At Night by Coll

Disclaimer: - None of the characters are mine, except the ones that I make up, all rights to Joss Whedon, a.k.a. - God, and I think you all know the drill.

Spoilers: Starts like, end of First Date, probably includes some spoilers about Get It Done, after that, it's my stuff.

Author’s Note: Kennedy is a kick ass character; I have found a new love in writing her. This will deal with her past and what I want her to be, hopefully you guys enjoy this.

Summary: The First strikes again just as Kennedy's training advances and her past begins to resurface.

"Ow, God!" Kennedy screamed as she hugged her ribs tightly. "I'm not a god damn punching bag! You know my ribs: they can freakin' break!"

Before she had time to regroup, Kennedy was tackled to the ground, causing even more injuries to her already bruised body. She grabbed the shoulders of the vampire that was attacking her. "Tell me about it," Spike growled as he bared his fangs and began to lean down, despite the force Kennedy was using to try and push him off of her. "Looks like you aren't passin' this one, pet."

The potential slayer refused to believe that though. She threw her head on the ground and took a deep breath. Spike let out a laugh as he paused his attack. "Do you think movin' you neck away is going to stop a real vamp-" Spike began, but he never finished.

Kennedy had gritted her teeth, rolled her hands into fists, and smashed her head against Spike's. It distracted him long enough so that she could push him off of her. Spike landed on his back with a heavy thud as Kennedy pushed herself up on her elbows.

A smile spread across her face, briefly enjoying her small triumph; then, the pain kicked in, reminding her that she had just smacked her head against something hard…and Spike had gotten his footing back. A deep growl escaped from his throat.

"Crap." Kennedy muttered as she rolled out of the way just as Spike pounced. Again, Spike was discombobulated, and Kennedy decided to actually get on to her feet this time. She reached into her jacket, looking for the stake she had tucked away.

Kennedy scanned the area as fast as she could because Spike recovered fast. She patted her sleeves down, looking for the extra one she had normally tucked in there (a habit she picked up from Buffy), but she had nada.

"You have got to be kidding me!" She cried out as Spike lunged forward with flying fists. Kennedy managed to block and dodge them, but she couldn't keep this up forever.

Spike got the best of her, though. Kennedy was so busy blocking the punches, she didn't even see his foot kick her legs and knock her down. He straddled her, holding her one arm down with his one hand while the other was turning her neck so he had better exposure.

"This is so not fair!" Kennedy cried out as Spike leaned down with a devilish grin on his vamped out face. That's when she saw it: her stake, an arm length away. With her free hand, Kennedy reached out.

It wasn't any good though. Spike was inches from her neck and she was dead. "Ugh, this blows!" she yelled as Spike got up, but kept his hands firmly where they were.

Kennedy's sight was still fixed on the stake and her hand was still reaching when Buffy crouched down into her view and picked it up. "You're right, Kennedy, getting killed and having your blood sucked does blow," the slayer told her as she stood back up and out of Kennedy's vision. "You know what else blows? Losing your stake."

The five other pairs of feet were all pointed at Buffy's as they listened to her latest speech/lesson, and Kennedy let her hand relax as she too listened and learned. "It's one thing to have fighting skills, to know how to hold your own, but Kennedy was getting tired and hurting herself in order to gain the advantage.

"No one can keep something like that up forever, so you make sure that you always have a stake, or something to use because the only thing that can keep up a fight forever are vampires. They keep going until they're dead."

Kennedy rolled her eyes. She could totally hold her own, and she knew it. "Spike, let her go…"

"I can get myself out." Kennedy said in a determined tone. Buffy stopped, the other potentials sighed, and Spike chuckled. Buffy crouched back into her line of vision and shrugged.

She opened her mouth to say something, but Kennedy didn't give her a chance. She threw her legs as far up as they could go, wrapping her ankles around Spike's neck. "Bloody hell!" Spike yelled as his hands released their grip on her neck and arm.

A scream escaped from her throat as she threw her legs down with all of her force, bringing Spike along with the ride. His weight was off of her and Kennedy kicked him aside and pushed herself up.

Buffy straightened and crossed her arms over her chest. The other potentials standing behind her were watching Kennedy with wide eyes and hung mouths. "Told you I could get myself out." Kennedy said confidently as she walked forward and yanked her stake out of Buffy's grasp.

"I wouldn't be getting too cocky if I were you Kennedy," Buffy warned in a very teacher-ly way. "Remember: you don't have anything to celebrate until there's dust being blown away."

Almost as if on cue, Kennedy heard Spike scrambling to his feet and running forward. Kennedy stepped aside and let Spike fly past her. When he was on the ground, Kennedy grabbed Spike by the collar and flipping him on to his back.

Kennedy straddled Spike the same way he did to her before, and held the stake right over his heart. Buffy still kept the teacher stance going on when Kennedy realized that her stake was a little to the left of the heart and readjusted before throwing Buffy an 'I told you so' smile.

"Celebration time?" she asked with raised eyebrows, when she received no reaction from Buffy, she added. "Come on?"

"Okay, fine…you beat Spike, he's dust," Buffy said as she nodded her head, letting Kennedy know that she should get off Spike. "You're reward: you get to face a real vampire, one that won't stop inches from your neck to let you up…solo."

"It's about damn time." Kennedy muttered as she tucked her stake into her jacket.

At this point, Buffy was now disapprovingly glaring at Kennedy. She was about to go into one of her spiels when a growl was heard from behind the potentials. Buffy turned and pushed the girls aside as a vampire, fresh from the grave attacked Buffy.

The others scrambled away as Kennedy stepped forward, but Spike stepped in front of her and held his arms out. "Oh, come on," Kennedy whined. "She said I was ready for a solo."

"Under her terms, Kennedy," Spike replied as he watched the battle ready, like her, to jump in when Buffy needed help. "Everyone here knows that you're ready, even though Buffy's bein' hard on you. She just doesn't want your head getting too big or anything."

"Yeah, well, The First isn't gonna be out forever," Kennedy reminded him. "If we keep getting all these gay lectures and pampered field training, how are we ever going to be ready?"

Spike took his eyes off the fight to turn and raise his eyebrows at her choice of words. Kennedy merely smiled and shrugged as Spike sighed. "She knows time's runnin' out, pet," he told her. "One thing I've learned, with Buffy…you can trust her. We've gotten through worst."

Vi let out a scream after Buffy lost her hold on the vamp and it launched forward to the group of potentials. The slayer regrouped and threw the vampire to the ground and began to wail on his ass as the whole group gasped at once.

Kennedy shrugged at Spike's previous statement before he let his arm down and turned to her. "Just one more thing," he started off in a serious tone. "Where the hell did you learn all that leg stuff?"

The brunette potential smiled. "The Y back home," she started. "Too many boys there thought they were men. That little trick came in handy when I found myself in sticky situations."

Spike smiled at her and let out a laugh as he watched Buffy's stake slide into her hand from the sleeve of her shirt and into the vampire's heart. "Boy, did they sure as hell feel like assholes when I got the better of them." Kennedy added as she almost felt the surge that one does when they stake a vampire.

Buffy patted herself down, dust rising with every clap of her hands. She let out a cough and scanned over everyone. "Everyone besides Kennedy have any injuries?" the group of potentials looked each other over before turning back to Buffy. "Okay then, guess we better head home then."

After inspecting Kennedy's bruised ribs and other injuries, Spike and Buffy led the way home as all the potentials hung around in the back. They were crowded around Kennedy, retelling their favorite parts and questioning her skills.

Every now and again, Buffy would turn her head ever so slightly and listen to the others go on about her. Kennedy knew she wasn't thrilled with the whole Kennedy-band wagon that was going on, but what was she supposed to do? Not be good at the training? Not show improvement?

Kennedy let those thoughts slide out of her head, though. As the group turned on to Revello Drive, Kennedy began to get antsy. A part of her wanted to break away from the others and run ahead to the house and pounce on Willow.

Keep control of yourself, she thought as she took a deep breath and tried to calm the excess energy that was coursing through her entire body. The last thing she wanted to do when she got home was to push Willow too far and too fast.

Their whole…well, Kennedy wasn't sure if she should be calling what her and Willow have a relationship yet, but whatever it was, it was new and Kennedy didn't want to do anything to muck it up.

Besides, after what happened after they kissed…Kennedy just wanted to give Willow the space she needed. Everything that happened a few days ago stayed with her and Willow…and Buffy, Xander, Spike, Dawn, Anya…and Mr. Giles…

Well, none of the other potentials knew, and that was sort of the important thing.

"Kennedy?" Molly shouted loudly while trying her best not too completely bust out in laughter. "Don't you agree?"

Kennedy, not wanting to sound completely stupid and like she had just blacked out in thought for a few minutes, decided to play along, "Yeah…yes, of course I agree."

