A/N: Man I've been trying to upload this chapter for hours, then I remembered a little trick from rr1963. Export an already existing chapter and paste in the new one. That man is my hero. Ok, new chapter! This one moves a little slow, a little explainations for those of us who aren't Buffy fanatics. And just so you all know, while I may have watched all of Buffy and continue to do so with the DVD's, I missed a lot of Angel. I have a general idea of what happened, but I changed it up a little. Enjoy!
Disclaimer: i don't own the characters from Buffy or Angel, nor do I make many from this.
"Okay here we are! Home sweet home!" Xander smiled reassuringly at another young slayer he had located a few days earlier. Her name was Lauren, a spunky girl he found in a small Michigan town. The girl was barely seventeen and already very strong with her powers. Xander led her into the house and she walked in cautiously.
Dawn was walking past the doorway when Xander brought the new girl inside. She smiled brightly at the new slayer and extended her hand.
"Hi! You must be Lauren. I'm Dawn. Xander called and said you were coming" she smiled happily, always glad for new faces. This particular new face looked a little overwhelmed and Dawn glared at Xander.
"So did Xander tell you where you were coming exactly?" Dawn asked, knowing the answer when the older man smiled sheepishly.
"Well, kind of. I mean he told me that people like me live here." Lauren answered unsurely. She was feeling a lot better about the situation now that someone else her age was around, and not just the goofy man next to her.
"Well allow me to give you the grand tour!" Dawn smiled, taking the girl's hand and leading her into the house.
"Don't be like that you big ponce!" Spike yelled banging on the door Angel just shut in his face. He was contemplating breaking it down when Faith reached out and turned the handle, swinging the door open. Inside the small apartment, Angel turned and frowned at his own stupidity of not locking the door. He rolled his eyes and sat in a chair and waited for them to talk because he knew that they were going to talk.
"Hey there A. Sorry to bust in like this, but you know" Faith shrugged, flopping down on a large sofa. "Nice digs" she said looking around at his apartment.
"Thanks Faith" Angel said. "So what brings you two to LA?" He hadn't seen Spike or Faith since the last battle in the city.
"Well we were wondering what you were up to," Spike shrugged. "It seems wrong that you aren't in our superhero club."
"Yeah" Faith said. "Everyone is there now. It is the place to be A."
"What are you two talking about?" Angel sighed. Superhero club? What were these two smoking?
"Angel" Spike snapped. "What do you think we have all been doing since the battle? Just roaming the countryside looking for a good time?"
Angel shrugged. He had no idea what anyone was doing now. Only Spike, Faith and himself survived the last battle. Angel said goodbye to the pair and went off to try to forget the fact that he lead his friends to their deaths. Gunn, Wes, Illyria, Connor, everyone had died that day. But not Angel. Of course not. He was to suffer forever.
"Well Angel" Faith sighed. "We joined forces with the Scoobies."
Angel felt an eyebrow shoot up and his body became a little more stiff. "The Scoobies?"
"Yes Angel. Pay attention." Spike snapped. "You remember, Slayer, Red, the wanker?"
Angel rolled his eyes. He wondered what the Sunnydale group had been up to, but didn't want to find out. Giles had made it perfectly clear that Angel was no longer wanted around his charges.
"You've joined forces?" Angel asked, wondering what that meant exactly.
Faith sighed and sat back. "Yes we have. After everything that happened in Sunnydale and LA, we were all kind of scattered. I didn't know what to do, so I went to see B."
"Me too" Spike admitted. "She hit me too mate! Mad that I didn't tell her I was alive again." Angel smirked, picturing that perfectly.
"So we all sat down and had a long chat. Everyone was there, except you of course." Faith continued. "Everyone thought it was best to create a base for the slayers and that's what we did."
Spike nodded. "It was all Buffy's idea. You would have been proud."
Angel blinked. This was a little surreal to him. Spike and Faith of all people were in his apartment talking about how everyone was united now?
"Surprised Angel?" Faith smiled. "Didn't think we could all put aside our differences?"
"Honestly, no" Angel admitted.
"Well it has been almost a year mate." Spike pointed out. "And two major apocalypses later, that's got to have built some trust. You wouldn't believe how friendly the Slayers are!"
Faith rolled her eyes. "So me and B have had our problems, so what! We're all good now."
"I still get a chill when Buffy looks at you without suspicion in her eyes. It freaks me out!" Spike laughed. Faith kicked him and smiled at his cry of pain. Now Angel was really starting to wonder what they were on.
"So we tracked you down to come back with us" Faith continued.
Angel looked at their eager faces and frowned. "I'm not wanted there."
"What makes you think that?" Spike asked.
"It doesn't matter anymore." Angel answered in his cryptic way.
Faith sighed an got up. "Well, you are coming anyway A. All your friends want you there with us and you have no choice." Angel threw her a look that clearly said "make me". Spike walked over next to Faith and pulled out a cigarette.
"She's right mate." he said as he lit up. "The Slayer misses you. It's not safe for you to be on your own out here anymore. And someone else really wants to see you."
"Who Xander?" Angel spat.
"No Angel. Connor." Faith said. The pair watched what little color the vampire had, drain from his face.
"So this is the first floor. Just your average house." Dawn was saying as she showed Lauren around. "It's not much, but it's home. Everyone is hoping to help build an addition on by this summer. Especially if more SITs show up."
"SITs?" Lauren asked. She heard Xander use the word but wasn't sure what it meant.
