Faith, Giles, Dawn, Willow and Xander all gathered around Buffy on
the edge of the crater where Sunnydale, California once stood. Now, there
was simply a large hole in the ground with pieces of buildings sticking
out. Xander even thought he could see the sign from the Bronze sticking out
of the rubble.
"Looks like the Hellmouth is officially closed for business," Faith smiled exuberantly.
"There's another one in Cleveland," Giles said, matter-of-factly. The others glared at him, and he quickly added, "Not to spoil the moment."
"We saved the world," Xander said.
"We changed the world. I can feel them, Buffy. All over. Slayers are awakening everywhere," Willow said, a smile spreading across her face.
"We'll have to find them," Dawn said. Her eyes never left the hole that once was her home.
"We will," Willow nodded.
"Yes, because the mall was actually in Sunnydale so there's no hope of going there tomorrow," Giles chuckled.
"We destroyed the mall? I fought on the wrong side," Dawn said with a slight shake of her head.
"All those shops, gone. The Gap, Starbucks, Toy R Us... who will remember all those landmarks unless we tell the world of them?" Xander asked, smiling.
"We have a lot of work ahead of us," Giles said.
"Can I push him in?" Faith asked, turning to the others and pointing to Giles.
"You've got my vote," Willow smiled, turning to the Slayer. Faith gave Giles a playful shove.
"I just want to sleep, yo. For like a week!" Faith exclaimed.
"I guess we all could. If we wanted to," Dawn sighed.
"Yeah, The First is scrunched so... what do you think we should do, Buffy?" Willow asked, turning to the blonde woman who'd been silent for a while.
"Yeah, you're not the one and only Chosen anymore. Just gotta live like a person. How's that feel?" Faith grinned.
"Yeah, Buffy. What are we going to do now?" Dawn asked. Buffy stared off instead of answering, and slowly a grin spread across her face. The gang just looked at the big gaping hole. Suddenly, Dawn began to sing, and that drew Buffy, Willow, Giles, and Xander to join.
Where do we go from here?
Where do we go from here?
The battle's done and we kind of won
So we sound our victory cheer
Where do we go from here?
Why is the path unclear?
When we know home is near?
Understand
We'll go hand in hand
But we'll walk alone in fear
Tell me
Where do we go from here?
When does the end appear?
When do the trumpets cheer?
The curtains close on a kiss, God knows
We can tell the end is near
Where do we go from here?
Where do we go from here?
Where do we go from here?
"What was that?" Faith asked with a laugh and a raised eyebrow.
"Uh, a little bit of a memory, sorta," Dawn said with a wince. She had forgotten that anyone other than Giles, Xander, Buffy, Willow and she were there.
"Memory?"
"Last year. I'll explain later," Buffy said.
"You'd better, B," Faith said with a smile. The stayed in about the same spot and positions for a few minutes, just looking at the crater of Sunnydale.
"Not so sunny anymore, huh?" Xander asked. Dawn chuckled. Something inside them told them it was time to leave their former homes. One by one they headed back onto the bus. Buffy was the last one.
"Are we ready to go?" Buffy asked as she got on.
"I'd say so, B. Everybody's patched up enough for a trip somewhere. I hear L.A.'s great this time of year," Faith smiled.
"Sounds good to me. I can tell we need some L.A. medicine anyway," Buffy sighed, sitting in the front seat.
"Got that right. But I think I'd better lay low," Faith smiled.
"Why?" Robin asked.
"Well, last time I was in the crater formally known as Sunnydale, I wound up killing a guy, so I ran to L.A. and Angel, Buffy's ex, who got me to turn myself in. Then I broke out of prison to help save Angel, and then came back here, so you know the rest of the story," Faith said.
"I bet Angel would be happy to let us use his hotel to rest up in," Willow said.
"Angel Investigations has always welcomed us in the past," Xander smirked.
"Xander, what about...?" Dawn trailed off.
"There's no body. As far as I'm going to consider, she escaped and is waiting for me somewhere," Xander said, even though in his heart he knew that Anya was dead and gone, lost forever in the crater that now passed as the remains of Sunnydale.