Molly couldn't hide her laughter anymore…along with the rest of the group she was walking with. Even Buffy and Spike began to chuckle a bit. "Okay, fine, you all caught me," Kennedy confessed. "I spaced…what did I agree to?"

"Just telling the girls a little something that you might be feeling after slaying," Buffy said as she turned and walked backwards while talking to Kennedy. "A…friend once told us that after slaying one tends to have an amazing hunger."

Kennedy smirked as Buffy turned and walked up the walkway to her house. She had heard the story, or rather Xander had been joking to her and the other girls, about how after a good slay, you tend to feel either hungry or…

Well, judging by the way she still wanted to pounce on Willow, she could just chalk that up to her slaying. Spike entered the house while Buffy held the door open for the others. When Kennedy, who was bringing up the rear, walked up on to the porch, Buffy grabbed her arm before she could enter.

"I wanted to talk to you before we all call it a night." Buffy told her quietly as she shut the door, crossed the porch and leaned against the railing. Buffy patted the empty space behind her.

Kennedy walked forward and leaned against the empty space next to Buffy. "So, you gonna lecture me? Or scold me or something like that?" Kennedy asked defensively as she crossed her arms. "I'm not a child Buffy, I know more than some of those girls combined-"

"Hey, let the defense shields down," Buffy interrupted her calmly. "I did want to give you a few tips, but I also wanted to tell you how good you did tonight. You have shown amazing progress…more than I honestly expected from any of you."

The slayer sighed and hung her head low. "Normally when you get that feeling there is one," Buffy responded. "The First…it's everywhere, all the time. I'm sure it's studying us right now…and it's seeing how good you're getting. How powerful you're becoming."

Kennedy didn't say anything back, even when Buffy paused and gave her the chance to. She was just taking it all in, realizing that The First wasn't that far away. It probably had been watching them, her progress.

"Well, now I know what to say to make you guys listen to me." Buffy said dryly as she watched Kennedy's reaction.

"Sorry," Kennedy replied quietly. "Just…I know about The First, I know it's coming…guess I never thought about how serious it could all get. How The First is everywhere."

"Look, my intention wasn't to bum you out," Buffy said. "You are one of the best of them, Kennedy. Everyone knows it, but that doesn't mean you can't die just as easily. Letting your guard down, being too sure of yourself, is going to buy you a one way ticket to hell."

Kennedy nodded along with Buffy, taking everything in and learning. She had been getting that too cool for school attitude, and she was grateful that Buffy was bringing her back into reality. The potential was lost completely in her thoughts as she just leaned against the railing for a while, reflecting on The First and how close it was all the time.

It was hard for her brain to think about anything else, but then Buffy brought her back by tapping her arm. "So…you really sure you're ready for a real vampire?" the slayer asked her. "One on one?"

Buffy smiled at her, she seemed distant though. Kennedy furrowed her brow and kept watching Buffy, but it seemed that the slayer had been lost to her in deep thought. "Buffy?" Kennedy said quietly as she nudged her softly. Buffy gasped and slightly jolted before a look of embarrassment spread across her face.

"Sorry," she apologized. "It's just…you remind me so much of someone I used to know. Anyway, I wanted you to have something. I want you to use it when I set you up with your vamp."

Then, Buffy held out a stake. It was a pretty wicked looking stake: long, solid, and pointy; but, Kennedy didn't really see why this stake was so impressive or anything. "A stake?" she asked with raised eyebrows.

A serious look was thrown her way as Buffy grew very defensive of her stake. "This isn't just any stake. This is Mr. Pointy. This is the stake, Kennedy, and I consider it an insult when you don't accept it because this is very important to me."

Kennedy, although confused and a little freaked that Buffy cared so much about a stake, took the gift and poked the tip with her index finger. "Damn, that's sharp." She muttered as she went to suck the spot of blood that appeared on her finger.

Buffy grabbed her hand though. "When you're in this biz, best not to drink the blood," she told Kennedy, who merely shrugged and continued inspecting the stake to see what was so special about it. "Okay, so…I'll get your vamp. We'll probably do it tomorrow. You, Spike, and me. Until then, get some sleep."

Kennedy nodded and sighed as Buffy headed towards the door. "Try not to dwell on The First too much. Remember what I said: reacting is better. Thinking too much can get you killed."

The light from the house shone on Kennedy when Buffy opened the door and stepped through. Kennedy squinted and felt a kind of warmth as the light bathed her completely. Just as quickly as it shone on her, it disappeared with a loud slam. Kennedy blended into the shadows very well.

Her watcher, when they would train at night, said it was a good quality. It was stealthy, he would say. Kennedy always liked the shadows though. When she was little, like five or something, she would always play hide and seek with her mom.

The thing was, though, her mom would sometimes get scared. Kennedy would always find the best hiding places, especially in the big house. When her mom got scared, she would always run out and find her, promising never to do it again even though both her and her mother knew damn well that she would.

Kennedy never really had time to process it all though. The whole thing was…a blur. If it wasn't for the picture she had, Kennedy doubt she would have remembered her mom at all. The memories she did have were…scarce to say the least.

Around that time was when her watcher dropped by. After her dad got remarried and had her half sister, it was perfect timing. It wasn't like Kennedy didn't care for her dad, her older brother (who was rarely around anyway, but she still missed him) or her half sister; she just hated the woman he married, Jillian.

Two months after her mother died, and they were married with a baby on the way. It was like Jillian had stolen her father and brother right out from under her. Like she had been waiting around for her mom to die and then she would swoop in.

Kennedy shook her head a bit, trying to get that bitch out of her thoughts, to think about something else. So, she thought back to her watcher. He was so sure of her, so pleased, and so certain that she was going to be the next one called.

Cedric was her savior. She was living in hell when she was in that mansion with a man who used to be her father and a stranger who took him away from her. Cedric found her, told her that the training had to start and that he would come up with some excuse to tell her dad.

It was early in December and she had just turned eight when she ran away from that house without a trace and leaving her dad no way to find her. She met Cedric at the airport, telling him that her dad bought the whole boarding school thing, never once telling him that she had just left. He never doubted her, not once.

She stayed with her watcher in England, obviously being so young and having nowhere to live. Kennedy always looked at Cedric as a father figure, nothing more due to her obvious orientation that she knew about early on. At one point, he thought that she had developed a crush on him. She laughed at the memory of telling her watcher that she didn't quite swing that way.

He was so British about the whole thing, but he didn't care. Cedric told her he cared about her no matter who she was or what she would become.

Years rolled by, she grew in age and in skill. Kennedy became a master at archery and a whiz on the crossbow. Martial arts and hand-to-hand combat weren't here strong suits, however. She did pretty well with the training, but Cedric told her it was hard and that it would get easier when she was called.

That time never came though. Kennedy was sixteen; sitting around waiting for the slayer to die so she would have purpose in her life. This wasn't a good time for her. Cedric insisted she start school or get a job or something, but he never told her that she wouldn't be the next one.

She got a job at the local Y, keeping kids off the streets, teaching them martial arts, and trying not to let it shine through that she hated her life. Things got easier, though. Cedric was her beacon, and he got her through the next three years.

She came home one day and the apartment was covered in blood. Kennedy searched the whole place, getting covered in blood during the process, and looked everywhere for Cedric's body when she soon realized that his body was all over the walls and floors and everything else.

Kennedy never had any real time to grieve. After she realized what had happened to Cedric, a few of the Bringers popped out and grabbed her. Just before the blade sliced through her body, someone pulled them off of her.

It was Mr. Giles. He killed the crazy monks, introduced himself, and then gave her a briefing on what the hell was going on. Kennedy didn't really remember saying that much to him. She was still in utter shock that Cedric was gone.

Sometimes, she never really remembered that Cedric was dead; and then, she would look down at her hands and find blood on them. It wasn't really there, but it reminded her that Cedric was dead and that he was never coming back.

Mr. Giles brought her with him as he found out about others like her. Potential slayers, waiting to be called. Kennedy never realized how many there were, before the Bringers got to them anyway. Cedric always made her think that she was special, but in reality she was just a spec of dust, like all the other girls.

Not anymore though, Mr. Giles assured her, Molly, and Annabelle. He said that there were so few left and that they're all heading to Sunnydale, which is where he took them a few weeks after retrieving Molly.

The only thing Kennedy really remembered when they got on that plane to head to Sunnydale was that she was leaving everything she ever knew for the past eleven years of her life behind. She had lost her family, she lost Cedric, and now she felt like she was losing herself, like Kennedy had no idea who she was.

Thinking about all of this, though...it wasn't helping. With a deep breath, Kennedy pushed all of the past and pain deep down into the place she locked it away in when she came to Sunnydale.

When she breathed out, there was still frustration. That ended up manifesting itself into an outburst, which is why Mr. Pointy got lobbed into the side of the house next to the door.

