angel got up and went over to his duffel bag. He rifled around the contents and pulled out a large, brown accordion envelope. "What is that?"

"Did Connor tell you that I had business to attend to before I came down here?"

"He mentioned it. I just figured it had something to do with evil-Cordelia."

"It did. Sort of." He lifted the file up in display for a moment. "This came from Wolfram and Hart. They offered me a way to help you stop this apocalypse."

"I'm sorry, what?"

"Apparently stopping the Power That Was that used Cordy…. It stopped world peace. Completely against their agenda. This," Again, he lifted the file up briefly in display. "Was to sweeten their deal with me to take over the LA branch."

"The branch that's tried to kill you for years now?"

"Yes."

"And you took this deal? To help me?"

"Not just for that reason. I want to take them down from the inside. Get in their inner workings and put a wrench in it." He reached into the large file. "I, uh, brought something else as well." Pulling out a large amulet on a chain, he held it up for Buffy to see. The amulet was about two inches around with a large crystal in the middle of a silver starburst setting.

"I can already tell you, I have nothing that goes with that."

"It's not for you."

"Splainy?"

"I don't know everything. It's very powerful and probably very dangerous. It has a purifying power, a cleansing power, possibly scrubbing bubbles. The translation is, uh…. Anyway, it bestows strength to the right person who wears it."

"And the right person is?"

"Someone ensouled, but stronger than human. A champion. As in me."

"Or me."

"No. I don't know nearly enough about this to risk you wearing it. Besides, you got that real cool scythe going for you."

"I can't risk you, Angel."

"Guess that leaves me." Spike said from the garden doorway. Buffy and Angel turned to look at him. "Someone ensouled, but stronger than human? You won't risk him, we won't risk you, so that leaves me."

"It's volatile." Buffy said. "We don't know…."

"You'll be needing someone strong to bear it, then. You planning on giving it to Andrew?"

"The amulet was meant to be worn by a champion." Angel said.

"Spike may not be the most conventional champion, but…." Buffy stood up and took the amulet from Angel. "He counts." She walked over to Spike and handed him the amulet.

"Been called a lot of things in my time." Spike said. Buffy gave his arm a squeeze before turning to go to the bedroom. "Buffy." She turned and he gave Angel a slightly nervous look. "Look, I…. I just want you to be happy. As much as I want it, I know it'll never be with me." He stood up a little straighter and looked the taller vampire in the eye. "Angel, you've got yourself a great girl. Don't hurt her ever again or I'll make you pay for it even if it kills me. She's the best thing that will ever happen to you and she's giving you another chance at happiness. Don't muck it up." Spike turned on his heels and headed back out into the night.

Angel blinked a few times, not sure what to say for a long moment. Buffy broke the silence, though. "Ok, then. That was…. Easy."

"Did he just…." Angel shook his head. "But, Spike…."

"Has changed." Buffy reached out a took his hand. "Come on. Let's get some sleep."

It was in the early morning hours that Buffy found herself popping awake. She turned her head and looked around the dark room, feeling incredibly calm. The scythe was laying just under her side of the bed, easily accessible if needed. It hummed softly in her head, letting her know it was ready for her to complete the circuit.

Angel was lying beside her on his side, facing her, with his hand on her hip. He was sound asleep and looked peaceful. She reached out and lightly stroked a finger down his jawline, causing him to smile in his sleep. With a smile of her own, she slipped out of bed, put on Angel's shirt, and headed out of the room.

She found herself in the moonlit garden, enjoying the feel of the cool stone on her bare legs. The night sky above twinkled with stars and she looked up at it, taking it all in. A movement out of the corner of her eye caught her attention and she found Caleb standing there.

"Pretty, ain't it?" He asked.

Buffy wasn't worried. It was just the First in Caleb's form. He couldn't touch her. "You're not him."

"No, you killed him right and proper. Terrible loss. This man was my good right arm. Course, it don't pain me too much. Don't need an arm. Got an army."

