A/N: This fic was written as part of the Elysian Fields 2022 Road Trip Challenge. It will be complete at seven chapters plus and epilogue and is fully written so updates should be fairly quick. *Song lyrics are from The Clash's "Train in Vain".

October 2005

An orange trimmed leaf fluttered softly over the hood of the old car. Buffy watched, somewhat listlessly, as it played in the wind. Summer had given way to autumn in a subtle, quiet way as the warm weather slowly cooled in degrees that were almost imperceptible. If it hadn't been for the changing colors of the leaves the Slayer might still have not truly realized the passage of time.

Buffy sighed and opened the car door, swinging her legs out and stretching as she stood to her full height. "You okay?" Xander asked as he came out of the convenience store, arms full of road trip treats. Buffy almost felt a smile tug at her lips at the sight, ever the snack man.

"Yeah, my limbs were just going a little numb," she replied with a shrug and a yawn.

Xander nodded as he opened the back door and unloaded what would pass for sustenance over the next how ever many hundreds of miles. "I figured we'd stop for the night once we get to Missouri and get some shut eye," he informed her.

Buffy sighed again as she looked out over the vast empty nothing that stood before them. She just wanted to get where they were going but since she was useless in the driving department there was really no way to continue driving through the night. Xander was a champ for putting in as many hours behind the wheel as he already had. "Better hurry then, you know all the motels will be locking up before dark," she said as she turned and tucked herself back into the passenger seat.

She fiddled with the radio as they continued down the long stretch of asphalt, stopping when an achingly familiar jaunty tune started to play. The corners of her lips turned up just a bit as her hand fell away from the dial and she was silently grateful when Xander didn't say a word as her head started to bop along to it.

"All the times

When we were close

I'll remember

These things the most

I see all my dreams come tumbling down

I can't be happy

Without you around

So alone I keep the wolves at bay

And there is only one thing that I can say..."

Her lips turned down again as the chorus kicked in. "You didn't stand by me. No, not at all…" She hadn't ever paid much attention to the lyrics of the songs he'd listened too before. They had just been noise at the time. She'd had plenty of time to remedy that as she'd immersed herself in everything Spike while she'd been in London following his death. Walking down the old narrow streets, gaping at the old Victorian architecture and wandering into little record shops to pick up albums of bands she recognized from the old collection he'd had in his Sunnydale crypt.

Some of the lyrics in The Clash's "Train in Vain" hit a little too close to home but she listened to it anyway because he had loved it and she had loved him. Buffy forced herself back to the present as the song ended and Xander expertly navigated around a winding road filled with potholes.

"Street repairs have obviously gone to shit," he half joked as the car slowly crawled forward to avoid any damage the deep holes could inflict.

"Along with the rest of the country," she bitterly added. It was true, the American infrastructure was hanging by a thread. She looked out the window, noting how lifeless the countryside was now. Life across the pond was still bustling and chaotic and she had easily immersed herself in it after the collapse of Sunnydale. Her heart twisted at the thought of the barren wasteland her home country was quickly turning into.

Xander let out a puff of air that she assumed was a laugh. The whole Sunnydale crew had been shocked when they'd watched the news unfold nearly a year and a half ago on the TV set Giles had set up in his London flat. Then all their contacts in America had gone radio silent and even with the money and influence they'd gained from taking over the Watcher's Council they had been unable to get past the closed American Borders.

The United States had been effectively cut off from the rest of the world. Mexico and Canada had thrown up temporary barricades that they'd strengthened over time and all international countries had stopped travel into and out of the country, the only aid they'd agreed to give was air drops of medical supplies and armament. The citizens of the U.S. were, by and large, on their own.

Buffy had been restless, prowling the London streets and taking all her frustrations out on any unlucky demon she came across. As far as they could tell the west coast was the first area to fall and they'd had no luck getting a hold of Angel or Wesley. The communication lines had fallen fast and it had been months of tirelessly working on a way to get into the country before they got word from anyone inside the isolated nation.

Five Months Earlier

Willow squeaked suddenly, the small sound loud in the quiet chamber where they were all silently compiling all of the information they'd been able to get their hands on in the year since America had seemingly fallen. Buffy's head snapped up, concerned eyes traveling to the witch, just in time to see her eyes take on that milky white hue they got when she was doing some serious mojo.

"Wills?" Xander asked nervously as he slammed his book shut. The redhead reached out a hand in a stop motion and their one eyed friend hesitantly stayed in his chair.

It seemed like hours but was probably only a few minutes before Willow's eyes cleared up, they were wide as they met Buffy's. "That was Faith," she breathed out in disbelief.

Buffy rose quickly to her feet. "Faith's alive?"

Willow nodded quickly. "Yeah, their ranks have been decimated though, she only has half a dozen girls left with her. She said a couple of them have been badly injured recently, she's not sure if they'll make it."

"Is she still in Cleveland?" Giles spoke up.

Willow shook her head. "No, they had to abandon the Hellmouth. She said that the attack originated in Los Angeles, they were able to make contact with Angel a few months ago. That's where the front line is and that's where they're going," the witch told them.

"Angel's alive," Buffy breathed out, the vine that had kept her heart wrapped in a vice over the last year loosening just the slightest bit at the knowledge that at least two of the people she cared about were still alive.

"Last she knew, yeah. She said that they had lost the ability to contact him a couple weeks ago," Willow told her with an apologetic shrug.

"How did she contact you?" Giles asked with a frown as he absently wiped at his glasses.

"They've been taking in anyone and everyone in their travels across the country. One of whom is a witch, new but fairly powerful. Faith said it took them some time but she was finally able to find and reach me telepathically."

"How far from Ohio have they made it?" Xander asked curiously.

"Faith said they were just outside of Texas," Willow replied quietly.

"And they've been traveling for how long?" Dawn suddenly spoke up.

"Four months," Willow replied. "She said that they're only able to travel during daylight for the safety of their group and even that is sketchy. They're hoping to make it to LA by the new year."

"So it is overrun with demons," Giles stated.

"Yes," Willow said gravely, confirming their worst fear. "Faith is fuzzy on the details of how. Communication hasn't exactly been easy or reliable.

"We need to get into the country," Buffy said for what was probably the thousandth time in the last year.

"It is entirely possible," Giles began slowly, obviously reluctant to say what was on his mind. "That America is simply lost."

Buffy's head snapped back in shock as they all turned to stare at the watcher. "Since when have we ever just given up?" she asked incredulously. "This is an entire country we're talking about here, Giles."

Giles shook his head quickly. "You misunderstand me, Buffy. I agree that we need to get in there and see if there is anything to be done. I just mean that we must all prepare ourselves in the event of a...less than desirable outcome," he elaborated.

The Slayer took a deep, calming breath as she forced herself to think logically rather than emotionally. She nodded. "Let's just find a way in."

Willow stood up then, nervously playing with her fingers as she met Buffy's eyes. "Can I talk to you outside real quick?"

Buffy frowned in concern. "Of course," she agreed as the two women made their way out of the room and down the corridor.

When they were out of earshot of everyone else Buffy turned to her longtime best friend. "What is it?"

Willow took a deep breath. "Faith told me something else, information that she got from Angel but hadn't been able to confirm herself yet, obviously..."

"Wills," Buffy cut off the babbling. "Stop with the cryptic and just tell me."

"AngelmentionedthatSpikewasfightingonthefrontlineswithhim,"the words flew from the witches mouth in an almost indecipherable jumble.

It was so silent you could hear a pin drop as the Slayer worked through the rushed statement. Her heart stuttered as her green eyes, now shining, locked eyes with Willow's. "What?"