"Damn it." Kennedy muttered as she pushed herself off the railing and went to retrieve the stake.

That's when the door opened and Kennedy tensed. She grabbed the stake and tried to yank it out before someone caught her, but Willow was already peeking her out as soon as she grabbed the end. "Willow! Hey!"

Willow got a worried look on her face as she stepped outside and hugged herself tightly. It was chilly out, and all she had on was a T-shirt she normally wore to bed. Kennedy merely smiled, trying not to make the situation look any worse than it already looked.

"Are you okay?" she asked as Kennedy continued trying to pull the stake out of the house. "I heard a loud…thing and then-"

"No, I'm totally cool," Kennedy answered while interrupting Willow. "Just spending some quality time with Mr. Pointy."

"So I see," Willow said with a furrowed brow. "What are you doing out here, I heard all of you come in like fifteen minutes ago."

Kennedy shrugged, "Buffy wanted a heart to heart, then I started thinking a little out here. Guess I lost track of time."

Willow nodded, even though her eyes were locked with hers. It was almost as if she was searching Kennedy, like she sensed that something was the matter. "So, you're fine then?" Willow asked. "Just…using the house for target practice?"

Kennedy smiled as she succeeded in pulling the stake out of the house. "Whew! That was a strong throw," Kennedy exclaimed to herself before looking back up at Willow. "I'm fine, I swear. Just…getting a little lost in my thoughts. I think we both know that I'm not the only one who does that."

Reluctantly, Willow smiled back before holding her hand out. Kennedy raised a corner of her mouth into a half smile before taking Willow's hand. Their fingers laced together, already familiar with each other from all of the hand holding that had been going on lately.

Their, thing, relationship was at that point: where whenever you touch the girl you're crazy about is better than anything else you can think of. Sometimes, holding her hand was better than their kiss.

It could also have to do with the fact that they haven't kissed for a third time. Kennedy was glad for any contact she could get with Willow, especially since she almost thought that the red head would want nothing to do with her after the events.

Willow led Kennedy into the house, stopping so Kennedy could pull the door shut behind her. She did this gently, so as not to bother most of the other girls who had jammed themselves into the living room.

Turns out that the stake she threw into the house kept them up. Kennedy heard the laughter and gossip that rose in the living room as her and Willow climbed the stairs, hand in hand.

"Don't worry about them." Willow whispered once they reached her room and she held the door open for Kennedy, who merely shrugged, trying to play it off that she didn't really care what the other slayers in training thought.

"Who's worried?" Kennedy replied as she released Willow's hand and placed Mr. Pointy on the bureau. She threw her jacket on the floor, wincing a little when she twisted her hips to turn.

Her arm was pretty sore too. With Spike's chip out, he was doing a little more damage than normal. All of her held back pain didn't get past Willow who had been throwing her hair up into a ponytail. "You okay?"

Kennedy smiled. "Just a couple bruised…body parts," she answered with a slight sigh as she tried to touch her stomach, but couldn't due to the pain. "Spike was rougher than I remembered, but I earned my stripe. Buffy's setting me up with a solo."

"Really?" Willow beamed at her. Kennedy nodded in response, getting slight butterflies in the stomach due to Willow being proud of her.

The butterflies grew when Willow approached her with a big smile on her face. She pulled Kennedy into a warm embrace that sent shivers through Kennedy's body as she wrapped her arms around Willow's waist. Then, she realized, that Willow was squeezing her bruised ribs.

"Okay, we can't do this," Kennedy muttered, trying very hard not to cry out in pain. "It just…hurts too much."

"Oh," Willow said as she quickly backed away. "Sorry…that was supposed to be, you know, congratulatory and stuff, not, 'hey, good job, let me hurt you more!'"

Through the pain, Kennedy smiled at the Willow-ness. She loved it when Willow got all sorry and stuttery, it was cute. "I know, it's just, you know, lack of slayer healing and what not." Kennedy replied as she pulled up her shirt see how bad it looked.

Willow gasped at her bruises and held her hand over her mouth. Kennedy gasped too, not realizing how bad her injuries looked. "Oh, my God," Willow said as she stepped closer and grabbed Kennedy's hand. "I have to help. Sit on the bed, take off your shirt, and I'll help you heal."

"No, Willow, really I'm-" Kennedy started to protest, but Willow wouldn't hear it.

"You're not fine," she argued. "You look like a big bruise. Now sit, it's a simple healing-meditation thing. I lend you my strength to help heal. It's completely safe."

"You sure?" Kennedy asked skeptically as she pulled her shirt off and sat on the bed.

Kennedy watched as Willow looked over Kennedy (even though she had a sport's bra on) and then quickly look away before she climbed on the bed and sat across from Kennedy. She held out her hands on her knees and nodded down to them. Kennedy got the hint and placed her hands over hers.

"Just close your eyes," she instructed. "Relax, but concentrate on healing. On drawing energy from the earth, from me, to help heal you."

Kennedy closed her eyes and followed Willow's instructions. She drew energy from the earth and Willow. It was actually hard at first. She was literally pulling the energy into her, but then it got easier when Willow's energy voluntarily entered her.

After what seemed like a few minutes, Kennedy pulled her hands away and looked down at her stomach. "Jesus," she marveled at the bruise that practically shrunk into nothing. "I mean, it still stings, but…wow."

"See, completely safe." Willow told her as she touched Kennedy's stomach with her palm. Kennedy shivered a bit; Willow's hands were a little cold. Willow chuckled a bit and apologized as she moved her hand away.

Kennedy grabbed it however and laced their fingers together. "All better." Kennedy whispered. Willow's smile was fading as she got a bit more serious. Both of them leaned forward at the same time. Kennedy's grip on Willow's hand tightened a bit, but Willow placed her other hand over the knot, letting Kennedy know that she was okay.

The nervousness, the slight fear was still there when their lips met. Kennedy kept her eyes open at first, waiting for Amy's spell to not be gone and for Willow to change again. Nothing happened though. She was still Willow, and she was catching Kennedy into her kiss.

The fear was slipping, and when she closed her eyes it was gone, and everything else around her left with it. Forget hand holding, Kennedy felt like she wanted to just keep kissing Willow forever.

The potential's mind began to wander. She thought back to other girls she had been with, never realizing that kissing someone could feel this good and feel so right. Her past relationships were nothing like this.

With Willow, it was soft, slow, all about passion, and pouring her emotions into the kiss. It started off slow, with no need to rush or anything. When the time came to deepen the kiss, there was no hesitation on either part.

Kennedy allowed Willow access to her mouth, letting her tongue slide over her own and welcoming it. The pace was picking up a bit and the sensation of wanting to freeze this moment and living it over and over grew within Kennedy, and by the way Willow was kissing her, Kennedy knew that she felt the same way.

Which is why Kennedy pulled away. It was still Willow, which was a plus, but she was confused. "Sorry, its just…things were…I thought I should stop because…" Kennedy stammered, racking her brain for the right thing to say. "I don't wanna push you, Willow. We can go slow."

Although she still looked disappointed, Kennedy could tell that she was somewhat grateful the breaks were pulled. When the time was right, they would both know and they would both be ready for it.

"Thank you," Willow replied quietly as she looked over at the clock. "Oh, geez, look at the time."

"How long were we…you know?" Kennedy asked as she looked over at the clock with wide eyes.

Willow smiled and shrugged as she got up and headed over to her sleeping bag on the floor. "Hey, where are you going?" Kennedy asked. "I've been bagging it, you know I feel bad taking your bed."

"Well, you have injuries and stuff that need healing," Willow argued as she grabbed one of the pillows off the bed and threw it on to the ground. "Big, comfy beds help with healing."

Kennedy smiled, reached out and caught Willow's hand as she walked by. "You know, you're always welcome to share," she said in a flirtatious way. "You said it yourself, big bed."

After a quick nod, Kennedy pulled Willow down for a kiss before lying back and placing her hands over her stomach. She could feel Willow's energy flow through her, still healing her bruised ribs. Her presence, warmth, was all around Kennedy and she smiled at Willow before closing her eyes and absorbing it all.

Then, the lights were switched off and Kennedy was engulfed in the shadows again. Her eyes snapped open and she felt cold and alone.

Without hesitation, Kennedy climbed out of bed and laid herself out facing Willow, moving as close as she could. She gasped at Kennedy's sudden presence, but Kennedy could see her face through the dark. Willow's hand brushed some of the hair out of her face before wrapping her arm around Kennedy's stomach and hugging her close.

Kennedy tangled herself into Willow's embrace and put her hand over Willow's hand that remained firmly on Kennedy's stomach. The potential felt warm again.

Also, for once, she was glad she came here and found someone to fill the hole that was left in her heart from a painful past.

It was early and Kennedy had untangled herself from Willow, who was sound asleep. Even though she hadn't slept at all, Kennedy wasn't at all tired. Her mind was working over time, trying to figure out why she had been thinking about the past so much lately.