"We left a lot of our dead in Sunnydale, both those that died in battle and those that died before. Anya. Amanda. Spike. Molly. Annabelle. Chloe. Mom... But we also did a lot of good. We defeated the First and the Turok-Han," Buffy said. Despite the happiness she felt on having saved the world and surviving, a piece of her heart was still in Sunnydale, right where the Seal of Danthazar, the Hellmouth, and an ensouled vampire named Spike were dust.
"B's right. I say we party," Faith smiled.
"Great idea. But can we do it after we've got all of our blood inside our bodies?" Robin said with a wince. Buffy looked over at him and noticed that he was still holding his injury.
"Right. Giles, why don't you take the wheel and let Robin get a bit of rest?" Buffy asked.
"Of course," the British man said, moving to help Robin out of the driver's seat. He looked back at Buffy. "Buffy, excellent work."
"Thank you," Buffy smiled.
"Um, I'm no expert, but if Angel is working here, shouldn't there be, I don't know, lights? People?" Xander asked, looking at the dark and vacant Hyperion Hotel.
"I don't understand. He was still here just a few weeks ago," Willow said.
"It's eerie. But if Angel's not here, maybe he and his people are out fighting demons," Dawn suggested.
"Either way, we had better get Wood to the hospital," Buffy said. They headed outside and got back on the bus.
"Where's Angel?" Giles asked as they came on board.
"Not there. I don't understand it, but we might as well head to the hospital. Maybe we can figure something out once we're all patched up," Buffy said.
"Sounds about right." Giles started the bus back up. The ride to the hospital was filled with a mildly unpleasant silence. Andrew attempted to lighten the mood with a game, but it didn't last long. Upon arriving at the hospital, Robin and Buffy were both checked in. Buffy wound up with a few stitches in her side and would be released in the morning. Robin would have to stay for a couple of days. The doctors were amazed with their injuries.
"Young lady, you are incredibly lucky to be able to survive this. What were you doing that let you get this?" one asked.
"Believe me, you wouldn't believe it if I told you," Buffy said.
"Well, you should have come to a hospital as soon as you got this, not waiting the few days it appears to have been there."
"Would you believe me if I told you I got just this afternoon?" Buffy asked. The doctor gave her an odd look. "Thought not."
"Doctor, is she going to be able to walk soon?" Willow asked, coming into the room.
"Well, the blood flow has stopped, so as long as Miss Summers doesn't do any heavy lifting for the next few weeks, I don't see any problems with letting her walk around the hospital tonight. But you get some rest young lady. With the injuries your group had, you would think you were fighting to keep the world from ending," the doctor said and left.
"You want to tell him, or should I?" Buffy asked with a smile.
"Buffy, Xander found something I think you need to see. Or rather, someone," Willow said.
"Cordelia? What's she doing here?" Buffy asked, looking at the former Sunnydale high student and ex-Scobby gang member lying in a hospital bed in a coma.
"Don't know. All I got from her doctor was that she is in a coma and some guys from that law firm Angel fights brought her here," Xander said, looking at his ex-girlfriend.
"Then maybe we should check out this law firm," Buffy said.
"Yes, that sounds reasonable. But it will have to wait until tomorrow. I'm afraid the doctors are adamant that we all remain overnight," Giles said, wiping his glasses.
"Figures. Hospitals always give me the willies, so of course we have to stay for a while," Buffy sighed.
The next morning, Giles had a car rented for them.
"It's not much, but I figure it will stand out less than a school bus from Sunnydale," Giles said.
"Right. Well, let's head to this law firm. What it called? 'Creeps R Us'?" Xander asked.
"No, according to Angel, it's called Wolfram and Hart," Giles said.
"Yeah, I knew that. I was just being..."
"Yourself?" Buffy asked.
"Yeah," Xander sighed.
"Xander, I miss her too. But she died doing what we were all fighting for. And she also fought for you," Buffy said.
"How do you know?"
"I don't. I just know that somehow, she's going to always be with you," Buffy said. She smiled, and they got in the car.
When they arrived at Wolfram and Hart, Buffy grabbed the scythe she'd gotten out of the bus before they left.
"Do you really think you need that?" Xander asked.