"An army of vampires. However will I fight…."

"Every day our numbers swell. But then you do have an army of your own. Some thirty-odd pimply-faced girls, don't know the pointy end of a stake. Maybe I should call this off."

"Have you ever considered a cool name? I mean, since you're incorporeal and basically powerless. How about 'The Taunter?' Strikes fear in the heart…."

"I will overrun this Earth. And when my army outnumbers the humans on this Earth, the scales will tip and I will be made flesh."

"Talk on. I'm not afraid of you."

"Then why aren't you asleep in your dead lover's arms? Cause he can't help you. Nor Faith, nor your friends, certainly not your wanna-slay brigade. None of those girlies will ever know real power unless you're dead. You know the drill," The First morphed into Buffy's form. "Into every generation, a Slayer is born. One girl in all the world. She alone will have the strength and skill to…. There's that word again. What you are. How you'll die. Alone. Where's your snappy comeback?"

"You're right."

"Hmm. Not your best."

Connor appeared in the doorway and looked around. "Are you ok?"

"Yeah." She smiled.

"Were you talking to someone?"

Buffy chuckled. "Myself."

"Buffy?" Angel asked, walking out into the garden. "Is something wrong?"

"No. Yeah." She stood up. "I just realized something. Something that really never occurred to me before. We're gonna win."

"How do you figure?"

Buffy smiled and walked back into the bedroom. She picked up the scythe and came back out. "Because I have this and I have Willow." Angel and Connor exchanged confused glances.

Giles, Dawn, Faith, Xander, Anya, and Willow all stared incredulously at Buffy. Angel and Connor stood on either side of her, smiling proudly. They had discussed the plan before coming over to the house. Now they were convened in Buffy's room at her house laying the plan out.

"What do you think?" Buffy asked.

"That depends." Xander said. "Are you in any way kidding?"

"You don't think it's a good idea?"

"It's pretty radical, B." Faith said.

"It's a lot more than that." Giles said. "Buffy, what you said, it…. It flies in the face of everything we've ever…. Every generation has ever done in the fight against evil. I think it's bloody brilliant."

"You mean that?"

"If you want my opinion."

"Whoa, hey." Willow said. "Not to poop on the party here, but I'm the guy that's gonna have to pull this thing off."

"It is beaucoup d'mojo." Faith said.

"This goes beyond anything I've ever done. It's a total loss of control, and not in a nice, wholesome, my girlfriend has a pierced tongue kind of way."

"I wouldn't ask if I didn't think you could do it." Buffy said.

"I'm not sure that I'm stable enough."

"You can do this, Willow." Angel said.

"We'll get the coven on the line, and we'll find out how they can help." Giles offered.

"Oh!" Dawn cried, nodding. "Pierced tongue."

"Dawn needs to do a research thing." Buffy yelped.

"Yes, you do." Giles agreed.

"It's cool." Dawn sighed, heading for the door. "Watcher junior to the library."

"I'll go dig up my sources. Quite literally, actually." Giles followed Dawn out of the room.

"Come on, let's go assemble the cannon fodder." Anya said, pulling Xander to his feet.

"That's not what we're calling them, sweetie." Xander said, following Anya out.

"Not to their faces. What, am I insensitive?"

"Your friends are a real hoot." Connor said to Buffy.

"You should've known them when they were your age." Angel said.

Buffy laughed as she handed the scythe over to Willow. "Ready to make your big speech to the troops?" Faith asked.

"Think they'll kick me out for it?" Buffy asked. She may have had a playful edge to her voice, but Angel knew she wasn't kidding. She didn't really trust anyone outside of him, Connor, and Spike.