Kennedy put it in the back of her head as she quietly made her way downstairs. The living room had emptied itself out. Late last night, Buffy woke up and kicked all the other potentials downstairs, because they were all so wired from the training and kept discussing the high points.

The brunette took this opportunity and flopped down on the couch. It wasn't that she didn't like the other girls, after all they had so much in common, its just…Kennedy was the oldest so far and the one who had had the most training, she just needed a breather every now and again.

Maybe what she needed was just some time to herself. If Kennedy thought about everything some more, maybe she would sort it out herself. She straightened up and sat cross-legged on the couch.

Kennedy closed her eyes and sucked in a deep breath before slowly releasing it. She moved her neck around and sighed, "Okay, Kennedy. Just…relax." Her mind was clearing, and, like her watcher had taught her, she began to focus on the silence, on relaxing, and on clearing her mind.

"Andrew," she replied through gritted teeth while her eyes remained closed. "You're awake. Thought I was the only one…"

When Kennedy opened her eyes, Andrew had plopped down on the chair across from her. "No, after my scare with…The First, I find it hard to be able to sleep," he replied. "You sit funny."

"It's called meditating," Kennedy shot back in a childish tone, and then she mentally scolded herself to letting Andrew's dorky ways get to her. "And I know that's not the reason you're up."

Kennedy smiled as she un-crossed her legs and leaned forward. Andrew followed her suit as she said, "I know about the Knight Rider marathon on the Sci-Fi channel. You're not fooling me."

Andrew got a deer in the headlights thing as Kennedy sat back with a satisfied smirk. "It's not…Knight Rider," he argued. "Its X-Files…David Ducovney is way better than David Hasselhoff…and the show is pretty kick ass too."

Kennedy shrugged, "I hate to admit this but…X-Files is better. Mulder was cool, but you know, Sculley was pretty easy on the eyes."

"Yeah, if you like that sort of thing." Andrew said with a slight grimace on his face.

Kennedy merely raised an eyebrow at Andrew before merely shrugging the comment off. "Well, it doesn't matter about that anyway," she told him. "TV got busted or something."

The former evil nerd tried very much not to look too disappointed in the fact that he wouldn't be able to watch his dumb little marathon. "So…I guess we have to talk then or something." He said after a minute of very awkward silence.

Kennedy sighed and just stared at him. She knew what she wanted to do…be alone, collect her thoughts.

"So, Kennedy, you're supposed to be leading the SITs in training today, "Andrew said after a beat. "What's that like?"

She shook her head with utter disbelief at how nerdy this guy was and continued, "Second, I'm training the others? Where did you hear that?"

"I heard Buffy talking to Giles after all of you came home last night," he answered too quickly, like a kid that had just gotten a new toy and wanted to play with it till death. "She was talking about the other girls and how you were the best."

Kennedy took a second to bask in the fact that Buffy was totally talking her up to Mr. Giles. She sat up and raised her eyebrows at Andrew, and he got the message to continue. "Yeah, and Giles said stuff about you too," he told her. "Said something about this British guy, who had a name from Harry Potter, and how he always believed in you and stuff."

Andrew kept rambling on, but Kennedy didn't hear any of it. The mere mention of Cedric rushed back to her all at once. The memories were pouring all over her, pulling her into an abyss or something and she was drowning in the pain.

Then, suddenly, there was someone coming up behind Andrew. The person, Kennedy couldn't make them out at first, but then…

It was Cedric. His light brown hair was slicked back, making it look darker than it actually was. His brown eyes were shimmering as they looked at her. Then, something began happening to him. His eyes changed and they looked in pain. Blood began to drip from his mouth and he held out his hand, asking her with his eyes to help him.

"You know…you handle praise in a really weird way," Andrew said a little louder than before as he jolted her focus back to him. "Are you breathing?"

"What?" she asked as she looked around. Cedric was gone, just as quickly he just appeared.

"You're sweating a lot," Andrew observed as he looked at her with a sideways glance, then he turned around and looked behind him. "What were you looking at? Is The First appearing to you Kennedy, because you shouldn't really be listening to it."

"No," Kennedy said immediately, although her mind wondered if it was The First appearing as her watcher. "Just…the guy was my watcher. Guess I zoned a bit. So…looks like I'm leading a lesson then. Maybe Buffy's getting my vampire."

"Yeah, maybe. That'd be cool," Andrew said as he nodded along with her. "Your watcher…those monk guys got him, didn't they?"

Kennedy hung her head, letting the silence answer Andrew's question. "Sorry. I know what it's like to lose people that you're close to," he offered quietly, which Kennedy was grateful for. "So, how are things going between you and Willow?"

"Excuse me?" Kennedy questioned as all previous thoughts rushed out of her head at Andrew's sudden question.

"I was just asking how things between you and Willow were going," Andrew repeated quietly. "I mean…you just might wanna be careful. Last time she got hurt, she killed people."

The defense shields were rising at the remote mention of the end of Willow's last relationship. Kennedy and Willow never really talked about it that much, but she knew what had happened. "You don't know anything about what happened between Willow and Tara." She began as she leaned forward and got very intense.

"Please don't hurt me!" Andrew cried out as he curled himself into a ball and covered his face with his fists.

"Hey, hey," Kennedy hissed. "Calm down, I'm not gonna hurt you. Well, not unless if you give me a damn good reason to."

Andrew peaked out from behind his self-formed knot. "Oh, sorry…you're very intimidating. You'd make a good slayer," he told her as he sat normally, but it kinda still seemed like he had a rod up his ass or something. "Sorry about pissing you off or something. It's just, you and Willow are cute and I was running out of things to talk to you about."

"No, it's okay," Kennedy said as a sort of apology. "I shouldn't have gotten so defensive. Just, Willow gets all stutter-y whenever Tara comes up. After the whole Warren thing, I try not to mention it."

"Yeah, that was scary too," Andrew agreed after a slight smile spread over his face at the thought of Warren. "I mean, weren't you scared? You had a gun at your head and Willow was going crazy."

Kennedy sighed as she thought back. She didn't remember being scared, what she did remember was swallowing down everything she was feeling and trying to focus on helping Willow, bringing her back. "Sure, I had a gun to my head, I nearly shat…"

Both Kennedy and Andrew paused and thought about Kennedy's choice of words before she continued, "But, I had to forget all of that and just keep my cool, you know? Get through to Willow."

"Well, you did that. She seems better. I mean, we were all Nancy Drew with The First," he said as he thought back on the under cover op. "That was gutsy for me…I mean, have you ever had tape ripped off after it was stuck on your skin for a long time?"

"Yeah, that was the hard part." Kennedy quipped, but Andrew took it seriously and continued on.

"I just…I want you to know that no matter what happens, I won't look for a gun to try and shoot you." He told her in a very serious tone before looking down at his hands that he was frantically rubbing together.

Kennedy half smiled as she took in a deep breath and released it. "I know you wouldn't. You've really proven yourself, you know," she told him as he looked back up. "I'm damn sure that if there was a boy-type slayer thing…you'd be one of the potentials for that."

Before Kennedy could respond, there was a bang upstairs; more precisely, a door slamming shut. It was followed by a couple more, as well as a couple of the potentials racing upstairs.

"Looks like the bathroom race has begun." Kennedy commented as she heard footsteps coming down the stairs followed by Buffy's voice.

"Remember…there's a lot of us so fifteen minutes each," she yelled behind her. "If you take more, I will break the door down. Kennedy, hey…we need to talk."

Buffy stammered before turning to Andrew and glaring. "You told her?" Buffy asked as stalked toward Andrew, who began to recoil in fear.

"I thought she knew," he whined as he got up and walked towards the kitchen. Ran, to be more exact. "Besides…the TV was broken, there was an uncomfortable silence, and I thought she was going to hit me."

The slayer merely crossed her arms and stared at him before he ran into the kitchen. "You know, there's just something so fun about scaring him," Buffy told her as she took Andrew's seat. "So, now you know: what do you think?"

"Well, why do I have to do it? Is something going on?" Kennedy asked, getting more eager to get into some kind of fight with a real, big, evil, nasty thing by herself.

"I know you're anxious," Buffy told her, or more like read her mind. "But, I still want to do the controlled vampire solo thing before anything else. Giles feels you're doing well in progress as well and he actually suggested the training session with the other girls. They can learn from you."

Buffy smiled, "Yeah, I'm gonna face the big evil students of Sunnydale High. Believe me, I'd trade with you any day…especially since I have to wait for the shower."

"So, I'm just taking over while you're at work," Kennedy clarified. "Doing what you would normally do."

"Yeah," Buffy nodded. "Just…maybe use the backyard, basements a little cramped with all you guys training down there."