"That's you" Dawn explained. She lead Lauren to the sofa and they sat down. "A slayer in training."
"Oh" the girl said, trying to understand. Dawn smiled an patted her arm.
"I know it's a lot to take. It's complex but I will try to break it down for you ok?" Dawn smiled as the girl nodded. "Ok. Have you ever heard the prophecy? You know...'In every generation, there is a Chosen One. She alone will stand against the vampires, the demons, and the forces of darkness. She is the Slayer. One girl in all the world, one with the strength and skill to hunt the vampires, to stop the spread of their evil ways, to cease their destructive manners, to prevent the end of the world'. No?"
Lauren looked even more confused now. "Wait what? I though Xander said there were more people like me here!"
"There are." Dawn reassured. "My sister is the Slayer. Like I said, it's a long story, but there are lots of slayers now. A lot live here and train. Come on, I'll show you to a room and I'll tell you more later."
Meanwhile, Buffy and Willow were in the backyard watching Connor and Xander spar. Xander was no match for Angel's son and he spent most of his time running away from Connor. Buffy laughed at the boys and felt her mind starting to wander to Angel. Connor had shown up at the house a little over three months ago. After the battle in LA, no one could find Angel. Connor thought he had died, but Buffy refused to believe it. Connor had come looking for Spike and Faith, and ended up finding a home.
"Good job Xander" Willow smiled. "I'm sure you'll get him next time!"
"Will you guys help me tell the girls that there will be a meeting at eight in the training room?" Buffy asked. Connor and Xander nodded.
"Great!" Buffy smiled, hopping down from her seat on the table. "See you guys later!"
"Connor? He's alive?" Angel got out with difficulty. His son had survived the battle?
"Yes he is." Faith assured. "He spent time looking for you after the battle. We all did. He came to find me and Spike after a while and ended up staying with us."
Angel tried to process this new information. "So while I've been here, you guys, Buffy, Connor, the new slayers and everyone else have been living happily ever after together?" Angel cringed at the injustice of it all.
"Pretty much" Spike said. "We've been looking for you for ages, but somebody didn't want to be found! I only just got this tip yesterday. My guy described you as a brooding, badly dressed fellow and I knew it had to be you."
"So will you come with us Angel?" Faith asked. The vampire got out of his chair and grabbed his leather duster.
"Let's go"
Later that evening, the SITs were in the training room welcoming the new arrival. Lauren was happy to finally meet all the girls that were just like her. Everyone was so nice and answered all her questions.
"So what is the low down on all the people around here?" Lauren asked.
"Who? The non-SITs?" a girl Lauren remembered as Yuki asked.
"Yeah. What's their stories?" Lauren asked curiously.
"Well, first there is Buffy. She's the Slayer. The original out of everyone here. She's awesome Lauren, you'll like her." Yuki smiled. The young Japanese girl idolized Buffy. She had been in the original group of potential slayers that fought against the First Evil and she was one of the few survivors. Yuki hated how the group had rebelled against Buffy before the battle.
"Then there is Faith." Yuki continued. "She became a slayer after Buffy died."
"What?!" Lauren asked, alarmed.
"Oh she's ok, she just died for a minute!" Yuki corrected. "Actually, Faith became a slayer after Buffy's replacement died, but that's another story. Faith is really cool." Lauren nodded and wondered when she would get to meet these people.
As if reading her thoughts, the door opened and Buffy, Willow, Xander, Dawn, and Connor entered the room. Lauren looked at the group and wondered if the stories she heard about them were really true. The other SITs told her tales of life and death and battles that seemed impossible to win. But seeing the group, she felt a power around them that she couldn't match.
"Hey you guys!" Buffy smiled. She scanned the group and stopped when she saw a new face. She walked up to the new girl and placed a hand on her arm.
"Hey Lauren! My name is Buffy. Welcome to the house" she smiled warmly. Lauren nodded to the Slayer. "I hope the girls have shown you around?"
"Yeah Dawn took me around earlier." she told Buffy.
"Good. Tomorrow Faith and I will talk to you okay? I'm sorry we didn't get a chance to today but Faith is out right now." Buffy smiled. Unlike the group of potentials she led into the battle against the First, Buffy had a lot more time to devote to the SITs. She made sure each one knew that they had a support system in the house. Buffy wouldn't not have made it this far with out hers.
"Okay girls! Anything new going on since last time?" Buffy asked. Dawn sat down to take notes like she usually did while Connor and Xander pulled out sparing equipment. Willow sat down and smiled at the girls.
"We need more food Buffy!" called a few girls. A few others yelled out that Xander and Connor kept eating it all and Lauren laughed. She was glad that everyone seemed so at ease and comfortable with each other. It was something Buffy and Willow were proud of too.
"I'm sorry you guys!" Willow laughed. Behind her, Xander and Connor looked insulted.
"I'm sure we can work on it" Buffy promised, glaring at the boys. "Now, I thought we would just do some light training tonight. Spike has apparently found something for you all to do tomorrow so-"
"That's right I have!" Spike said, walking into the room, followed by Faith.
Yuki leaned over and whispered to Lauren. "That's Spike and Faith."
"Is he a.-" Lauren started. Yuki grinned. "Vampire? Yeah. But a good guy. Don't let him scare you."
"Where have you guys been?" Buffy asked, concerned that Spike and Faith were working together. That rarely ended up well.
"Doing a little search and rescue." Faith smiled. Buffy was about to ask what that meant when Angel stepped in the room behind the smirking pair.
A/N: And he's back...hehehe.