"If these guys have done anything to Angel, they're going to remember it. Then they're going to remember nothing," Buffy said. They burst into the lobby of Wolfram and Hart. Buffy grabbed the nearest lawyer by the collar and pulled him off the ground.
"Where's Angel?" she said in a low growl.
"You want to see Angel? Well, I suppose I could send you to his office," said a feminine voice behind them. Buffy dropped the lawyer who scampered off somewhere and turned. A brunette woman was standing there.
"Who are you?"
"Lilah Morgan. Follow me, and I'll take you to Angel," she said. They followed Lilah to an elevator. "Angel is on the twelfth floor," Lilah said. The group cautiously entered the elevator.
"If this is a trick, you're dead," Buffy said.
"Not that much of a threat, Miss Summers," Lilah said. She pulled down the scarf from around her neck, revealing that her head had been separated from her body.
"How...?"
"The contracts here at Wolfram and Hart extend beyond the grave," Lilah smiled. Then she disappeared.
"Okay, anyone else ready to leave now?" Xander asked.
"We're going to see Angel," Buffy said. She pressed the button marked twelve. Oddly enough, included in the elevator was a speaker which pumped out muzak.
"They really like their nice guy act, don't they?" Buffy said. The elevator dinged at the twelfth floor and the doors slid open.
"...you tell them that!" Angel's voice cried as the doors opened, followed by the slamming of a phone.
"Um, Angel. We have guests," said a British voice. Angel and his team turned to see Buffy, Xander, Willow, and Giles entering the office.
"Buffy," Angel said.
"Angel."
"We, uh, came to help you," Xander said.
"But it looks like you can handle yourselves," Willow said.
"I suppose it does. Hello Willow. Xander. Giles," Wesley nodded.
"Hello Wesley. Fred. Gunn," Willow said.
"So, you defeated the First?" Angel asked.
"Yup. Spike wore the amulet. He's dead," Buffy said.
"Spike? Angel, you didn't mention that Spike was back in Sunnydale," Wesley said.
"Well-"
"Spike had a soul. He loved me, and now he's dead. So's Anya," Buffy said.
"Anya? Anya the former vengeance demon?"
"Yeah. We've got a lot to tell you," Buffy said.
An hour later, Buffy and her friends had brought Angel and his team up to date and vice versa.
"So, Sunnydale is completely destroyed?" Wesley asked.
"Along with the Hellmouth."
"And Willow, you made every girl who had the potential to be a Slayer into a Slayer with the help of this scythe?"
"Uh huh," Willow nodded.
"Incredible."
"You're all okay? Those that survived anyway?" Angel asked.
"Uh huh. So, Angel, you've told us about that oh-so-fun former Higher Power who put Cordy in a coma. So tell me this. Why the hell are you in charge of the law firm who has tried to destroy the world?" Buffy asked.
"Well, uh, it's a long story," Angel said.
"Angel fought and killed the Higher Power, ending world peace, and Wolfram and Hart gave us control of their L.A. branch," Fred said.
"Okay, I guess it's not as long as I thought."
"Well, we were kinda hoping that you'd let us stay at the hotel, but that's out," Xander said.
"C'mon, guys. I think that we can go pick up the others and go and actually live. We aren't the guardians of the Hellmouth anymore," Buffy said.
"Y-you aren't going to stay?" Angel asked.
"No. And Angel, I don't think you should stay here either," Buffy said.
"She's right. Wolfram and Hart is a place of evil. You can't be this close to evil without being corrupted by it," Giles said.
"Now, wait a minute-"
"No. Angel, if you know what's best, you and your team will get on the elevator with us. But we're not staying. This place is sending out evil in waves," Buffy said.
"I can feel the evil of this place. And I haven't got a smidge of mystical-who's-a-ma-call-its in me," Xander said.
"Well, don't you at least want someone to take a look at your eye?" Fred asked.
"What, and lose my excuse to get out of Jaws 3-D? I still have to watch that at the few family reunions I go to," Xander asked.
"C'mon guys. Let's go," Buffy said. The others got on the elevator.
"Buffy..." Angel stepped forward.
"Angel..." They stared at each other, and each saw the resolution that the other had in their eyes. They nodded and went back to their respective groups.