Before she could ask anything else, the stairs distracted Kennedy. Well, Willow coming down the stairs. "Buffy, you might wanna get up there," she said as she walked into the living room. "Rona and Vi teamed up to shove Molly into the closet so they could be next in line for the bathroom."

"You'll do fine." Buffy told Kennedy before running upstairs. Kennedy nodded before smiling up at Willow.

"Oh, I'm taking over with the training while Buffy goes to work," Kennedy told her before giving her a secret smile. "How'd you sleep?"

The witch turned as red as her hair as she sat in the empty space next to Kenney. "Good. It was, comfy," Willow answered as she scooted closer to Kennedy. "Little worried when you weren't there this morning, though. Is your stomach okay?"

"No, yeah…I'm fine," Kennedy replied. "Just…serious thoughts and such. Needed some alone time. Then, Andrew was awake too so that didn't really work out very well."

"That's good," Willow replied before getting a little serious and pushing her hair behind her ears over and over again. "Are you like alright, I mean other than physically? I mean, you have been having a lot of serious thoughts and something is telling me that you didn't get a lot of sleep last night."

"Kennedy." Willow said firmly as she interrupted Kennedy's attempts to change the subject.

She was caught, but then again she wasn't really surprised. In the short time that they had known each other, Willow could always tell what Kennedy was thinking and feeling. Something was definitely happening to Kennedy, and until she figured out what was happening she didn't want to burden anybody with something that might not even be a thing.

"I'm really fine, Willow," Kennedy told her with a strong, I'm not backing down tone. "I mean…I have no reason to not be okay. Buffy totally believes in me, I'm leading a training session, and I have you…what more do I need?"

Willow's concerned face softened as she reached up and pushed a stray strand of Kennedy's hair out of her face. In a moment, Kennedy was being pulled into Willow's embrace.

Kennedy slinked her arms around Willow's waist, holding on as tight as she could. Kennedy was sure that Willow, while touched by her little spiel, that knew something was going on with her; and, if she wasn't, Willow had to have known by the way Kennedy was squeezing her so tightly. For a second, Kennedy closed her eyes and nearly believed that everything would be okay.

Then, she opened her eyes and Cedric was looking down at her. His hair was mussed and mixed with blood. His shirt was shredded and soaked in red. His face…the only way she really knew it was him were by his eyes.

They were intact, and shining down at her. His mutilated mouth twisted itself into a smile. Kennedy tightened her grip on Willow and breathed in deeply, taking the scent of hair with it. Willow whispered, "It's okay. I'm glad I have you too."

Kennedy's eyes were locked with Cedric's. He was sill smiling down at her when she smiled back. "Good." She replied in a low, almost inaudible tone.

After Kennedy's command, a bunch of groans were thrown back her way. She stopped her pacing and faced them all. The groans and complaints stopped, and they all stood forward waiting for Kennedy to instruct them.

"You think this is supposed to be easy?" Kennedy said as she crossed her arms over her chest. "If any of you had a watcher…you know this isn't supposed to be easy. We aren't the slayers, we have something, but it's not enough.

Some glares were thrown her way as the girls started the Tai-Chi exercise she had shown them. Kennedy's face was etched in stone. She knew she was being hard on them, and deep down she did feel bad, but this was war.

When Kennedy trained, she gave it her all. She didn't stop until she just couldn't go along anymore or until Cedric physically made her stop. He was just as hard on her as she was on them; it was the only way she knew how to train.

Despite how hard he was on her though, he would always be worried if she ever hurt herself while trying to please him. Kennedy would push herself to the edge, to the point where she was hurting herself.

Kennedy was shaken from her thoughts by one of the girls. Chloe was on the ground, holding her ankle, gritting her teeth through the pain. Amanda and Vi began to walk forward, to help, but Kenney looked them over and they backed off.

"What happened?" Kennedy asked as she crouched down in front of Chloe. The youngest of all the potentials looked up at Kennedy, briefly, then quickly looked down at her ankle.

"O-on that last step," she began, fear laced in her tone. "I don't know…my, my ankle just twisted the wrong way. It needs ice…I-I think."

Kennedy looked down at it and touched in certain spots, some of them receiving an "Ow" from Chloe. Kennedy rose to her feet and held out her hand. Chloe hesitantly took her hand, and then Kennedy pulled her to her feet.

A yelp of pain escaped from Chloe's throat as Kennedy released her hand, leaving Chloe to stand up on her own. "It's twisted," Kennedy told her. "And when we're finished with this drill…you'll ice it."

"No…do any of you think a vampire is going to wait for you to ice your ankle before it bites so you have a chance to fight back?" Kennedy shouted as she stepped back ad talked to all of them. "Being a slayer means swallowing down everything that you feel and fighting, no matter what it takes. You keep going until you are dead.

The girls began as Kennedy turned away from them and shut her eyes, trying to block the past from surfacing. You have to be hard on them, Kennedy reminded herself. They'll appreciate you later.

Chloe's stifled moans of pain were un-blockable, so Kennedy's eyes opened and she saw Buffy and Mr. Giles standing on the porch (Obviously Buffy was just coming home from work) and Spike watching from the doors, covered in the shadows. Buffy's expression was unreadable, but Kennedy guessed that Buffy thought she was being hard on them.

Part of Kennedy hoped that Buffy was reading from her that Buffy wasn't being hard enough. The First was around them all the time, and Kennedy wasn't going to give in so easily.

Most of the potentials avoided her after the session. Kennedy let her bitch guard down and helped Chloe into the house and got her a pack and set her up for her ankle to heal. She had briefly given her an apology and an explanation as to why she was so hard on her.

Chloe was quiet, politely accepting her apology and thanking Kennedy for the help with her ankle.

After that, Kennedy went downstairs and beat the shit out of the punching bag. She must have spent a good half an hour beating the bag, imagining a million different faces: Buffy, her own, Cedric, her father, Chloe, and too many more.

A deep growl escaped from her throat as she pulled back her fist and slammed it into the punching bag. It swung so hard it flew off its hinges and into the stairs, just as Buffy was coming down.

"Been there," Buffy commented as she picked up the bag and propped it up against the wall. "What's your deal?"

Kennedy began to pull off her gloves as she said, "It's nothing. Just…they don't even know the half of it all. My watcher knew how to train, and I was just using his methods."

"You were kicking the shit out of them, Kennedy," Buffy corrected. "Working them to death…but its what they need. You were right when you said the vampires and the demons and The First aren't going to stop. They needed to know that…I just hope they're ready for it."

"What other choice do they have?" Kennedy asked as she shrugged and began to un-tape her hands.

Buffy shrugged back. "None," she replied as she walked up to Kennedy and faced her. "Are you sure you're ready, though?"

Looking back at Buffy, Kennedy really had no idea what to say. The whole time, since she's found out who she was, she's felt ready for anything. Now, things were different. This was the original evil, and she's been reliving her past and seeing Cedric…

Kennedy opened her mouth to say something, but then Dawn screamed; a scream that rattled the house. "Buffy!" Dawn shouted. Buffy, without thinking twice, ran up the stairs. Kennedy followed straight behind, climbing the stairs up to the second floor.

Buffy and Kennedy ran into Willow's room and up to the door that led to the bathroom, where Dawn was standing. The young girl's eyes were fixed on something in the bathroom and wide with horror.

"Dawn…" Buffy trailed off as she too looked with wide eyes at the sight in the bathroom.

Kennedy pushed between the two girls and covered her mouth at the sight of what was before them. "Shit." She whispered as she watched Chloe's lifeless body swing slightly back and forth as it dangled from the bathroom lamp by the torn down shower curtain.

"Get back." Buffy told Kennedy and Dawn as she grabbed a knife from the nearby nightstand and cut Chloe down. Kennedy watched as Chloe's body slammed on to the floor.

Buffy grabbed the curtain that was almost cutting into Chloe's bruised neck and ripped it off. She put her fingers on Chloe's neck, waiting with her breath held for some kind of life. "She's cold." Buffy whispered as she grabbed the curtain and unrolled it.

"Jesus…" Kennedy muttered as Buffy spread the curtain over Chloe's body. The girl's eyes were open, blank, and staring at Kennedy before the curtain was pulled over her face. Then, she saw nothing as Buffy grabbed the door handle and slammed the door shut.

The last time Kennedy was at something like this, a funeral, it was her mom's. Her whole family had been there, a bunch of friends of the family, acquaintances…people that had no idea who her mother was and why they were there.

All of he potentials and the Scooby gang, gathered in the living room and quietly thinking about a girl who they didn't even know at all. Everyone's heads were hung low and the silence was choking them.

Buffy had come in from the back. Her hair was pulled into a messy bun, there was dirt on her face and in her hair, all over her closes, and her face was emotionless. The shovel she was carrying clattered to the ground with a heavy thud.

"How's everyone?" Buffy asked as she walked into the living room. Kennedy glared at the slayer and shook her head. "Anyone wanna say anything?"