They moved downstairs where everyone was waiting. Angelstayed at her back, offering her a comforting presence if she needed it. The girls all turned their attention to her and she straightened her back. "I hate this. I hate being here. I hate that you have to be here. I hate that there'sevil, and that I was chosen to fight it. I wish, a whole lot of the time, that I hadn't been. I know a lot of you wish I hadn't been either. But this isn't about wishes. This is about choices. I believe we can beat this evil. Not when it comes, not when its army is ready, now. Tomorrow morning I'm opening the Seal. I'm going down into the Hellmouth, and I'm finishing this once and for all. Right now you're asking yourself, 'what makes this different? What makes us anything more than a bunch of girls being picked off one by one?' It's true none of you have the power that Faith and I do. So here's the part where you make a choice: What if you could have that power now? In every generation, one Slayer is born because a bunch of men who died thousands of years ago made up that rule. They were powerful men. This woman," Buffy pointed to Willow. "Is more powerful than all of them combined." Thered headlet out a nervous whimper. "So I say we change the rule. I say my power, should be our power. Tomorrow, Willow will use the essence of the scythe to change our destiny. From now on, every girl in the world who might be aSlayer, will be a Slayer. Every girl who could have thepower, will have the power. Can stand up, will stand up. Slayers…. Every one of us. Make your choice. Are you ready to be strong?"

Angel played with the Claddagh ring on Buffy's finger, gently twirling it around. They laid in bed, facing each other, and waited for the dawn to come. Neither of them could sleep for long periods of time that night. So, all through the night they alternated between dozing and making love.

"Where did you find it?" Angel asked.

Buffy looked down at the ring. "It was in that drawer." She gestured at the nightstand on Angel's side of the bed. "I found it when I was cleaning up."

"I didn't know you came here after I left."

"Yeah. It was my way of being near you. All summer long after you left, I kept seeing you in random places. Tore my heart out each time."

"I saw you, too. In LA." He wove his fingers with hers. "Tore my heart out each time."

"Were we stupid to be apart that long?"

"Maybe. But we found our way back here."

She looked up at him. "Angel, I…."

"What?"

"I want to come help you."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, if we survive today, I want to leave Sunnydale with you and I want to help you with this thing against Wolfram and Hart."

"Why?"

She sighed. "You know why Connor and I hit it off so fast? Because I understand him. I understand how he's feeling. The only time I've felt wanted by my friends is when they need something from me. It's gotten to the point where I wonder some days if they brought me back from the dead because they actually thought they were saving me from hell or if it was because they were scared and wanted me here to protect them. I really wasn't lying when I said I was tired. This is the reason. I shouldn't have to wonder why my friends want me around. I shouldn't be worried they'll kick me out of my own house when I make another hard decision they don't like. With you…. I know you want me no matter what. I don't wonder where my place is with you. Well, I mean, I do now that we can…. Do this, but…."

He gave her a small smile. "I know what you meant." His fingers gave her hand a reassuring squeeze. "I'll always want you, Buffy. Even when we couldn't…. Do this, I wanted you." He lifted her chin gently. "I'm going to ask you something I know I haven't asked you nearly enough and I don't think anyone else really has either. What do you want?"

Buffy took in a breath as she contemplated her answer. "What I want is to be happy. I want to choose my own path for once. I want to choose you and everything that comes with you."

Angel reached down and pulled her leg on his hip, sliding himself against her. "Then that's what you'll have." He pushed into her, making her gasp in pleasure. "I'll be here for as long as you want me."

"How's forever?" Buffy asked between the slow gentle thrusts of their hips. "Does forever work for you?"

"Forever works just fine with me." He closed the short distance between their lips.

The big yellow school bus pulled to a stop outside the high school. It was loaded to the brim with potentials and Scoobies. The back two seats on the right side of the bus had been converted to a light tight box to keep Spike and Angel safe from the sun. Robin Wood led Faith, Dawn, Giles, Spike, and the potentials into the school with Connor, Buffy, and Angel bringing up the rear. Angel had to smile at Buffy when he noticed the light reflect off the cross necklace he had given her the first time they'd met in a dark alley.