"Is Faith with you?" Angel asked. Buffy answered without turning back to him.
"She is."
"I can pull some strings and let her move around without worrying about the police," Angel said. Buffy nodded and the elevator doors closed behind her.
"So, what now?" Faith asked. Two days had passed since they had arrived in Los Angeles, and Robin had been released from the hospital.
"We can go wherever we want to," Buffy said.
"I think that someone needs to go back to England and rebuild the Watcher's Council," Giles said.
"Rebuild it?" Xander asked, incredulous.
"Yes. With the right person in charge, I feel that the Watcher's Council can become more than a bunch of pompous windbags who dangle knowledge then take it away and treat the Slayer- Slayers- as a weapon," Giles said.
"Sounds cool. But I'm gonna go enjoy my new freedom," Faith smiled.
"Remember the promise you made me?" Robin asked.
"Oh relax. That's part of the enjoyment," Faith smiled.
"Okay, please. Don't go any further with that statement," Buffy said. For emphasis, she held up the scythe.
"Willow and I were thinking of headed for some place where I could learn some of her magicks. I figure that since I'm dating a witch plus the fact that I owe my new Slayer powers to a witch, I should learn some of the things that make a girl a witch. Plus that sun spell Willow mentions sounds like a great way to kick some vampire ass," Kennedy smiled.
"I recommend Brazil. I have an old friend there who has dabbled in magick before," Giles said.
"Cool. So, Xand. Where are you going?" Buffy asked.
"Oh, I don't know. Maybe someplace where they've never heard of vampires and I can regale all of the local girls with my knowledge and dynamic abilities," Xander said- just as he tripped over a rock. "I should have seen that coming," he muttered. Buffy let out a small laugh.
"Well, Giles, rebuilding the Watcher's Council sounds good. Vi, Rona, why don't you go with him?" Buffy suggested.
"You're not going with us?" Vi asked.
"No. Dawn and I have talked about it, and we're headed to Rome. Sun, surf-"
"Cute guys," Dawn added. Buffy smiled.
"Anyway, we'll have to do something like this again some time. Only, without the whole Hellmouth and death and blood and Übervamps thing," Buffy said. The got on the bus and headed to the airport and there, they split up and went their separate ways.
"Looks like the Hellmouth is officially closed for business," Faith smiled exuberantly.
"There's another one in Cleveland," Giles said, matter-of-factly. The others glared at him, and he quickly added, "Not to spoil the moment."
"We saved the world," Xander said.
"We changed the world. I can feel them, Buffy. All over. Slayers are awakening everywhere," Willow said, a smile spreading across her face.
"We'll have to find them," Dawn said. Her eyes never left the hole that once was her home.
"We will," Willow nodded.
"Yes, because the mall was actually in Sunnydale so there's no hope of going there tomorrow," Giles chuckled.
"We destroyed the mall? I fought on the wrong side," Dawn said with a slight shake of her head.
"All those shops, gone. The Gap, Starbucks, Toy R Us... who will remember all those landmarks unless we tell the world of them?" Xander asked, smiling.
"We have a lot of work ahead of us," Giles said.
"Can I push him in?" Faith asked, turning to the others and pointing to Giles.
"You've got my vote," Willow smiled, turning to the Slayer. Faith gave Giles a playful shove.
"I just want to sleep, yo. For like a week!" Faith exclaimed.
"I guess we all could. If we wanted to," Dawn sighed.
"Yeah, The First is scrunched so... what do you think we should do, Buffy?" Willow asked, turning to the blonde woman who'd been silent for a while.
"Yeah, you're not the one and only Chosen anymore. Just gotta live like a person. How's that feel?" Faith grinned.
"Yeah, Buffy. What are we going to do now?" Dawn asked. Buffy stared off instead of answering, and slowly a grin spread across her face. The gang just looked at the big gaping hole. Suddenly, Dawn began to sing, and that drew Buffy, Willow, Giles, and Xander to join.
Where do we go from here?
Where do we go from here?
The battle's done and we kind of won
So we sound our victory cheer
Where do we go from here?
Why is the path unclear?
When we know home is near?
Understand
We'll go hand in hand
But we'll walk alone in fear
Tell me
Where do we go from here?