"Fine…Chloe was an idiot." Buffy said without a trace of any human emotion in her voice what so ever.

Kennedy clenched her jaw and balled up her fists. How could anyone be so devoid of emotion at a time like this? Someone wrapped his or her hand around Kennedy's fist. She turned her head slightly and saw that it was Willow.

She welcomed Willow's comfort and un-balled her fist, welcoming Willow's hand and laced them with her own. Kennedy wasn't sure how, but Willow whispered, "It's okay." No one else heard her though.

"She was weak…and now is the time to be strong," Buffy told them as she began one of her I'm-better-than-everyone speeches. "There is a war coming and no one is taking things seriously. No one is holding their own, everyone's depending on me, and sick and tired of it."

"And that gives you the right to talk about Chloe that way?" Kennedy burst out. "She's freakin dead, can't you show any respect?"

"You don't always have to take Buffy's side, you know." Kennedy said without even looking at Willow. There was no way in hell she was backing down from Buffy unless if someone struck her dead.

Willow tightened her grip on Kennedy's hand, holding her back; but Kennedy shook free from her hand and faced Buffy, staring her down. "And you showed her so much respect, didn't you Kennedy?" Buffy countered. "She was hurt and you just kept pushing."

"I was doing what you wanted, what you just said you expected. I'm pulling my own, but I'm taking my time to respect the dead," Kennedy replied, getting more and more angry with the slayer. "Chloe didn't deserve this…and neither did Annabelle, or Eve, or all those other potential slayers or the watchers…

"No one deserves it." Kennedy finished as she felt the tears rushing to her eyes. Kennedy blinked them back as she turned and walked out of the room. As she ran up the stairs, she noticed how Buffy ignored what she said and continued ripping into everyone else present, including Anya, Xander, Spike and anyone else she could get her hands on.

Naturally, without even thinking, Kennedy went into the bathroom and locked the door. She turned around and sunk down while leaning against the door. Memories of how her mother's funeral went rushed back to her. When people passed her, when they spoke to her, they had no emotion.

Like they didn't care at all that someone, a good person, was on the earth and then…there was just a body, and Kennedy was alone. She let a tear slide down her cheek before viciously wiping it away and looking up at the ceiling.

That's when it hit her. She had looked up at the shower, it was bare with no curtains surrounding it; and there was a reason why there were no curtains around it.

When Dawn screamed, Buffy ran up stairs, ready for battle. There was no demon though, or any of the bringers. Just a girl that couldn't hack it and Buffy shutting the door before any of them could see what Chloe had done to herself, after Kennedy and Dawn already had seen what she had done.

Kennedy saw the most of it though. She remembered Buffy reaching and grabbing the handle, and Kennedy saw the lifeless eyes that had glazed over. Kennedy had cursed to herself when she saw that the lamp that had been hanging in the bathroom the other day had been ripped clean off the ceiling.

This was just too much. When Annabelle was killed, it wasn't okay but Kennedy found it easier to deal with. Chloe…she was just so young and scared and she did this to herself. Who needed The First when people are weak enough to do the job for the bad guy themselves?

"I shouldn't have been so hard on you." The potential muttered as she buried her face in her hands, thinking of the other day when she led the training. She was extra hard on Chloe, only because she wanted her to learn, to be able to hold her own.

Kennedy snapped her head up; tear tracks visible on her cheeks. She gasped and opened her mouth to speak, but nothing came out. Chloe stood, her arms folded over her chest, her brown eyes looking down at Kennedy's.

The young girl shrugged. "Well, I'm dead," she responded nonchalantly. "Things don't tend to matter to me or worry me any more."

"But I was such a bitch to you," Kennedy pressed on. "And aren't you even pissed that Buffy's down there, calling you an idiot and weak?"

"You can't hold a grudge against someone that speaks the truth, Kennedy," Chloe told her as she walked forward a couple steps. "I was weak, but now I'm fine. I'm better. I'm free from it all."

Kennedy held Chloe's gaze before looking up and noticing where she was standing. "Oops," Chloe said with a laugh as she stepped up and out from directly under where she hung herself. "That's not a good spot to stand in."

"Maybe…I don't know, if we had like tried harder or something," Kennedy said, to herself more than Chloe. "If we pushed to make a better connection-"

"It wasn't any of you…it wasn't the lack of attention. Do you wanna know what it was?" Chloe asked Kennedy who nodded immediately. "It was Buffy."

The potential arched her eyebrow at Chloe's statement. Something wasn't right about all of this.

"She lost, Kennedy," Chloe responded with force and began to pace back and forth. "The Turok-Han, The First, and whatever else it has up its sleeve…they were and will continue to kick her ass until she's dead. Then, everything will stop. All of you will wait by the phones for the call, but it won't come."

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" Kennedy asked in a confused and angry tone. "Buffy's the slayer…when she dies-"

"There's another, but it won't be any of you. The other already exists." Chloe interrupted. Kennedy was frozen by this realization. It just didn't make any sense…the slayer; she was ONE girl in every generation, chosen to fight. Not two.

Kennedy was in denial, "That's a load of crap. How the hell can there be two slayers? It doesn't work that way."

A devilish, scary smile crept on to Chloe's lips as she walked forward and crouched down in front of Kennedy. "There is another slayer," she stressed. "Buffy drowned and was resuscitated; hence, new slayer. Then that girl died and the current slayer, Faith, was called. That hasn't been working out too well though."

"I can't believe this," Kennedy choked out as she shook her head with disbelief. "She lied to us. Buffy said that if she died, we'd be next…but she lied."

"How are you supposed to trust someone who lies to you, Kennedy?" Chloe asked as she got closer and quieter. "How are you supposed to follow and trust someone who would lie to you and say bad things about a scared, young girl who just died?"

Chloe rose to her feet and walked towards the shower. "It doesn't," she answered as she turned. "But I know that it's not right for her to say those things."

Kennedy looked down. This wasn't happening. Her whole world was spinning. Buffy had lied, which meant that Willow lied too. After hearing about Tara, she told Willow how important honesty was to her, and Willow said she understood.

"I know, this is hard for you, Kennedy, because, as you're thinking, Willow lied too. But I need you to do me a favor," Chloe told her slowly. "Everything will be clear and you'll have a sound mind if you just take care of something for me.

"Kennedy?" was called from the other side of the door, followed by a soft knock.

"Kennedy," Chloe snapped and Kennedy turned her attention back to where it was. "I need to know, before they can get to you, before they can lie to you again. Will you help me?"

"I know you're in there, Kennedy," Willow said, her soft voice muffled through the door. "Open the door, please."

She sounded so scared, so upset, and distant. Kennedy turned all the way this time, pressing her palm against the door. She could swear Willow's hand was right there. "Fine," Willow said because she didn't receive an answer. "I'm getting Buffy."

Kennedy let her hand slip away from the door, feeling the absence of Willow's presence. She turned, and Chloe was crouched down again and in her face. "Are you gone answer me or play 'lovey-dovey' with the witch? You owe me this…if you wanna do something to make up for how you treated me, help me."

"You'll be rid of all the pain," Chloe pressed on. "I know you've been seeing your watcher, been thinking about your mom, and your painful past. If you help me…it'll stop, I promise."

The potential did feel bad for being so harsh on Chloe. It was probably not that big of a deal thing either. Chloe most likely just wanted her unfinished business to get finished. Plus, the thought of being rid of the ghosts of her past that had been haunting her thoughts was an appealing thing.

Before Chloe had time to answer, there was a kick at the bathroom door that led to the bedroom. After another kick, the door swung open and Buffy stood in the frame. "Get away from her." The slayer ordered through gritted teeth.

Kennedy looked back at Chloe who was smiling and backing away. "Like you could hurt me if you wanted to." She told Buffy.

"You are not Chloe," Buffy said slowly before looking at Kennedy and repeating. "That isn't Chloe."

"Either way…it's still your fault," Chloe said. "I had a little chat with Chloe last night. I told her the truth, just like I told Kennedy. How you lied and hid things from these poor, defenseless girls. And I told her the only way out is to get herself out."

"You told her to kill herself." Buffy stated rather than asked. Kennedy peered past Buffy, noticing that a few others were gathered around the door. Willow was right behind Buffy.

"Running out of monsters to throw at us?" Buffy questioned harshly. "Decided to take care of things yourself for once. Just go up to them, one by one, and haunt them until they give up. I won't let you."

Chloe rolled her eyes. "Even if that's what my plan was, you wouldn't be able to stop me," she responded. "I didn't ask Kennedy to kill herself. Maybe I'll give you a little head start in the war, Buffy:

Kennedy watched, wide eyed, as Buffy looked down at her. "You're lying," she said as she looked back at Chloe. "You wouldn't tell me something like that, give me an advantage."