"Welcome to Sunnydale High." Robin said. "There's no running in the halls, no yelling, no gum chewing. Apart from that, there's only one rule. If they move, kill them."

Buffy moved to the head of the group. "Ok, potentials, in the basement. Follow Faith and Spike." Faith and Spike headed down the hallway towards the basement with the potentials following.

"If you have to go to the bathroom, it's to your left." Xander called after them. "If you don't have to go to the bathroom, picture what you're about to face. Better to go now."

"Willow, my office is straight through there." Robin said, gesturing to the office beside them.

"It's right over the seal." Buffy said.

"I'll start getting you set up." Kennedy took the bag from Willow that she'd brought with all of her supplies.

"Thanks." Willow said.

"Ok, civilians." Robin said. "The vampires get upstairs, we have three areas they could get through to another building and then down into the sewers. Down the hall in the atrium, the north hall here, and the primary target, through the lounge straight to the science building. Now odds are, most of them will head there."

"Teams of 2 then." Giles said. "I suggest you and I take the lounge."

"I concur." Robin agreed.

"Xander, I want you with Dawn." Buffy said.

"I concur." Xander giggled.

"We'll check out the atrium." Dawn said.

"So that leaves me and the dungeon master in the north hall?" Anya asked.

"We will defend it with our very lives." Andrew declared.

"Yes, we will defend it with his very life."

"And don't be afraid to use him as a human shield." Xander said.

"Good, yes, thanks."

"I just want to say how proud I am to die for this very special cause with you guys." Andrew pulled out a piece of notebook paper out of his pocket. "There's some, um…. There's people I'd like to thank, both good and evil. Um, a shout out to my brother Tucker, who gave me the inspiration to summon demons and also…."

"Nobody cares, you little monkey." Anya said, grabbing Andrew by the arm and hauling him down the hallway.

"I'm gonna check out our field of engagement." Dawn said.

Buffy went after her. "Dawn…."

"No. Anything you say is gonna sound like good-bye." Dawn turned and kept walking.

Buffy watched her sister for a moment before walking back over to the group still standing in the hallway. It was only her, Connor, Angel, Willow, Xander, and Giles now. Four of the people that had been with her since she had moved to this tiny town on top of a Hellmouth and a teenager that was quickly becoming like a son to her.

"So, what do you guys want to do tomorrow?" Connor asked.

"Nothing strenuous." Willow said.

"Well, mini-golf is always the first thing that comes to mind." Xander said.

"I think we can do better than that." Giles argued.

"I was thinking about shopping." Buffy said. "As per usual."

"Oh! There's an Arden B. in the new mall!" Willow offered.

"I could use a few items." Angel said.

"Well, now aren't we gonna discuss this? Save the world to go to the mall?" Giles asked.

"I'm having a wicked shoe craving." Buffy said.

"Aren't you on the patch?" Xander asked.

"Those never work." Willow said.

"Here I am, invisible to the eye…." Giles turned and headed down the hallway to meet up with Robin. "The world is doomed."

"Giles," Buffy said, stopping him. "I, uh…. When this is over, I'm leaving."

"What do you mean?" Xander asked.

"Leaving where?" Willow asked.

"I'm moving back to LA to be with Angel." Buffy took his hand. "I'm going to follow my arrow to happiness and it's pointing at him."

"What about Sunnydale?" Giles asked. "Who'll protect it?"

"Well, if everything goes right, then the Hellmouth will be closed." Angel said.

"But…." Xander started.

Connor cut him off. "It's what she wants and we need to respect that."

Willow took a deep breath. "If that's what you want, Buffy…."

"It is." Buffy confirmed.

"Then I hope you and Angel will be very happy together. It's why I took out the loophole. I'm happy you can finally be happy."

Xander sighed. "I haven't been very fair to either of you over the years. If this is what you want, Buff, then you should go for it. We shouldn't ever hold you back from your happiness. I'm sorry if we have."