When does the end appear?
When do the trumpets cheer?
The curtains close on a kiss, God knows
We can tell the end is near
Where do we go from here?
Where do we go from here?
Where do we go from here?
"What was that?" Faith asked with a laugh and a raised eyebrow.
"Uh, a little bit of a memory, sorta," Dawn said with a wince. She had forgotten that anyone other than Giles, Xander, Buffy, Willow and she were there.
"Memory?"
"Last year. I'll explain later," Buffy said.
"You'd better, B," Faith said with a smile. The stayed in about the same spot and positions for a few minutes, just looking at the crater of Sunnydale.
"Not so sunny anymore, huh?" Xander asked. Dawn chuckled. Something inside them told them it was time to leave their former homes. One by one they headed back onto the bus. Buffy was the last one.
"Are we ready to go?" Buffy asked as she got on.
"I'd say so, B. Everybody's patched up enough for a trip somewhere. I hear L.A.'s great this time of year," Faith smiled.
"Sounds good to me. I can tell we need some L.A. medicine anyway," Buffy sighed, sitting in the front seat.
"Got that right. But I think I'd better lay low," Faith smiled.
"Why?" Robin asked.
"Well, last time I was in the crater formally known as Sunnydale, I wound up killing a guy, so I ran to L.A. and Angel, Buffy's ex, who got me to turn myself in. Then I broke out of prison to help save Angel, and then came back here, so you know the rest of the story," Faith said.
"I bet Angel would be happy to let us use his hotel to rest up in," Willow said.
"Angel Investigations has always welcomed us in the past," Xander smirked.
"Xander, what about...?" Dawn trailed off.
"There's no body. As far as I'm going to consider, she escaped and is waiting for me somewhere," Xander said, even though in his heart he knew that Anya was dead and gone, lost forever in the crater that now passed as the remains of Sunnydale.
"We left a lot of our dead in Sunnydale, both those that died in battle and those that died before. Anya. Amanda. Spike. Molly. Annabelle. Chloe. Mom... But we also did a lot of good. We defeated the First and the Turok-Han," Buffy said. Despite the happiness she felt on having saved the world and surviving, a piece of her heart was still in Sunnydale, right where the Seal of Danthazar, the Hellmouth, and an ensouled vampire named Spike were dust.
"B's right. I say we party," Faith smiled.
"Great idea. But can we do it after we've got all of our blood inside our bodies?" Robin said with a wince. Buffy looked over at him and noticed that he was still holding his injury.
"Right. Giles, why don't you take the wheel and let Robin get a bit of rest?" Buffy asked.
"Of course," the British man said, moving to help Robin out of the driver's seat. He looked back at Buffy. "Buffy, excellent work."
"Thank you," Buffy smiled.
"Um, I'm no expert, but if Angel is working here, shouldn't there be, I don't know, lights? People?" Xander asked, looking at the dark and vacant Hyperion Hotel.
"I don't understand. He was still here just a few weeks ago," Willow said.
"It's eerie. But if Angel's not here, maybe he and his people are out fighting demons," Dawn suggested.
"Either way, we had better get Wood to the hospital," Buffy said. They headed outside and got back on the bus.
"Where's Angel?" Giles asked as they came on board.
"Not there. I don't understand it, but we might as well head to the hospital. Maybe we can figure something out once we're all patched up," Buffy said.
"Sounds about right." Giles started the bus back up. The ride to the hospital was filled with a mildly unpleasant silence. Andrew attempted to lighten the mood with a game, but it didn't last long. Upon arriving at the hospital, Robin and Buffy were both checked in. Buffy wound up with a few stitches in her side and would be released in the morning. Robin would have to stay for a couple of days. The doctors were amazed with their injuries.
"Young lady, you are incredibly lucky to be able to survive this. What were you doing that let you get this?" one asked.
"Believe me, you wouldn't believe it if I told you," Buffy said.
"Well, you should have come to a hospital as soon as you got this, not waiting the few days it appears to have been there."
"Would you believe me if I told you I got just this afternoon?" Buffy asked. The doctor gave her an odd look. "Thought not."
