See part one for disclaimer, setting, rating, pairing, and all that other jazz...

This is it guys, it was a nice ride while it lasted! lol.

PART 28: What Now?

A few moments later...

After Christine was ready, Willow gathered the others, minus the other potentials. It was still too much for Christine. That and the potentials would know what happened later. First, most of them needed medical attention, which Wood was still attending too, as well as some of the other well potentials. Anya stayed behind as well, being still injured. Xander was of course concerned but Anya assured him that she would be fine.

Back outside the bus...

"I know all of you are wondering how I am here...and even if it really is me," Christine stated, trying to explain. "It IS me. And I am sure Willow and Fred already told you about everything," she said looking at them all. Both Giles and Kennedy started to open their mouths to say something but Christine raised her hand and cut them off.

"I almost didn't come back. It was my choice. But I took it, I knew that I was needed. It was hard for me to come back after everything I had been through and felt," the potential stated as she looked at Buffy. The older slayer nodded to her as everyone else stood in confusion.

"Let me try to explain. They gave me a choice," Christine said before being interrupted by Dawn.

"Who? Who gave you a choice?" Dawn asked. Christine lightly smiled at her.

"The Powers That Be...and..." Christine said hesitating and looking down for a moment. It was all unbelievable. The turn of events even had her reeling. She looked back up at the faces that she had learned to accept as practically family.

"They were pleased with me," Christine merely said to them, fidgeting with her hands a bit. She looked away for a moment then back at them. "I was dead...but it also was like a dream...yet so real...then...then I saw them....all of them," she stated, pausing for a moment. Everyone looked at her with interest.

"Every person that died on the hellmouth...in Sunnydale...were all there...and-and they were all smiling at me," Christine said looking at Willow for a moment. She knew that she would eventually have to tell them what happened...who and what she saw...

"And with every person I looked at, came their memories of Sunnydale...who they were," Christine explained looking them all. She made a choice then, they had fought a war and won...most of them still needed closure from the pain that still was buried in the rubble that was left of Sunnydale.

"They were all there...Jenny," Christine said looking at Giles.

"Jonathan," she said looking at Andrew.

"Kendra," she said looking at Buffy.

"Joyce," she said looking at Dawn.

"Tara," Christine said looking at Willow, as tears started to run down the redhead's face and Fred took her hand and held it.

"Everyone...and they were all smiling at me...happy..." Christine stated looking at them. She saw no tears of sorrow or pain. She saw tears of comfort, closure, maybe even joy... But they all stayed silent as she continued.

"To make long story short...I spoke to them...and they said they were willing to send me back...to bend fate, to change the prophecy in which I was supposed to stay dead...and send me back..." Christine was saying before Giles interrupted her.

"But why?" he asked, overwhelmed by what he was feeling at the moment. Christine lightly smiled at him.

"They said I showed courage, that I was strong enough to offer my life to save everyone..." Christine started.

"It should have been me," Faith stated lightly, interrupting her. Buffy looked at her quickly about to say something.

"No," came Christine's voice as Faith lifted her head to look at her. "You were needed here. You had to live and be by Buffy's side and fight the good fight...you had to be here. That was why I was chosen. It had to be me. I was destined for it long ago, nothing could have changed that Faith," the potential said looking at her.

"You need to stop blaming yourself..." Christine stated. Then she smiled as she said, "The Powers That Be have great plans for you."

The brunette looked at her and lightly smiled, understanding. She couldn't help but blame herself; she felt that Christine was her responsibility. Faith felt Buffy take her hand and squeeze it. Christine paused for a moment before continuing.

"They said I proved to be worthy...it was all overwhelming really...I can't even describe or tell you all of it...but it was peaceful...anyway, they were pleased with how well I had done, The Powers That Be that is. With the connections from the other people that died on the hellmouth, they were able to send me back, connecting me with every one of them and making me human," Christine was saying getting flustered a little bit. She was trying to explain it all to them in a way they would understand. She, herself, still couldn't believe she was back.

"Since you died on the hellmouth, you were connected with them...and so, because of what you did, what you risked, sacrificed, and did for the lives of others, they offered to send you back..." Giles stated thinking.

"Yea...something like that..." Christine stated looking down at her hands.

"I've read her aura and used some white magic to scan her body...it IS her...and she seems to be in good health," Willow stated as Christine looked at the ground lost in thought. A pair of arms wrapped themselves around her and the potential looked up into Kennedy's eyes.

"I thought I lost you..." the other potential whispered, tears threatening to spill from her eyes. "And you...you tried to tell me..." Kennedy choked out. Christine pulled her closer to her, wrapping her own arms around the brunette, who buried her face into her neck.

"I'm glad you're back though...I can't live without you," Kennedy barley whispered into the crook of her neck. Christine closed her eyes as a tear escaped one of them and held Kennedy closer. As she opened her eyes, she saw the gang looking at her smiling, happy that she was back with them.