"Thank you." Buffy looked at Angel and Connor. The three of them headed down the hallway together, moving towards the basement. Faith, Spike, and the potentials stood around the Seal of Danzalthar.

Faith held out a knife to Buffy as she took her place next the darker Slayer. "You first, B."

Buffy sighed and took the knife. She sliced a shallow cut into the palm of her hand before handing the knife back to Faith. Once all the potentials had cut their hands, they held their bleeding hands out over the seal. It activated with a bright, glowing light and began to sink into the ground, forming a staircase into the Hellmouth itself.

Buffy went in first, not even hesitating. Angel and Connor flanked her with Faith and Spike behind them. They entered a cavern and heard the growls and rumblings of the Hellmouth.

"Not to be a buzzkill," Spike said, poking at the amulet around his neck. "But my fabulous accessory isn't exactly tingling with power."

"I'm not worried." Buffy said.

"I'm getting zero juice here and I look like Elizabeth Taylor."

"Cheer up, Liz." Faith said, beating Angel to the punchline. She laughed at his glare. "Willow's big spell doesn't work, it won't matter what you wear."

Buffy came to a stop at the edge of a cliff and her jaw dropped. Thousands upon thousands of Turok-Han were mobbed below them. "I'm not worried." She squeaked.

"Really?" Rona asked. "Cause I'm flashing back to Xander's whole bathroom speech."

"Buffy…." Connor started.

"I'm not worried." Buffy said more forcefully. "As long as Willow can work her spell before they…." The Turok-Han looked up at them. "See us." The snarling Turok-Han army rushed toward the cliff. Buffy and Angel exchanged worried glances, but they held their ground. "Willow…."

Suddenly a wind only the two Slayers and the potentials could feel ran through the cavern. They all glowed golden for a moment, shining with the power of the Slayer. Buffy felt her own power raise up a few notches. Her strength felt even greater now and she got an extra burst of energy. There would probably be some repercussions from the power boost later, but she didn't have time to think about it as the wave of ancient vampires swarmed them.

All around her, the new Slayers fought with everything they had. Angel and Connor tried to stay close to her. The three of them formed a deadly dance, turning the vampires to dust. Kennedy came running into the Hellmouth and Buffy felt the hum of the scythe in her head.

"Buffy! Catch!" Kennedy yelled, throwing the scythe.

Buffy didn't even have to look at it to catch the scythe in her hands. She turned and her already deadly dance became even deadlier. Turok-Han burst into dust faster around her. The vampires' numbers increased and some of them made it up out of the Hellmouth. She said a silent prayer for the ones upstairs ready to hold back the Turok-Han.

"Buffy!" Spike called. "Whatever this thing does, I think it's…." He let out a groan of pain.

"Keep the line together!" Buffy ordered. "Drive them to the edge! We can't let them do…." A sudden fire of pain in her stomach stopped her words. She looked down to see the tip of a sword being withdrawn from behind. With a groan, she stumbled forward and collapsed to the ground.

"Buffy!" Angel yelled, fighting his way to her.

Faith yelled her name and made it to Buffy's side. "Hold the line." Buffy gasped, handing the scythe to Faith. Faith nodded and took the scythe, going back into the battle.

"Just hang on, Buffy." Angel said, keeping the Turok-Han away from her. Connor came over to aide his father in protecting Buffy.

"Oh no…." Buffy looked up to see the First standing there with a wound that reflected her own on its body. "Ow! Mommy, this mortal wound is all…. Itchy. You pulled a nice trick. You came pretty close to smacking me down. What more do you want?"

"I want you…. To get out of my face." Buffy growled as she stood back up.

Rona, who had the scythe now, spotted Buffy standing up and threw the scythe to her. Buffy easily caught it and swung it around, knocking three Turok-Han off the cliff. Faith surged up from under a pile of vampires and rejoined the fight. Spike gasped and stumbled backward clutching his chest.