"I would, if I knew it wouldn't matter," she responded. "Which it doesn't. I'd tell you the plan, knowing that you wouldn't stop me, but the only reason why I haven't is because I can't wait to see all of your sorry faces when I win.

There was then a flash that filled the room with light, blinding them all. When it faded, and Kennedy peeked her eyes open, Chloe was gone, but she was still frozen to the floor. The First wanted her; it was too much to process.

"Kennedy." A familiar voice whispered. The young girl looked up from the floor to see Willow, crouched in front of her, worry etched into her face.

Before she could think or say anything, Willow pulled her forward and held her. It was so warm and reassuring that Kennedy almost forgot what had just happened. "God, Willow," Kennedy whispered into her hair. "I want all this to stop."

Kennedy tightened her grip on Willow as she opened her eyes and looked towards the door. Buffy was watching her…not them, her. Kennedy knew they were going to talk, because she believed that what Chl…The First had told her was true.

"I never should have lied to you." Willow whispered as pulled Kennedy closer. She smiled back at Willow before kissing her lightly. Kennedy moved her hands down Willow's arms rhythmically, causing the witch to shiver as they lay wrapped in each other's arms.

Kennedy sighed as she surveyed the sight before her: naked Willow… naked Willow wrapped up in her arms, and naked Willow and herself wrapped up in the covers. Kennedy didn't know how any of this could get any better. "I'm glad we talked," she replied quietly to Willow as she played with a couple strands of her red hair. "When The First told me-"

"Shhh," Willow hissed as she placed a finger over Kennedy's lips. "We don't have to talk about that anymore…it's over. You know that we won't let anything happen to you.

Again, Willow's mouth was covering hers, heavy making out was ensuing. Along with heavy grabbing on Willow's part. Willow broke free from her mouth and began to explore her neck and collarbone with her mouth.

"You know what else I'm glad about?" Kennedy asked flirtatiously as she thoroughly enjoyed the feeling of Willow's weight on top of her, keeping her warm. "The part that came after the talking."

Willow made some kind of sound, indicating that she agreed with Kennedy but wanted to keep doing what she was doing. "Have to say I was a little surprised," Kennedy kept talking as Willow continued to kiss further and further down. "I mean…I'm usually used to be the one that takes the initiative. I thought that was the role I was playing in our relationship, but then-"

"Kennedy," Willow sighed as she stopped kissing her and looked up. "You talk way too much sometimes, you know that?" Kennedy smiled as she pulled Willow back to her lips and kissed her deeply.

"It's been said," Kennedy replied as she stroked Willow's cheek gently as she tattooed this memory into her brain. "I just…I dunno, if I keep talking this won't be a dream, you know? If we talk, interact, this is real."

"This is real, silly," Willow told her as if she were crazy for thinking otherwise. "I'm here, wrapped up in your arms. Warm, and I want to say…that I love-"

It wasn't a good one, it made her whole body chill and left everything feeling so cold. She closed her eyes, waiting for the chill to stop.

It didn't, and when she opened her eyes, Willow was gone and Kennedy was hugging her legs close to her body, wrapped up in two, maybe three blankets. It wasn't helping though, she was still cold.

It was another dream she had just woken from. After what happened with The First, Kennedy kept feeling cold, so they set her up in here. A few blankets were thrown her way and then they left her alone after she had this…

Tantrum might be the best word, although it's an ugly one. She freaked and yelled at them saying all she wanted was to be alone. Although, she knew that someone was outside the whole time. Keeping an eye out in case she might start talking to dead people.

Kennedy wasn't sure if it was one of her best ideas, though. Being alone, with her thoughts. That's where it all was starting after all. Seeing Cedric, Chloe…now dreaming about peace and warmth with Willow.

She kinda knew why, though. The chills were still running through her after The First revealed what its plan was. Well, semi-plan. They knew that it didn't want her dead. What was different about Kennedy though? Why would it want her?

Spike leaned against the doorframe…forced to stay there due to the light that was shining in through the window. It was a beautiful day outside. "It's what it'll say to you," he told her quietly. "Trust me, I should know. The First could still be pulling my strings for all I know."

"And, if that's the case, they sent you up to talk to me?" Kennedy asked with raised eyebrows. The group had tried to come back in, one by one, asking if she wanted to talk about things.

The vampire shrugged as he stepped forward, but then remembered better and stayed where he was. "Can't say you're wrong about that one." He replied.

Kennedy smiled a bit, but then her brow furrowed and something popped into her mind. "Who'd it appear to you as?" Kennedy asked.

Spike looked up, raised his eyebrows and let the question process. "Why? Who'd you see?" he asked back.

"So far…just Chloe," Kennedy answered, her voice choking a bit at the mention of Chloe's name. "She…It was the only one that talked to me."

She was going to answer, she opened her mouth and was going to tell Spike about Cedric, but something stopped her. "Why are you so…Why are you asking so many questions?" Spike clenched his jaw, and sighed as he stepped forward.

After walking quickly through sunlight, he stood at the foot of the bed, arms crossed over his chest, looking down on her like she was a little girl. "What are you?" she asked him as she hugged herself closer and grew more defensive.

"You think I'm It, don't you?" Spike asked as he sat down on the edge of the bed and leaned forward. Without even thinking, Kennedy's hand shot out from under the covers she was wrapped up in and towards Spike.

Spike growled in fear of the cross and stumbled back off the bed, into the sunlight, which caused him to cry out and run into the shade of the bathroom. "Tell me who you saw, Kennedy." He growled at her.

She lowered the cross to the bed and wrapped her arm around herself again, "You tell me…I wanna know." She countered as Spike stood straight. His body was still smoking from where the sun washed over him, telling Kennedy that it was really him.

"The question you wanna ask should go: who didn't I see that wasn't dead?" he answered. "I saw them all…the people that I've killed, then the past people who've tried to bring Sunnydale down, the Slayer, you name it and, if they're dead, I saw em.

"I don't," she started, but stopped. Kennedy wasn't even sure if it was The First that appeared as Cedric. Chloe…she talked to Kennedy, told her that It needed her. Cedric…he just watched, and not even for that long, just a couple of moments.

"I saw…my watcher," she said quietly. "I'm not even sure if he was It, though. He didn't say anything just…"

"Close with your Watcher, were you?" Spike asked after a minute of very painful silence.

Kennedy just looked at him. "That's enough of an answer for me," he told her. "I, I dunno, Kennedy, I sort of like you. You don't take any from anyone, you're strong and…you're different from the rest of them. Everyone knows it, was only a matter of time before The First figured it out."

"Spike, I was…when you saw your ghosts…" Kennedy started, not really sure how to ask what she wanted. "How did you get through it? I believed what Chloe was telling me. When I saw Cedric…I thought he was alive…how did you get past it? How are you here now?"

Spike was listening to her, but then he stopped. His eyes locked with hers and stopped after she asked her questions. "You say…your watcher's name was Cedric?"

"You caught that, huh?" Kennedy answered, not really too sure what Spike was getting at. She was getting an idea of what was going when Spike got all stiff and British, oddly enough because she never thought that he would be like that…ever.

There was just something about the way Spike was acting that was upsetting Kennedy. "Did you…know Cedric?"

Kennedy was getting more and more worried and anxious to find what the hell was going on. The cold was leaving and the determination was settling in. Kennedy unwrapped herself and stood in the patch of sun. "Are you going to tell me how you know my watcher?" Kennedy pressed on.

"Are you gonna put that cross down, love?" Spike asked as he took a couple steps back into the bathroom.

Her hand tightened around the cross. She hadn't even noticed that she grabbed it when she got up off the bed. It fell to the ground with a clang as Kennedy stared at Spike, waiting for an explanation.

"Little bit over a century if I'm recallin' correctly," he answered and clenched his jaw before looking away from her, but continuing with his story. "There was this rumor that…he had the next powerful thing, at least that's what the big beasties were all sayin'. Followed the bloke up to Boston. He stayed there for a couple years."

"Boston." Kennedy repeated to herself. This story was getting way too familiar to Kennedy. She grew up in Boston…that's where Cedric found her, over a century ago.

"Heard the rumor a while before, actually got to Boston about thirteen years ago," he answered slowly. "Spending a lot of time at this big, fancy house, he was. I'd talk to him…grill him about this information that he has, in his possession, this great power.

"Then, he left," Spike said finally. "Two years after we both showed up in Boston. I didn't even threaten him…well, that much anyway. I would've never gone through with it…most likely. I was pretty evil then, but he left…without a trace."

"And this, power?" Kennedy asked as the story was now clear to her. She now knew why Cedric was so urgent when he came and told her they had to leave. It wasn't about training or about it being the right time.

"Don't know anything about it," Spike admitted, and Kennedy genuinely believed him. "I still wanted it though."

Not to seem all, big headed, but Kennedy had this feeling that she was the power that everyone was whispering about in the demon world. Cedric always told her she was special.

