A/N: I'm so happy! (sing song voice) I'm so happy!!!! Glad that everyone liked the last chapter...i luv it when you guys react to the fic!!! Mwah!!! Here's the next one! Enjoy!!!

Chapter Eighteen: Life Never Stays the Same

Buffy meandered around her bedroom, at loss of anything better to do. In a few minutes, they were going to head out, and Buffy needed some time to herself. She moved over to her vanity mirror and looked herself in the mirror.

Her blonde hair was pulled up in a tight ponytail, still a bit damp after the refreshing shower she had just taken. The bags were still under her eyes, which wasn't really all that of a surprise considering she didn't get any sleep at all. She allowed herself a small smirk as she smoothed down her clothes. She was dressed from head to foot in designer clothing.

She almost looked like she was going to a party if it wasn't for the variety of weapons strapped to her body.

What she looked like was a very fashionable warrior.

And for some reason, that made her feel good.

Her gaze rested on the silver cross dangling from her neck, and her fingers traced the intricate patterns emblazoned on it. Someone up there was watching them, and she certainly hoped that, that someone was on their side.

"Slayer."

Buffy spun around at the familiar disdainful voice that she knew would plague her dreams and turn them into nightmares after this whole battle was over.

It was White.

Or rather, to be specific, the First in White's body.

"What do you want?" Buffy asked, trying to compose herself. The First's sudden appearance had startled her.

"Nothing much," White said with a cocky grin as he brushed off the imaginary dust off of his crisp Armani business suit. "I simply just wanted to tell you that I. Will. Rule. The. World."

Buffy lifted an eyebrow and let out an exaggerated yawn. "Can't come up with anything original, now can't we?"

White replied with a chilling laugh.

And he suddenly, right before her very eyes, he started to morph...into...

...an exact replica of her.

It was almost like looking into a mirror.

"So, this is what the Heavens have Chosen." The First said, crossing her arms, and giving Buffy a very criticizing once-over. "Not too impressive."

The First stepped closer until they were barely a ruler away from each other. "You're going to lose this battle, Buffy." She hissed. "And you are going to get so many people killed."

"The Slayer lives her life alone...and she will die that way."

The First gave her one last mocking smile before disappearing in a wisp of smoke.

Buffy tried to calm herself, but she could not stop herself from trembling. For the first time in a very long while...

Buffy Summers was scared.

She went back to gazing at herself on the smooth surface of her vanity mirror. She stared herself straight in the eye, and realization dawned on her.

"We're going to win." She said in a voice with determination so sheer it was almost up to the point of anger.

"Buffy!" Giles' voice rang from downstairs. "Please come down now!"

It was time.

Buffy stood outside her house, out on the road, scrutinizing the group of people that had gathered in front of her, holding stakes, crossbows, daggers, swords, crosses, and axes with a burst of pride. They had been training for weeks for this, waiting for weeks for this with much dread. But now, all that dread had disappeared, to be replaced by a sense of determination and purpose. This was what they had been chosen for. To fight.

The eldest slayer paced in front of the numbers of potentials, giving out her final instructions. "Okay girls, the minute we get into Sunnydale High, we spread out in groups of three or four. Safety in numbers in all that. Do a quick sweep through your designated locations, and if you don't see anything weird – you know what I mean – head straight for the basement. Spike, Faith and Robin are already there. Once everyone's there, we go in, and we wait. Willow's spell wouldn't take too long, would it Wills?"

The red-headed Wicca shook her head. "Nope. It should take only a few minutes. And if everything goes as planned – we'll be having an army of slayers...not just potential slayers." She smiled as the group cheered loudly.

"Once we defeat, yes, once we defeat the First, get out of the school as quickly as possible in case we get another earthquake like last night. Assemble outside the school. Giles has prepared the school bus as our means of transportation, as we don't have any cars to fit all of us." Buffy paused, thinking. "Well, I think that's about it."

Giles nodded. "Let's get going then, shall we?"

"Noon?" Max repeated, her heart thudding violently in her chest as she went into utter denial. "They can't be attacking at noon."

Alec laid a comforting hand on her shoulder. "They are, and the only thing we can do now is to get everyone in Terminal City to prepare for it. There's absolutely nothing we can do now, Maxie."

Max nodded, too numb to speak as she tried to take everything in. They barely had arrived and now they had to go and fight, again. Her life – their lives – could be described as nothing more than hell. They lived in hell. They rolled around in the flames, they played with fire, flirted with danger, danced with death – their lives were sheer suicide.

Everyday was a battle.

A battle for survival.

And in a few hours, they were going to be either survivors of the biggest genocide in history or they were leading themselves into their deaths.

Max had a feeling that it was going to be the latter.

"Alec," she said, rising from her chair and beckoning for her lover to come closer before whispering urgently in his ear. "I need you to gather all the Xs and let them know on what Dix has told us, alright?"

"No problem, Oh-great-and-fearless-leader." Alec said mock-saluting and quickly exiting the Command Center.

She then turned to Luke who had been listening from nearby. "Luke, I want you to tell all the transhumans about the latest news." She ordered. Luke saluted smartly before following in Alec's footsteps.

Max glanced around the room, looking for her favorite raven-haired X5. She saw her resting on the battered couch by the entrance doors, her eyes tightly shut. Max approached her, and shook her gently. Jewel's eyes snapped open and practically jumped out of the couch. "Dammit Max, you scared the shit outta me!" she said placing a hand on her chest.

Max chuckled softly. "Sorry—but I really need to ask you a favor."

Jewel's eyes narrowed. "What is it?"

"I need you to go to Logan's and ask him to give us a map of Seattle's underground canals."

Jewel sighed. Max knew how much she disliked Logan, for the main reason that he always went in Max's way whenever there was a mission. He always wanted to 'help' when all he did was cause them more problems. But to Max, Logan will always be in her heart. He had helped her through the earlier years of her life in Seattle, and he was probably the only reason on why Alec was even still here. He had saved him during the fight at Jam Pony.

"Can't Dix get one on the Net?"

"That'll take too long," Max replied patiently. "We need it now, and Logan already has it in his hard drive."

"Now?" Jewel echoed, puzzled. "Why do we need it now?"

Max inhaled deeply. "Because they're attacking at noon."

"Noon?" Jewel gasped, suddenly looking like a deer caught in headlights. "They can't be attacking at noon!" She exclaimed, echoing Max's words earlier. "That's like six hours from now!"

"They are, and that's why I need you to go to Logan's and fast."

"Got your point Max," she said before blurring out of Headquarters.

Max closed her eyes and stood there for a few seconds.

In six hours, their lives were going to change forever.

A/N: Six hours to go and counting......review!!