"Oh, bollocks." He said just as abright light shot up from the amulet. The light blew a hole in the ceiling of the cavern, shooting up through the floor of the Principal's office, past Willow, and through to the open sky where the light turned a warm orange color. "Buffy!"

"Spike!" Buffy yelled. Before she could run over to him, the amulet refracted the orange light out into the Hellmouth like rays of sunshine. "Angel, look out!" She tackled Angel away before the light could hit him. The amulet worked like a laser of sun and the Turok-Han began dusting throughout the Hellmouth when the light hit them. The ground started shaking around them.

"Everybody out, now!" Faith yelled.

Connor threw a blanket over Angel and rushed him towards the stairs with the Slayers. Buffy ran over to Spike's side. "I can feel it, Buffy." He said.

"What?" Buffy asked.

"My soul. It's really there. Kind of stings." He looked over at her. "Go on, then."

"No. No, you've done enough. You could still…."

"No, you've beat them back. It's for me to do the cleanup."

The walls were crumbling around them and Faith ran back down. "Buffy, come on!"

"Gotta move, lamb. I think it's fair to say school's out for bloody summer."

"Spike…." Buffy said.

"I mean it! I gotta do this."

Buffy laced her fingers through Spike's. "I love you."

"No, you don't. You love him more than life itself and he's up there waiting for you. But thanks for saying it." He let go of her hand and pushed her up the stairs. "Now go! I wanna see how it ends."

The school building exploded as Faith ran out from the cloud of smoke and jumped into the bus. "Where's Buffy?" Connor asked as the bus drove away. "No! Buffy's not on here!" He turned to the back of the bus and stared desperately out the window.

"Connor, do you see her?" Angel asked from his dark cubby of seats.

He started to answer no, but he finally spotted Buffy running along the rooftops next to the bus. "I see her!" The buildings were collapsing behind her as she tried to catch up to the bus. "Come on, Buffy!" She leapt from building to building, carrying the scythe in a vice grip. She finally found her opening and jumped, landing on top of the bus. Connor looked back to see Sunnydale turning into a massive crater.

Finally, Faith said, "Ease off. We're clear."

The bus screeched to a halt and Connor jumped out of the back door. He caught Buffy as she jumped down off the top of the bus and embraced her tightly. "She's ok, dad!" Connor called as the others got off the bus.

"Worried about me, huh?" Buffy joked.

"I don't understand." Giles said, looking at the crater that was once Sunnydale. "Who did this?"

"Spike."

The Welcome to Sunnydale sign was perched precariously on the edge of the crater. As they watched, the sign teetered a little before falling backwards into the crater. Buffy let out a chuckle.

"Looks like the Hellmouth is officially closed for business." Faith said.

"There is another one in Cleveland." Giles said. "Not to spoil the moment."

"We saved the world." Xander said.
"We changed the world." Willow said. "I can feel them, Buffy. All over. Slayers are awakening everywhere."

"We'll have to find them." Dawn said.

"We will."

"Yes, because the mall was actually in Sunnydale, so there's no hope of going there tomorrow." Giles quipped.

"We destroyed the mall? I fought on the wrong side." Dawn groaned.

"All those shops gone." Xander said. "The Gap, Starbucks, Toys R Us. Who will remember all those landmarks unless we tell the world about them?"

"We have a lot of work ahead of us." Giles said.

"Can I push him in?" Faith asked, giving Giles a playful shove.

"You've got my vote." Willow said.

"I just want to sleep, yo, for like a week."

"I guess we all could, if we wanted to." Dawn said.

"Yeah. The First is scrunched, so…." Willow turned to Buffy. "What do you think we should do, Buffy?"

Faith tossed an arm around Buffy's shoulder. "Yeah, you're not the one and only chosen anymore. Just gotta live like a person. How's that feel?"

"Yeah, Buffy. What are we gonna do now?" Dawn asked.

Buffy looked at Connor with a smile and then turned to Faith. "Would you guys mind giving Connor, Angel, and I a lift to LA? We've got a new chapter of our lives to start."