Disclaimer: Don't own anything except my own characters. They're everyone who you don't recognize.

A/N: Hope you guys are enjoying this. Plz review and if you recommend this story to others it would be greatly appreciated.

Buffy and Spike entered the party room and both went immediately to the food table. Hey, when you save the world on a daily basis and have freaky vampires chasing after you looking to kill you, you don't exactly have time to stop and eat.

They leaned against the tables and chatted for awhile about everything that had happened lately.

"So," Buffy started. "I find out my best friend's a genetically engineered supersoldier, so are Coco and Faith, their sister is supposed to save the world from something we don't even know yet, their other sister's boyfriend is an alien and she herself possesses some otherworldly powers, and know we're living in a toxic waste dump that we now call home."

Spike nodded and grinned. "Our lives are pretty strange huh? I mean, I think I can honestly say that I've seen it all and that nothing else can surprise me."

"And back to that whole 'Max saving the world' thing, how is she supposed to save humanity if she doesn't even know who she's saving it from?" Buffy said. She frowned. "Actually, considering all that's happened, I should say what she's saving it from."

"Aw now hon, jealous are ya? This time it's not you who's gonna do the world saving and that just ticks you off, don't it?" Spike teased.

"No!" Buffy declared. "It's just that I hope she's up to the job, because from the sounds of things, this whole 'Coming' is pretty big."

"If she's anything like Faith, which I think she is, she'll be able to do it. Don't worry so much luv," Spike said. "Hey. Wanna dance?"

She nodded and they moved to the dance floor, rocking to the beat. They were both having a great time when an explosion went off, and darkness overwhelmed them.

Emerald leaned against a wall, looking wistfully at her brothers and sisters. She smiled at seeing them so happy, spending the special Christmas day with their sweethearts or someone who meant a lot to them. Hell, even Max and Zack were lost in their own little world. She just wished she could have something like that too.

She was so lost in her thoughts that she didn't notice someone trying to get her attention. A hand waved in front of her face. She blinked then smiled at the person in front of her.

"Hey," she said. "Xander… right?"

"Yeah," he said. He looked her over. "You look really great tonight Emerald."

She blushed, something that was unusual for a Manticore soldier. "Thanks. You too."

"Would you like to dance?" he asked.

She smiled. "I'd love to."

They walked to the dance floor and stayed there, dancing for a while until they both decided they needed a drink. She felt so happy inside, she thought she would burst. Xander was sweet and she liked him. Maybe this Christmas wouldn't be so bad. At least she had someone to spend it with.

Her joy was short-lived when a flash of bright light and an explosion rendered her unconscious.

Willow had met Michael, one of the Roswell aliens, and they had really hit it off. They danced, they ate, and they talked for the whole entire party. She found out they had a lot in common.

"You know what I like to do?" Willow asked. "Just lie down in the sunshine, letting the warmth invade my body and not think about a single thing."

Michael's eyes brightened. "Hey, me too! Nothing's better than to just relax, especially when that opportunity comes so rarely. You know, with all the fights and battles and stuff. It makes you completely exhausted."

"Tell me about it. Once, I was so tired I couldn't move for a week. I don't know how Buffy always does it. She battles demons and vampires day and night and I never see her rest," Willow said.

"That sucks, but it's life. If anyone said that life was easy, I'd – "

Michael was suddenly cut off by a loud explosion, throwing them apart and the impact of hitting ground knocked both of them out.

Maria sat on one of the benches in a little clearing at the back of T.C., feeling totally and irrevocably left out. She didn't belong with any of them. Some were aliens, some were slayers, and some were enhanced humans. She was just a boring ordinary girl with not much action or adventure in her life at all. She couldn't relate to any of them.

"This Christmas sucks," she muttered.

"Why? Christmas is supposed to be a good time," a guy said, sitting down next to her. She looked up.

"So what are you?" she asked. "Slayer or genetically engineered?"

The guy laughed. She liked his laugh.

"Do I look like a transgenic or a slayer to you?" he asked.

True, he wasn't a male model like all the transgenics seemed to be, and he didn't have the slayer type of look, but who was she to judge when she knew almost nothing about all of them?

"I don't know," she said.

The guy shook his head. "I'm not exactly the most impressive guy in the place. My name's Calvin, but everyone calls me Sketchy. I'm just a normal human, like you seem to be."

Her eyes widened. "Really?"

He laughed again. "Yup. All human, no powers, through and through."

"My name's Maria. Don't you ever feel sort of left out that your friends can do things that you can't?" she asked.

"Well, yeah, sure, who wouldn't be? But they're my friends, and I support them. Besides, they don't have everything going for them. People are looking to kill them, and they haven't had the nicest life. So, I'm kind of happy to be me. A boring bike messenger with no life at all."

"You're not in the least boring, and I'm sure you have a life," she said defensively. "I think it's heartwarming that you care so much about your friends."

She liked this Sketchy. Maybe he wasn't Brad Pitt, or anything close, but he was nice and friendly and just like her.

"So – " but all of a sudden she screamed as something exploded.

Dawn walked around the grounds of T.C., enjoying the fresh, night air. She walked with her head down, looking at her shoes when she bumped into something hard and fell backwards.

"Oh, I'm sorry," the guy said. He held out a hand and helped her up. "Are you alright?"

"Y-yeah, f-fine, thanks," she stammered, trying hard not to get lost in a sea of green.

"I'm Zero," he said. "About the name, don't ask. It includes a very embarrassing situation."

She laughed. "Okay Zero. I'm Dawn."

"You shouldn't be out here so late, Dawn. It's not safe. You should go back inside."

She raised her chin a little, defiantly. "I can handle myself."

"Alright, alright. I'm just warning you."

She smiled warmly. "Thanks though."

Suddenly she felt wrongness in the air. Zero noticed her edginess.

"What's wrong?"

She didn't get a chance to answer because suddenly there was a loud explosion, propelling the both of them backwards.

Jondy and Zane were making out in a broom closet when a shiver shot up Jondy's spine. Then the closet shook as an explosion went off.

A/N: Hey guys, this chapter was just to show where the others were when the explosions went off. I'll have the next real chapter up soon. Please review!

Thanks to –

Doza – Thanks for reviewing! I hoped you liked this chapter 'cause I did it for you to show you where the others were when the explosions went off.

shygirl1 – Thanks for reviewing! Please update "All of Us" soon.

Taye – Thanks for reviewing!

longbca – Thanks for reviewing! It's great to have a new reviewer.