"Doctor, is she going to be able to walk soon?" Willow asked, coming into the room.
"Well, the blood flow has stopped, so as long as Miss Summers doesn't do any heavy lifting for the next few weeks, I don't see any problems with letting her walk around the hospital tonight. But you get some rest young lady. With the injuries your group had, you would think you were fighting to keep the world from ending," the doctor said and left.
"You want to tell him, or should I?" Buffy asked with a smile.
"Buffy, Xander found something I think you need to see. Or rather, someone," Willow said.
"Cordelia? What's she doing here?" Buffy asked, looking at the former Sunnydale high student and ex-Scobby gang member lying in a hospital bed in a coma.
"Don't know. All I got from her doctor was that she is in a coma and some guys from that law firm Angel fights brought her here," Xander said, looking at his ex-girlfriend.
"Then maybe we should check out this law firm," Buffy said.
"Yes, that sounds reasonable. But it will have to wait until tomorrow. I'm afraid the doctors are adamant that we all remain overnight," Giles said, wiping his glasses.
"Figures. Hospitals always give me the willies, so of course we have to stay for a while," Buffy sighed.
The next morning, Giles had a car rented for them.
"It's not much, but I figure it will stand out less than a school bus from Sunnydale," Giles said.
"Right. Well, let's head to this law firm. What it called? 'Creeps R Us'?" Xander asked.
"No, according to Angel, it's called Wolfram and Hart," Giles said.
"Yeah, I knew that. I was just being..."
"Yourself?" Buffy asked.
"Yeah," Xander sighed.
"Xander, I miss her too. But she died doing what we were all fighting for. And she also fought for you," Buffy said.
"How do you know?"
"I don't. I just know that somehow, she's going to always be with you," Buffy said. She smiled, and they got in the car.
When they arrived at Wolfram and Hart, Buffy grabbed the scythe she'd gotten out of the bus before they left.
"Do you really think you need that?" Xander asked.
"If these guys have done anything to Angel, they're going to remember it. Then they're going to remember nothing," Buffy said. They burst into the lobby of Wolfram and Hart. Buffy grabbed the nearest lawyer by the collar and pulled him off the ground.
"Where's Angel?" she said in a low growl.
"You want to see Angel? Well, I suppose I could send you to his office," said a feminine voice behind them. Buffy dropped the lawyer who scampered off somewhere and turned. A brunette woman was standing there.
"Who are you?"
"Lilah Morgan. Follow me, and I'll take you to Angel," she said. They followed Lilah to an elevator. "Angel is on the twelfth floor," Lilah said. The group cautiously entered the elevator.
"If this is a trick, you're dead," Buffy said.
"Not that much of a threat, Miss Summers," Lilah said. She pulled down the scarf from around her neck, revealing that her head had been separated from her body.
"How...?"
"The contracts here at Wolfram and Hart extend beyond the grave," Lilah smiled. Then she disappeared.
"Okay, anyone else ready to leave now?" Xander asked.
"We're going to see Angel," Buffy said. She pressed the button marked twelve. Oddly enough, included in the elevator was a speaker which pumped out muzak.
"They really like their nice guy act, don't they?" Buffy said. The elevator dinged at the twelfth floor and the doors slid open.
"...you tell them that!" Angel's voice cried as the doors opened, followed by the slamming of a phone.
"Um, Angel. We have guests," said a British voice. Angel and his team turned to see Buffy, Xander, Willow, and Giles entering the office.
"Buffy," Angel said.
"Angel."
"We, uh, came to help you," Xander said.
"But it looks like you can handle yourselves," Willow said.
"I suppose it does. Hello Willow. Xander. Giles," Wesley nodded.
"Hello Wesley. Fred. Gunn," Willow said.
"So, you defeated the First?" Angel asked.
"Yup. Spike wore the amulet. He's dead," Buffy said.
"Spike? Angel, you didn't mention that Spike was back in Sunnydale," Wesley said.
"Well-"
"Spike had a soul. He loved me, and now he's dead. So's Anya," Buffy said.
"Anya? Anya the former vengeance demon?"
"Yeah. We've got a lot to tell you," Buffy said.
An hour later, Buffy and her friends had brought Angel and his team up to date and vice versa.
