Disclaimer: I own nothing besides the original characters, Joss and Mutant Enemy are the lucky ones.

Summary: Angel and his group took out the Thorn, but they opened up a whole new can of worms.

Pairings: Spuffy, Fresley, D/OC. Others might present themselves.

Warning: There will be cursing, violence and a smidgen of sex in this story.

A/N: Be advised, the format might shift a little as the story goes, I'm still learning how to write in this style, I'm use to doing everything in a screen-play format.

Chapter Three: Scoobs, where are you?

Sunnydale Crater - Shorty after it's collapse

Buffy looked out over what was left of her town. The devastation the amulet had caused was total. Everything within the city limits had been demolished. At least the double-meat had been destroyed, thank PTB for little favors. Maybe it was the shock, maybe it was a symptom of her love/hate relationship with Sunnydale; but the only thing she really missed right now was him. If he was here right now he'd either, plaster a shit eating grin on over his ability to bring an entire town to it's knees, or he'd just shrug it off. After the soul it was hard to tell; he seemed to be the old Spike sometimes. Other times he'd become shy, reserved; something he'd never been before his little sojourn to Africa.

'Maybe that's why he denied my little declaration?'

No, no matter how much Spike had changed; he wouldn't deny Buffy admitting her feelings towards him; unless he really thought she was just saying it to make him feel better. Oh god, he really didn't believe her! Dumb-ass vampire, always thinking he knows everything about people. Well apparently the soul had messed up his little intuitive thingy. How could she not love him, he'd done more for her than all the men in her life combined. He'd protected Dawn under torture and threat of death.

He'd protected her friends and Sunnydale while she was gone. Since getting his soul he'd healed the scars her relationship with Angel had left. He'd been there for her after coming out of the grave, at least before smoochies and hot rompy sex-capades had turned the friendship they'd started into something...well she really couldn't describe what that period was. It was dark, and tragic; she'd used him for her own needs; knowing all along he thought it was the start of something more. She was too absorbed in her own pain to care what it was doing to him.

When she'd finally come out of her own world; she felt dirty, not for what they'd done..ok, she felt a little dirty for that. But she felt really dirty for using his love, just like Parker had used her, actually worse. Parker had only used her body, she'd used everything of Spike's. She'd broken it off, she'd done what she thought was right. Than the bathroom incident, it was still uncomfortable to think about. She couldn't deny what Spike had done, but she also couldn't deny she had damaged him, so many times she'd told him he was bad, soul-less, and that he'd never be good or pure. It was a wonder things didn't blow up earlier.

And after all that, he'd gotten his soul. God, what did it mean to him, seeing what it had done to Angel; and he still went through with it. Maybe that was his way of punishing himself for what happened. It scared her how much he loved her, because she truly didn't think she could love with as much passion as he did. Not until she was looking at him as their hands erupted in flames did she truly understand why she'd never been able to admit his feelings without the soul. If Spike with no soul, could love her so deeply, than what did that say about her and Angel.

How could a soul make such a drastic difference; when Angel lost his he'd become a completely different person. Yet Spike getting his only seemed to make him, less..Spikish; the bout of insanity not withstanding. Spike's love had caused him to get his soul, Angel's had caused him to lose his. It was too much to think about, she was too tired, too sad.

She heard Dawn start talking through her thoughts "..what are we going to do now?"

Buffy smiled, she'd live, because Spike had given her a second chance at life, real life, and she wasn't gonna waste it.

Than she collapsed to the ground unconscious.

Los Angeles - Several days later

The form of Buffy Summers walked confidently into the lobby of the Holiday Inn where the Scoobies had temporarily relocated upon getting to L.A. She entered the elevator and sighed, allowing her shoulder's to slump. The elevator doors opened signaling her floor, she strode off; moving down the corridor. Finding her room she pulled her key card out and slipped it into the electronic reader. The door clicked and she twisted the knob, sliding inside. Willow looked up from her computer, seeing her entrance.

"So how did it go?"

"Great, if you consider him squishing me like a freaking teddy bear great." Buffy's form replied irritated.

"But he bought it right, he totally thought you were her?" Willow looked hopeful, and a little jittery.

"Yeah, he gave me the big googly eyes, and started talking about how maybe now that Sunnydale was gone; Buffy could move to L.A. and help in the fight there"

"Yup, he bought it."

"Will, could you take this off, it's starting to make me all woozy."

"Sure!" Willow took a second to look at the book lying open on the desk. "Estangus clapeton ryshmie fontile!"

The form of Buffy dissolved, showing Dawn underneath. "Thanks, it was weird having everyone making eye contact with my chest." Willow smirked at Dawn and half-rolled her eye's. "As a young woman, you should get use that kind of eye contact." They both giggled, the tension between them since the "Evil Willow" incident gone.

"Any word from Giles?" Dawn's look turned hopeful as she took a seat on the bed.

