At the moment, Buffy wasn't on the winning side of her fight against Caleb, so she was relieved and very pleased when she saw Angel punch Caleb and help her to her feet.. "I was never much for preachers," he quipped.

"Angel," she said, using their standard greeting.

"You look good," he told her, his eyes raking appreciatively over her body.

"You look timely. And also good."

"Heard maybe you needed a hand." Their conversation was cut short as Caleb rose again. Angel prepared to fight but Buffy let him know that this was her fight. He leaned against a pillar, to give them room. "You are so going to lose," he warned Caleb. He could feel the power humming within the Slayer and he knew his girl would win. "God, I missed watching this," he said aloud. He had forgotten how beautiful she was when she fought, how wonderful she looked when she gave herself over to the wild warrior inside her. Feelings stirred within him that he hadn't felt in a long time. Buffy swung the scythe at Caleb, slicing his stomach and causing him to fall to the floor.

"See? Under control."

"At least you could tell me you're glad to see me," he said as he walked over to her. She dropped the scythe and went to him, pressing her body against his and kissing him deeply. She arched into him, cherishing the feel of his strength. Angel's tongue demanded entry into her mouth and she opened to him. He tasted exactly like she remembered. They kissed for long moments before she pulled away. "Well, I guess that qualifies as happy to see me."

"Angel, what are you doing—" she shook her head. "Don't even. I just want to bask." She looked into Angel's eyes, smiling, for a few seconds. "OK, I'm basked. What are you doing here?" He told her that he knew she was fighting the First, but once again they were interrupted by Caleb knocking into Angel into unconsciousness. Buffy fought him and ending up slicing him in half. Angel quickly came back into the land of the waking and told her that he had information to share. He pulled an amulet out of the envelope he was holding.

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

"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," she countered.

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

"So you're gonna be with me in this?" she asked, hoping she was understanding him correctly.

"Shoulder to shoulder. I'm yours."

She met his chocolate eyes with her smoky hazel ones. "Good to hear. Really really good to hear."

Over the roar of the fight against the First, Buffy heard Angel scream her name. She turned to see the light streaming from the amulet engulf his body and expand over the Hellmouth, dusting the Turok-Han instantly. Buffy felt the ground start to shake and heard Faith tell everyone to get out but she ignored her sister Slayer and headed for Angel's side.

"Angel," she gasped, the magic emanating from him shaking her as much as the ground was.

"This is it, Buffy. I can feel it."

"No! Angel!" Her voice broke with emotion.

"It's okay."

"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, but she couldn't leave his side.

"Buffy, come on!" Faith called.

"You've got to go." Angel urged.

"Angel," she pleaded.

"I mean it! I gotta do this. It's my time, but you have more. Go!" Buffy laced her fingers through his, clenching his hand desperately.

"I love you," she told him tenderly, looking deep into his eyes despite the tears that clouded hers.

"I know. I love you, too. Forever, that's the whole point." Another earthquake shook the ground they stood and Angel commanded, "Go!" With her heart breaking, she let go of his hand and ran.

Buffy stood staring at the canyon that once was Sunnydale. Dawn came up and stood beside her, hugging her sister. Giles joined them followed by Xander, Anya, Willow, and Faith.

"Looks like the hellmouth is officially closed for business."

"There is another one in Cleveland," Giles said dryly, tossing a rock into the giant crater. "Not to spoil the moment."

Anya cuddled up to Xander with tears in her eyes. "Andrew saved me. I guess he wasn't a big goober after all."

"No, he wasn't," he said, glad to have his lover alive. "And he helped us save the world. We saved the world. Again." Xander announced proudly.

"We changed the world." Willow walked up to Buffy's side. "I can feel them, Buffy. All over. Slayers are awakening everywhere."

"We'll have to find them."

"We will."

"Yes, well because the mall was actually in Sunnydale, so there's no hope of going there tomorrow so our plans are shot," Giles told them, pacing behind his surrogate children.

"We destroyed the mall?" the younger Summers bemoaned, "I fought on the wrong side."

"All those shops gone. 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 continued.

"Can I push him in?" Faith joked to Willow.

"You've got my vote."

"I just want to sleep, yo, for like a week.....I guess we all could, if we wanted to.....Yeah. The First is scrunched, so... what do you think we should do, Buffy?...... 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?" As the others chattered around her, Buffy just stared straight ahead.