"So, Sunnydale is completely destroyed?" Wesley asked.
"Along with the Hellmouth."
"And Willow, you made every girl who had the potential to be a Slayer into a Slayer with the help of this scythe?"
"Uh huh," Willow nodded.
"Incredible."
"You're all okay? Those that survived anyway?" Angel asked.
"Uh huh. So, Angel, you've told us about that oh-so-fun former Higher Power who put Cordy in a coma. So tell me this. Why the hell are you in charge of the law firm who has tried to destroy the world?" Buffy asked.
"Well, uh, it's a long story," Angel said.
"Angel fought and killed the Higher Power, ending world peace, and Wolfram and Hart gave us control of their L.A. branch," Fred said.
"Okay, I guess it's not as long as I thought."
"Well, we were kinda hoping that you'd let us stay at the hotel, but that's out," Xander said.
"C'mon, guys. I think that we can go pick up the others and go and actually live. We aren't the guardians of the Hellmouth anymore," Buffy said.
"Y-you aren't going to stay?" Angel asked.
"No. And Angel, I don't think you should stay here either," Buffy said.
"She's right. Wolfram and Hart is a place of evil. You can't be this close to evil without being corrupted by it," Giles said.
"Now, wait a minute-"
"No. Angel, if you know what's best, you and your team will get on the elevator with us. But we're not staying. This place is sending out evil in waves," Buffy said.
"I can feel the evil of this place. And I haven't got a smidge of mystical-who's-a-ma-call-its in me," Xander said.
"Well, don't you at least want someone to take a look at your eye?" Fred asked.
"What, and lose my excuse to get out of Jaws 3-D? I still have to watch that at the few family reunions I go to," Xander asked.
"C'mon guys. Let's go," Buffy said. The others got on the elevator.
"Buffy..." Angel stepped forward.
"Angel..." They stared at each other, and each saw the resolution that the other had in their eyes. They nodded and went back to their respective groups.
"Is Faith with you?" Angel asked. Buffy answered without turning back to him.
"She is."
"I can pull some strings and let her move around without worrying about the police," Angel said. Buffy nodded and the elevator doors closed behind her.
"So, what now?" Faith asked. Two days had passed since they had arrived in Los Angeles, and Robin had been released from the hospital.
"We can go wherever we want to," Buffy said.
"I think that someone needs to go back to England and rebuild the Watcher's Council," Giles said.
"Rebuild it?" Xander asked, incredulous.
"Yes. With the right person in charge, I feel that the Watcher's Council can become more than a bunch of pompous windbags who dangle knowledge then take it away and treat the Slayer- Slayers- as a weapon," Giles said.
"Sounds cool. But I'm gonna go enjoy my new freedom," Faith smiled.
"Remember the promise you made me?" Robin asked.
"Oh relax. That's part of the enjoyment," Faith smiled.
"Okay, please. Don't go any further with that statement," Buffy said. For emphasis, she held up the scythe.
"Willow and I were thinking of headed for some place where I could learn some of her magicks. I figure that since I'm dating a witch plus the fact that I owe my new Slayer powers to a witch, I should learn some of the things that make a girl a witch. Plus that sun spell Willow mentions sounds like a great way to kick some vampire ass," Kennedy smiled.
"I recommend Brazil. I have an old friend there who has dabbled in magick before," Giles said.
"Cool. So, Xand. Where are you going?" Buffy asked.
"Oh, I don't know. Maybe someplace where they've never heard of vampires and I can regale all of the local girls with my knowledge and dynamic abilities," Xander said- just as he tripped over a rock. "I should have seen that coming," he muttered. Buffy let out a small laugh.
"Well, Giles, rebuilding the Watcher's Council sounds good. Vi, Rona, why don't you go with him?" Buffy suggested.
"You're not going with us?" Vi asked.
"No. Dawn and I have talked about it, and we're headed to Rome. Sun, surf-"
"Cute guys," Dawn added. Buffy smiled.
"Anyway, we'll have to do something like this again some time. Only, without the whole Hellmouth and death and blood and Übervamps thing," Buffy said. The got on the bus and headed to the airport and there, they split up and went their separate ways.