"He got Buffy settled into the coven, hopefully the witches there will be able to help her."

Dawn smiled half-heartedly. "Hopefully." At that moment; Xander walked in carrying a box of donuts..

"Xander's donuts, fresh baked and delivered, straight from...Xanders."

Both girls smirked as Willow reached into the box to grab one. "Than why does it say Joe's bakery on the top."

Xander glared at her. "You dare question my powers of sugary goodness, witch!" He bellowed over dramatically. Dawn and Willow rolled their eyes, the Xand-man always knows how to lighten up a situation. Even though he has a circle under his red puffy eye, having cried every night; for Anya, for the potentials who's names he didn't know. Hell, he'd even mourned Spike, Andrew and Giles were guys too, but one was way too uptight, and the other was just geeky. Spike was the only other guy like guy in the group.

Not to mention he'd given his life for the world. That made up Xander's mind about what kind of man...pire Spike was. Not that he approved of Spike and Buffy together. But he understood now that for some reason Buffy had needed him around this past year. And if Spike made Buffy happy; than Xander couldn't begrudge his pseudo-sister that.

"Any word from Giles?" He said through a mouthful of bear claw.

Willow shook her head to the affirmative as she worked on her laptop. "Yeah, Buffy's with the coven and there doing what they can to help her."

Xander smiled, little pieces of frosting falling out of his mouth. "Good, they can perform a little Abracadabra! And the Buffster will be good as new!"

Willow frowned at Xander, not wanting him to get Dawn's hopes up. "She's in a coma Xander, that's not just bounce back type stuff."

Xander nodded in agreement. "I know that, but she's come back from the dead, twice, once because of the incredibly powerful lungs of yours truly, and once cause of the magics of my favorite goddess slash redhead. A little poke in the side ain't gonna stop Buffy."

Dawn looked like a little girl as she peeked at him from under her hair. "Do you really think she'll get better Xand?"

"I don't think so Dawnster, I know so, you can't keep a good slayer down."

Dawn sighed as she ran her hands through her hair. "By the way, I think Angel might be going a little nuts."

Willow looked confused. "Why would you say that?"

Dawn seemed very in thought as she proclaimed. "He said he couldn't wait for me to be cookies?"

The Coven - a few months later

Giles exited his room, holding his glasses and rubbing his forehead. Dawn and Xander sat on the couch having waited for him a while.

Xander was the first to speak up, pouring Giles a cup of tea. "So, what did dead-boy have to say?"

Giles reclined in his chair, bringing the cup to his lips and blowing on it. "Apparently, one of their people has been infected by a virus of unknown origin, and Angel had hoped Willow could be of assistance."

Dawn put her fist's under her chin, "What did you tell him?"

Giles eyebrows rose almost imperceptibly, as if he was taking a second to collect his thoughts. "The truth, in as much as Willow is currently on an astral plane. I did not enlighten him as to what she was actually doing there."

Dawn seemed confused. "I still don't understand, why can't we tell him about Buffy? Don't we still trust Angel?"

Giles shook his head tiredly. "Yes Dawn, I still believe that Angel is on our side, as misguided as he is in his attempt to change Wolfram and Hart into a tool for good. The reason we can't tell him is that we simply aren't able to trust the company he work's for."

"If anyone in the demon world was to know that Buffy was temporarily disabled..." Giles voice seemed almost robotic as he said this, the phrase used too many times. "...If anyone knew of her situation they would attempt to exploit it for their own personal gain."

Xander spoke up, lost in his thought's for several moments "I would have thought Buffy's slayer healing would have worked it's mojo by now."

Giles slipped his glasses on, pulling up his sleeves and regarding Xander as his surrogate son. "The coven tells me that her wounds from the battle have healed completely, but she still remains unresponsive. Remember, Faith stayed in a coma for several months from just a stab wound. Buffy's injury was much more severe; it might take much longer for her mind to repair the trauma done."

Xander's eye lit up, coming upon an epiphany. "Could it be a trance, like what happened after Glory took Dawn?"

Dawn's brow furrowed, confusion etching her features. "What trance, no one ever told me about a trance."

Giles looked slightly guilty for leaving Dawn out of the loop of such information. "After Glory took you from us, your sister entered a trance, she was bereft over losing you, and her mind went inward. Only after Willow was able to enter her psyche did you sister come out of it, I doubt this is the same situation as before. We'll know more once Willow returns from her journey."

Xander glanced at Dawn as she entered the kitchen, then he leaned in towards Giles, whispering. "We have time though, Buffy's still stable right?"

Giles checked to make sure Dawn was out of earshot. "She is still stable, but even a slayer's body has limits. If we are unable to find a way to wake her up, her body might simply shut down."

Both men agreed that they would not let that happen; they also agreed, although not vocally, that they were clueless as to how to stop it.

