AN: Sorry, this chapter is mostly just about wrapping things up, so there isn't much detail, and no action. It's basically a summary. It will explain the start of the next story though. I WILL CONTINUE this fic, when I get time.

Cordelia wasn't really surprised that Erica had helped to banish the witch. "It's who she is," she explained, "or at least, it will be." She explained all that she knew about Erica so far, but it was limited and she told them that they would learn more as they went along.

After much discussion, Erica agreed to go back to America with the others. Angel wanted to reopen Angel Investigations, and check that Wolfram and Hart really had shut down. The others were happy to be involved in paranormal investigations again.

Cordelia, like she had before, asked if she could stay on as secretary. It wasn't a problem for Angel to employ them, because he had already spent a year not using the pay he received from his position at Wolfram and Hart. Erica was the only one who did not sign on as an employee, and at the time, Angel wasn't really sure how much she could offer. He still saw her as a mortal young woman in need of protection and guidance.

The next thing to sort out was where Erica would stay. She earned some money from sending stories to magazines, and she received an allowance from her grandparents, so she could manage by herself if she had to. She suggested taking up something like waitress-ing if she needed more money to get by – she did not want to be dependent on her protectors for everything. Angel was adamant that if supernatural things were drawn to her that she have someone with her at all times. Erica was adamant that she wouldn't have all three of them shadowing her all of the time.

Cordelia had already been set up with an apartment in LA, with three bedrooms. After all, if the Powers that Be could stop time and rearrange reality, they could do a little thing like giving their Seer somewhere to live. Erica chose to stay with Cordelia, and Lawson volunteered to be their roommate. "She saved my life," he said to Angel, "then she saved my soul. I'm not going to let anything happen to her."

The others had decided that, for the time being, they leave out the part about Erica's future self when talking to the girl – she already had a lot to take in; her whole life had changed. Likewise, Cordelia was considered better off not knowing what had happened to her before her comeback into the world. Cordelia herself specifically asked not to be told. She knew she'd been there before, but she didn't want to know about it. She had been given a new life, and she was going to start over.

Before they left Australia, Angel tried to track down Gunn and Illyria via phone. Gunn had left them a message – he was taking a break for a while and staying with his friend Anne to help out with the kids shelter. Illyria was nowhere to be found, but Spike and Angel guessed that she wasn't wreaking havoc – it had only been a day or two, and she was likely still grieving for Wesley.

Spike still had his place (though it needed redecorating after Hamilton's attack), and Angel figured he would stay in his office again.

He smiled when he realised he wouldn't need to live below ground anymore.

888

A/N: This IS NOT finished. I will be writing up a sequel, but I don't know how long it will take me to post it. After all, Erica's got to try bridging the realms, and eventually she's got to become the woman we saw at the start, right? By the way, I'd love it if you'd review the story.

And yes, I haven't really started the Lawson/Cordy bit, but it will get moving in the next part.

For now, here's that dream I promised you, the one that inspired me. I don't know if disclaimers apply to dreams, but it is something my brain came up with after watching the Lawson episode.

13/01/05

I was at my high school where Angel, Spike and Lawson were pretending to work as counsellors or something. Actually, the school was on a Hell-mouth, and they were helping me deal with whatever went on there. Angel could walk in sunlight because of something Wolfram and Hart had done. Lawson could do the same, but that was because I'd saved his (un) life and given him a full soul and the ability to walk in daylight.

With my help, Spike was getting there too, but he still had to tell the kids that he had violent allergies to UV rays.

Lawson was my roommate; he sought to keep me safe in return for saving his life. I liked Spike though, I could always get a friendly wave out of him, even though he could be a real dick to some other people.

Miss P, a few other girls and I were talking about the possibility that the school was haunted. I told them about a time in year 9 (actually another dream, but I thought it was a memory) where I felt myself being pushed over the lower yr 9 stair railings to my shoulders on the floor. I said I'd had a witness, but 'the Rachel character' said no, making me seem like a liar for attention.

I rephrased and said I meant that there was someone there to help me up, not that anyone had seen a ghost. Then a friend told me of a time she'd felt all of the energy sucked out of her so that she couldn't move, near the same stairs. It had felt like something had grabbed her legs, and it looked dark where she pointed. I shuddered, thinking that I'd avoid going there in the future.

Later I was found lying on the floor partway down the indoor stairs in front of the Home Economics room. On the wall behind me was a message written in blood, that I was telling the truth, and suffering would ensue because no one believed me.

Lawson found me, and when he saw the message he asked the ghost to take him and spare me. Cordy heard this and must have thought it brave because she gave a little sigh.

I was regaining consciousness and said, "Careful Cordy, he works with us. You don't want another case of Doyle. Then again…" who was I to deny a chance at love?

Anyway, I got up and complained that there was scratching all over my back, something I couldn't have done on my own.