Despite their grief over Angel's death, Wesley, Gunn and Fred had invited the Sunnydale survivors to stay at the hotel. That night Buffy wandered slowly down the hall making sure all the newly minted Slayers had found a bed and had their wounds tended to. When she knocked on one door and got no response, she turned the knob and entered, then quickly realized it was Angel's room. The decor, the mix of weapons and art mounted on the wall, the books littering the shelves gave it away. Her first impulse was to leave, but she found herself entering instead, exploring his possessions with a tender curiosity. She ran her fingertips over the furniture, his essence filling her. Her exhaustion and sadness overwhelming her, she felt tears fill her eyes and sank down onto the mattress where Spike found her a few minutes later.

"Pet?" She looked up at him, eyes glistening.

"Yeah, Spike?"

"How you doing?"

"I'm okay.....I'm....Everything's gone. Sunnydale is gone." Tears started trailing down her cheeks and he joined her on the bed. "All of my things, all of my pictures - my memories, all of my mother's things, it's all dust."

"I know, love, and it bloody sucks but they're just material things. It's the people that count. You and Nibblet, Willow, Xander, Giles, you're all alive."

"Angel's not. He's gone.........but he can't be gone!" She jumped up from the bed and started to pace, her emotions too overwhelming to have her remain sedentary. "He was the immortal one, he wasn't supposed to die!!! He was supposed to always be there. He promised me he would be. He promised me, Spike!!!" She was crying in earnest now. "He promised, he promised, he promised, he promised..." she repeated, her voice breaking with anguish. Spike pulled her to him and held her as her sobs overtook her and she could no longer speak. He rocked her for a long time, stroking her hair, until her cries finally subsided.

"I just love him and I never got to tell him, show him, how much." she sniffled, then apologized. "I'm sorry. That's probably the last thing you want to hear from me."

"It's fine, not like it's a shock or anything. Remember, I once told you that you'll be in love till it kills you both. Guess it just happened to Angel first." Buffy shot him a vicious glare and started to pull away . "Sorry, shouldn't 'a said that. What I meant to say is that I've always known that you loved him even through all of what happened between us. He's your mate. And I know it hurts," he told her, remembering how it felt when she died. "I'm really sorry."

"Thank you, Spike." She rested her head on his shoulder. "Is it crazy that I think I can feel his absence? It's like some place inside me is aching - it's so empty and lonely." Another tear slipped down her cheek. "I don't want to be alone. You won't leave me, will you Spike?"

"No, pet, I'm not going anywhere." He stayed true to his word at least until she fell asleep and then he laid her down on Angel's bed and left her to rest.

"I can't believe he's gone," Fred told Lorne and Gunn, her voice a whisper of sadness and disbelief.

"I know, lovie." The green demon had abandoned his trademark sea breeze for a stiffer drink. They had all been so happy with the gifts Wolfram and Hart had given them when suddenly it all crashed down around them. Without Angel, who would lead Wolfram and Hart? He was the champion - the group needed him.

"I've just finished talking to Mr. Giles," Wesley told them, joining his colleagues. "He's informed me of the unfortunate situation he and the others are in. My former employers, the Watchers' Council, have been destroyed and with it, the resources for taking care of the Slayers are gone. With Sunnydale demolished as well, they are left with pretty much nothing. So until we figure out the details of Angel's estate, I have offered them a home here if that is okay with everyone." They all agreed.

"Does Angel even have a will?"

"I'm not sure. But there are several files in the office that concern this property and some of his assets, so we simply have to go through it all."

"At least we've got major access to lawyers now," Gunn chipped in. "They can help us out."

"While it will be helpful to have legal knowledge at our disposal, who knows just how trustworthy Wolfram and Hart will be in this situation. And who knows how we must deal with our recent acquisition of the firm anyhow?" Wesley sat down heavily on the couch, buried his head in his hands, and sighed deeply. "What ever are we going to do?"

"We're standing here on the edge of what used to be the town of Sunnydale. Yesterday an earthquake destroyed this quaint suburb completely. Built on a fault, the earthquake cracked the foundation of the town, reducing it to rubble. Luckily, seismologists discovered the impending quake weeks before it occurred and the town was evacuated completely. Reporting for Channel 5, I'm Karen Lee." Frank the camera man clicked off his camera and started to put it back in his case. To tell the truth, the story seemed so freaky and being here was weirding him out. But it wasn't his place to criticize he was just the camera guy. He turned around to get the rest of his equipment and saw something in the distance.

"What the fuck?"