A/N I thought this was really weird, but I went to my stats page and evidently more people have read chapter 8 than people have read chapter 7. Anyway...

Thank you people who have reviewed: natural buff buff, Buffy4592 and WriterChick1990. I don't remember if I replied to you or not. So thanks! And last but not least...

Sorry about how long it took me to get this chapter out, I had a break last week and went home. I don't have internet at home, therefore, I couldn't post anything...but I did write a couple more chapters...so they be posted soon. I hope.

Chapter 9

"I…I…" Buffy stuttered as she looked over the edge of what used to be the giant and infamous Sunnydale crater.

Angel looked curiously at the cheerful Welcome to Sunnydale sign that had once been swallowed by the collapsing town, "Huh, it seems to have changed a bit since I was here last."

Dawn jumped up and down childishly clapping her hands in joy, "It's back, it's back." She began shaking her sister, "Buffy! It's back! Our home is back!"

Buffy and Angel, who had parked the car alongside of the road as soon as they had begun to see the skyline of a city where the crater should have been, slowly began walking into the city. Both were quiet as they walked down the familiar streets and remembered. Dawn too stared in aweat the buildings that shouldn't be there.

Meandering through the streets they ended in front of Buffy's house. Revello Drive. Neither Buffy nor Angel made any attempt to enter the house; they both stood on sidewalk continuing the silence that had begunwhen they first entered the town. Before they could protest Dawn rushed across the front yard and through the door. She ran through the house, checking out all the rooms; when she found nothing she ran back to the porch and excitedly yelled out to her sister, "Buffy! It's home! Our house! Come on!"

Buffy looked up at Angel almost as if asking his permission. The hidden excitement in her eyes was reminiscent of her sister's, but it was tempered by the many bad things that had happened to the older girl. Before Angel could say anything she ran to her sister and peeked into the house. Wandering through it slowly she checked each room as thoroughly as she could for any type of magical device or demon. When she didn't find anything she smiled happily at her sister than headed back to the door where Angel stood waiting for them. "It's…" Her eyes teared up and she found her self unable to finish the sentence, so she just waved widely at the house knowing that he would understand.

Spike sat on the couch made of clouds and next to him Illyria stood silently watching. Joyce came into the room carrying two cups.

"Is that hot coco? With those little marshmallows?" Spikes eyes glittered at the yummy thought.

Joyce nodded her head and handed him the cup, which he quickly accepted and took a sip from. Illyria looked at her cup suspiciously then tasted it. She smiled, "This drink is good. You must make more."

Joyce smiled politely at the bossy women and spoke, "I told the others that it was beginning. They'll probably be joining us very soon."

Even as she said it a beautiful brunette and her newest blonde friend rushed in, "Are we late? Did we miss it?"

"What are you saying of course we didn't miss it, it doesn't start 'till I'm here." The tall brunette frowned then added, "Or maybe that's just parties?"

Spike answered, "Luv, maybe you've forgotten, but you're dead. You've been dead longer than almost any of us. Everything starts without you anymore." He smiled in fake sympathy.

She glared at him in her patented Cordy glare.

Buffy cautiously picked up the phone, half expecting the whole house to explode, but when it didn't she dialed the phone number of the Hyperion. "Giles?"

"Buffy? Where are you?"

"Umm. You might not believe this, but…I'm at my house…In Sunnydale."

"Buffy?" Giles questioned, wondering if this was really his slayer, wondering if it was than was she drugged or was there some sort of spell on her, and if it was a spell, what spell could it be. Was a demon playing with her mind like the one that had once convinced her that this world was false and that she actually lived in a mental hospital?

"Yes, Giles. Buffy is me. I am Buffy. And…Adding to the unbelievableness of this phone call; Dawn would like to say hi."

Giles confused by the name repeated, "Dawn? Dawn, the key, Dawn?"

Buffy placatingly replied, "Yes. Dawn, the key, Dawn. Dawn, the sister, Dawn. Dawn the annoying. Dawn the she's taller than me Dawn. That Dawn; my Dawn. She's back. I have a sister again. I have a family again." She handed the phone over to Angel before Giles could start telling her that it was all fake. She wanted to believe; she knew she shouldn't, but she wanted to.

"Hi Giles. It's true. Sunnydale is here. Dawn is here. And we have no clue why. But remember Buffy's dreams happened here. I think we're going to stay here, on what seems to be the front line, and that you guys should stay at the hotel, research and if we fail, become the new front line."

"Right," Giles paused to think a bit, "Check in twice everyday, once in the morning once in the evening. We'll keep you updated on what we find, and you can keep us updated on what you find."

"Alright Giles. Talk to ya' later." Angel hung up the phone and looked towards the two Summers' girls. "They'll research, all we have to do is check-in in the morning and evening. Sound good?"

Dawn, having been quiet for as long as she could asked, "So, what's for dinner?"

"They're gonna' stop and have dinner? Come on this is an apocalypse. Apocalypse! Don't they know there's no time to stop for dinner?" Gunn yelled at the TV.

"I don't know. Xander and I once had sex just before an apocalypse, it was very good. I think dinner would be very good too."

Cordelia chipped in, "Yea, ever heard of the Last Supper?"

Ben's body, somewhat corroded and dirty from being in a coffin for a couple of years suddenly morphed into the beautiful Glory.
The dust of the Masters bones suddenly lifted from the consecrated ground and began reforming the shape of the old vampire.
Mayor Wilken's suddenly appeared in the hallway of the old high school, what had been left of him after the explosion was gone.
Deep in a cave below the University of Sunnydale Adam blinked on.

TBC