Rome - Several months later

Dawn entered the flat they'd procured while they were in Rome, dragging Xander behind her. He looked exactly like the immortal, every woman's dream, with the voice to match. She was in the guise of her sister, both of them dressed to the nines.

"Come on Dawn, I promise I won't take any of them home, I just wanna get some mileage out of this thing while I can."

"No Xander, we can't risk Spike or Angel seeing you like that, they'd probably beat the crap out of you."

"Don't be so sure about that missy, I've been known to lay the smack down on many a vamp."

"Yeah, fledges and the occasional Junior Master, but were talking about Spike and Angel, together!"

"Fine, but your so off my Christmas list!"

Dawn walked over to the table, looking for the spell book that contained the ultra-glamour spell Willow had taught her. Apparently being a mystical key made her a natural at magic. Too bad it didn't get her out of classes and chores at the Coven slash slayer academy. The spell book was missing in action.

"Andrew, where is my spell book!" Having her sister's voice did come in handy.

Andrew ran into the room, looking like a deer caught in the headlights. "Oh, you two; I was wondering where you guys were, I just found out they're doing a mini-series connecting Lucas's first trilogy with the second."

"Are you kidding me, that's awesome." Xander said in the immortal's voice, the effect quite disturbing.

Dawn/Buffy stomped her foot, grabbing their attention. "Guys we need to get out of here like now, we can't afford them showing up again. Now where's the spell-book?"

Andrew jumped with the answer. "I thought it was a cookbook, so I put it in the cupboard. I'll go get it."

Xander sat down, resting his head against the back of the couch. "Tell me why we had to bring him again."

Dawn looked out the window, checking for any sign of Angel or Spike. "Cause he was the only one without anything important to do."

Xander chuckled at this. "I'm surprised we were able to pull this off; I thought the whole point of saying you were here was to avoid Angel."

Dawn nodded. "We didn't think Angel would have any reason to come here."

"Sir Broods A Lot like's to keep 'em guessing, doesn't he?"

"Angel and Spike must have been furious seeing Buffy and The Immortal together."

Andrew ran in carrying the spell book, slightly whiter than before. "Sorry, spilled some flour on it" Andrew laid down the book and back stepped into the kitchen.

The Coven - A few weeks later

Faith stood near the fireplace, twiddling a nasty looking blade in her hands. Giles and Xander sat down, neither moving. Willow came in from Buffy's bedroom, looking haggard and worn. Dawn stood out on the porch, looking over the acres of countryside.

Faith sheathed her knife, taking a seat on the sofa. "So, you guys dragged me all the way here to tell me there's nothing more we can do."

Giles sighed, tired and frustrated. "If you'd rather be in Cleveland Faith, I'm sure Willow could teleport you back once she's rested."

Faith eyed Giles, hurt that he thought her so cold. "I didn't say that, Robin and Kennedy are looking after the girls. All im saying is, you shouldn't get someone's hopes up, just to squash 'em like a bug."

"Yes well, we knew you'd at least want to be here, just in case Buffy..." Giles paused, unwilling to admit the chance. "..just in case Buffy passes."

All of them bowed their heads, having nothing to say. Dawn rushed in the front door, worry written all over her face.

"Clara said there's some disaster alert about L.A. on the news." Giles grabbed the remote for the TV Xander had convinced him to purchase, saying "Come on G-man, even you have to admit, books alone can not provide total entertainment." The boy was lucky he loved him; because he would have throttled anyone else for that statement. He turned the channel to the BBC as a reporter was droning on.

"...the reports coming in so far are confirming eye witness accounts of a major disaster in Los Angeles, California. Apparently, several energy fissures have opened inside the city limits. Beings of unknown origin pouring out, all of different size and shape. A storm system, unseen by the national weather society, has moved in over L.A. county and much of the surrounding area; blocking out the sun, and causing lightning strikes throughout. Local government has cordoned off the area, stationing national guardsmen along it's borders. We here at the BBC send our hopes and prayers to anyone caught inside the city, and to the family members waiting to hear from loved ones"

"We have to go there." Everyone's eyes turned to Buffy, standing unsteadily. She'd lost several pounds, and her pigment was something to rival any vamp, but she was awake.

"Buffy!" Dawn shouted, rushing to her sister and enveloping her in a gentle but urgent hug.

All of them stood, cheers and tears ready to spill out. Buffy silenced them with her next admission.

"I saw what's going to happen...It's Armageddon."

A/N: Yeah baby, had to visit the Scoobie's, I didn't dig what they did with them during Angel's last season. So I thought I'd incorporate what we were shown and told into this story. I'm trying sticking to canon while still telling my story, how am I doing? Comment's, Question's, Love declaration's; you know what to do...Oh, you don't, well in that case, just hit the little button that says review, Thanks for reading!

A/N: Thanks for the format help Kim, I tend to over-compensate for growing up a fat kid when it comes to grammar.