"Why don't we talk about this some other time," Giles suggested. Christine smiled as Kennedy pulled away from her and smiled at her.

"Got to say G-man, that sounds good to me. I think Chris here needs some space, oxygen, and some bed time with her girl!" Faith exclaimed as Buffy hit her in the stomach. Fred, Willow, Xander, and Dawn laughed as Faith lightly chuckled doubled over a bit from the other slayer's scolding hit to her stomach.

"I was joking," Faith stated as she stood up straight and looked at a now blushing Christine and Kennedy. "Oh come on K. I know you are glad Chris is back," Faith said smiling.

"Faith, stop it," Buffy chuckled, swatting her again. Spike chuckled from where he was by Giles.

"I don't think I will ever get used to all of them..." Giles mumbled.

"I know what you mean, I need to get me a girl or something," Spiked stated. Giles looked at him disturbed.

"That wasn't what..." Giles started. Spike looked at him and laughed.

"Yeah yeah. I better go help Wood and his bus full of injured potentials. Besides, I can only enjoy this sun for a little while longer before we have to destroy this ring or whatever," Spike stated as he began walking away. Before Giles could say anything more, Christine called out to Spike. The vampire turned around and faced her.

"Thank you for all the help you gave us by the way...I know The Powers are thankful," Christine threw out. To be honest, the potential felt bad for the souled vampire. Spike merely smiled.

"Ah, you know me. I can always go for a spot of violence," he said winking before turning around and heading to the bus again.

"I-I better go help, and make sure Anya is doing ok. Nice to have you back Christine," Andrew stated, smiling at the potential, before turning around and running to catch up with Spike. Christine smiled.

"Thank you guys...for understanding..." she started.

"Hey, just forget about it right now. We all have been through a lot and I think we all need to just take a breather," Xander stated as he looked around at the others. The "Welcome to Sunnydale" sign, that wasn't too far away from them, wavered and wobbled a little bit, catching their attention, before it toppled over into the giant pit that was once Sunnydale, home of the hellmouth.

"Yup, it Looks like the Hellmouth is officially closed for business," Faith stated, stepping a little closer to where the sign once was. Christine laughed a little as she walked up next to her. Faith smiled as she looked over at her.

"Well, there's another one in Cleveland. Not to spoil the moment," Giles stated.
"We saved the world," Xander noted looking at the crater. Willow stood in awe for a moment.
"We changed the world. I can feel them, Buffy. All over. Slayers are awakening everywhere," Willow said closing her eyes for a moment.
"We'll have to find them," Dawn stated, walking up to join the others that had some how formed a line, facing the crater.
"We will," Willow replied as she faced Dawn and smiled. Fred took the redhead's hand that was next to her as Christine smiled at them. Willow caught her eye and smiled back at her.
"Yes, because the mall was actually in Sunnydale so there's no hope of going there tomorrow," Giles stated a little amused.
"We destroyed the mall? I fought on the wrong side," Dawn said as she crossed her arms in an acted pout.
"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 as if a great wrong was done in having the Toy R Us in Sunnydale destroyed. Kennedy laughed.
"We have a lot of work ahead of us," Giles stated before sighing.
"Can I push him in?" Faith asked the others while looking at Giles
"You've got my vote!" Willow replied smiling. Giles looked at her annoyed and Fred laughed.

"I just want to sleep, yo. For like a week!" Faith stated, starting to feel the toll of the battle on her body. The brunette then felt Buffy's hand slide into hers and entwine their fingers together.

"Yea, with me," Buffy whispered shyly into Faith's ear and the brunette grinned. Christine snickered, having heard with her slayers hearing.
"I guess we all could. If we wanted to," Dawn stated looking around again. Kennedy laughed lightly feeling good for the time being. Christine was back in her life and they had won the battle.

"Sure, after a battle like that and after everything that has happened...I wouldn't mind!" Kennedy stated, slipping her arm around Christine's waist, who leaned into her.
"Yeah, The First is scrunched so... what do you think we should do, Buffy?" Willow asked turning to her friend.
"Yeah, you're not the one and only Chosen anymore. Just gotta live like a person. How's that feel?" Faith asked letting go of Buffy's hand for a moment and turning to her with a grin on her face. Buffy shook her head and looked at the crater.
"Yeah, Buffy. What are we going to do now?" Dawn asked, looking at her sister. Buffy just merely smiled...

THE END!

And that's a wrap all! Thanks for sticking with me! I know a lot of you are hitting me to finish 'Leaving You', which I will, I swear. This past week was BAD, I had exams galore and only slept, at the most, 10 hours during the week, no joke, lol. I'm just glad that's over, you have no idea, lol! I got a few ideas rolling over my head. I might post a part of my long going fic that I had taken a step from. But I am busy too, so I might take a break. Anyway, thanks for the reviews, I hope you liked the ending. I know some of you wanted Tara to some how come into play in the last part. I adore Tara, but I just couldn't do it. That was why I wrote her the way I did when Christine talked to her when she died. Anyway, thanks for reading!!!