"So…" Spike began guiltily, like he was dreading telling her the conclusion. "I thought…the people in the house, I thought that they were his. His family, I mean, and I wanted that power."

Kennedy gasped. It was like a hand had come up and grabbed her throat. She wasn't breathing, and she knew it; but she couldn't stop looking at Spike as anything but a monster.

There was a staring contest going on right now, both of them knowing what Spike did. Kennedy began to wonder if Spike knew what she was going to do to him if his story ended the way she thought it would.

"Kennedy, I had no idea…" Spike tried to say, but he couldn't even begin let alone try and finish.

Spike looked anywhere but at her. Kennedy, however, wasn't breaking her gaze with him. If she found it hard to believe before, she was choking to death now.

A figure popped out from behind Spike. "He mutilated them, Kennedy." Cedric told her. He was the same way she remembered him. Not bloody, scary, or mutilated; rather, handsome, tall, and way British-ed out.

"Don't say anything, little one," he told her as he passed right through Spike and walked up to her. "What have I told you about standing in the light? It's not your nature."

Cedric's hands stopped inches from her shoulders, but they moved forward and, when they did, Kennedy stepped back. "You're not him." Kennedy whispered. Cedric's hand moved up to her mouth, signaling her not to say anything else.

"Why not? I look like him, I know everything that he knew," Cedric says as Spike's head looked her way. "I can be him if you let me, little one."

"I'm sorry, Kennedy," Spike had said. "I know I'm not going to be the man you thought you knew." Spike continued to chatter on about his being sorry, but she didn't hear any of it after a while.

"You need help, and you know it," Cedric told her. "We both know you're strong, but this is a lot to handle. Seeing dead people, finding out that you're wanted for a greater purpose, knowing what Spike did to your family…

Spike had gone straight through Cedric and slammed into Kennedy, tackling her back on to the bed. "Buffy!" he called out as he straddled her and held her arms down. "It's The First! Kennedy!"

The door opened, and Buffy along with Willow, Dawn, Xander, and Anya ran in. Kennedy tore her eyes away from the group and scanned the room, Cedric was gone.

"Spike, what happened?" Buffy asked, but he didn't answer. Kennedy pulled something out from deep inside of her and threw him off of her. Spike flew across the room and slammed into the wall.

His body slumped to the ground, unconscious. "Keep him away from me." Kennedy said, not taking her eyes off of Spike.

Buffy walked over to Spike and hooked her hands under his arms. "Kennedy, what happened?" Buffy asked as she drug Spike past the bed.

Instead of answering Buffy, she reached for the blankets that were pushed aside. Kennedy curled herself up again. Buffy paused at the door, not sure what to do. "I'll stay with her," Willow said as she came forward and sat next to Kennedy on the bed. "Just go, everyone."

The group filed out the door. Buffy dragged Spike out and went to close the door, pausing quickly and looking at Willow before she closed the door.

"Are you…" Willow said as she reached out and stroked Kennedy's cheek. "Scratch that. I know you're not OK. Wanna talk to me about what happened? What's been going on?"

Kennedy looked into Willow's green eyes. There was fear in her own eyes, and Kennedy knew that Willow saw it. She imagined Willow's eyes, which were filled with fear, mirrored her own as she choked out, "There's a few things I need to tell you."

After Kennedy told Willow what had been going on, what she had seen and recently found out, after they talked, Willow was speechless, stunned and looked totally unreachable.

Kennedy tried to reach, though. She put her hand over Willow's; and, although Willow didn't pull her hand back, she didn't respond to it. "Could you say something?" Kennedy asked quietly, almost in a begging tone.

It, the silence and distance, was making her feel like some little girl; and, to Kennedy, there was no feeling worse than what she was feeling right now. "Willow...please," she pleaded, almost not caring about how needy and weak she sounded at the moment. "You...you wanted to know, and I need someone now."

"I know," the witch replied quietly as she continued to look at the patch of bed she had been staring at for quite some time. "I didn't like that...what I mean is, I never imagined that you're life was ever that hard, and that you'd have so many ghosts.

There was silence again. Kennedy had no idea what to say. After Willow turned into Warren, Kennedy got a look for herself at how powerful magic could be. Before, she joked about "Big, scary Willow," now she knew that was the last thing she wanted to see.

After all that, Kennedy realized she was more fucked up than Willow. Maybe she couldn't do as much damage, but there was more pain and loneliness. Kennedy however wasn't going to go and destroy the world, or anything.

That's why, Kennedy imagined, Willow was so freaked. She must have been in the mentality that what was happening or had happened to Kennedy wasn't that bad, but now she knew the truth.

"Willow, I need someone who's strong and supportive. Who can deal with my past and what's coming after me now," Kennedy began. "But...I don't think that person is going to be you."

Willow's head shot up. It was the first time her green eyes had looked at her since her story began, since she told Willow about her ghosts. "B-but-" she began, but Kennedy shook her head and held her hand up.

"Believe me, I want it to be you," Kennedy told her truthfully. "I really do, but...you're not even sure of yourself. How can you be strong for me?"

"I...I can be strong," Willow began. "I wanna be strong...Kennedy, when I knew that something was up, it was all I could think about. I want to help you, and I think I can."

"Not unless if you tell me the truth," Kennedy responded quickly, with a strong tone. Willow's face went from a desperately pleading face to shock at Kennedy's bold statement. "I know that you all lied to us. About Faith? Does the name ring a bell?"

"Look, I know The First said it, I know It's evil, but It wasn't lying," Kennedy interrupted. "It's right, how am I supposed to trust people that don't tell me the truth about the slayers? I have to fight along side all of you, but I can't fight along people that I don't trust."

It was Kennedy's turn to look away. She could still feel Willow's eyes staring at her. "Kennedy..." she began, but trailed off and didn't continue.

Willow knew she was right, which is why she couldn't think of anything to say. "Don't, okay?" Kennedy said after a minute. "Just...I'd rather be alone. Please."

With reluctance, Willow rose from the bed, her hand slipping away from Kennedy's. She stood over her for a while, just looking down at her before Kennedy looked up. "Please," she begged again. "I just...no one else comes in. Especially Spike. Tell him...if he comes near me again that I will kill him."

She nodded, but, before leaving, she leaned down and kissed Kennedy quickly. For a second, when Kennedy kissed back, she wanted more than anything to wrap her arms around Willow and let her be the strong one.

But she didn't. Willow pulled away and then she left. Kennedy sniffed and took in a deep breath. Tears were stinging her eyes and she blinked them back. "Stop it, Kennedy," she scolded herself. "Just stop!"

This was too much...being in this house, after what happened with Chloe and seeing Cedric and the fact that she knew Spike was right downstairs, waiting to be thrown into the sunlight or have a stake plunged through his heart.

Kennedy pushed herself up off the bed and grabbed her jacket nearby. After slipping it on, she grabbed the closest pair of sneakers and pulled them on. When she realized they weren't hers and, also, too small for her, she grabbed her shoes and put them on.

After grabbing the cross she had been holding and Mr. Pointy from the desk drawer, Kennedy silently pushed the window up. She turned back and listened, making sure that no one heard the window open, and Kennedy climbed out.

"Shit." she muttered after she hopped out of the tree and inspected her arm. Kennedy must have scratched it when she jumped down. Luckily, she didn't make any sounds and was able to sneak out the back without a trace.

Kennedy still had a couple of hours of daylight left. If they discovered her gone now, Buffy would be the only one tracking her but at night, at night Spike would probably find her quicker, especially since Kennedy thought she got some of her blood on the tree.

Putting all those thoughts aside, Kennedy just focused on walking as far away from command central (or, the Summer's residence) as she could get. As she continued to walk in a very unfamiliar part of town, Kennedy's mind began to wander. "Where the hell am I supposed to go?" she muttered to herself as she stopped and looked to her right.

"You're not him," Kennedy responded as she kept her eyes on the sunset that was taking place at one of Sunnydale's many graveyards. No irony there. "So, what are you gonna do...talk to me about how we won't win? Get me to off myself like Chloe?"

Cedric moved next to her, standing right near her arm, but Kennedy knew that if she were to move over a centimeter, she'd go right through him. "Still thinking about the girl? I should've known," he told her. "You were always so strong, but when you saw death...you were just a little girl all over again."

"I am not a little girl!" Kennedy shouted as she tore her eyes away from the oranges and the pinks of the skies. She was giving into It, but a part of her didn't care. "And I've dealt with death just fine over my years. I didn't shed too many tears over you."

"You never had the chance to," he countered. "Rupert came right straight away and plucked you from England. This isn't the point though, Kennedy, and you know it."

"Spike also killed your family," Cedric laughed. "Not the most trustworthy vampire, is he? Then again, not many of them are."

"Did you know?" Kennedy asked as she looked at Cedric with begging eyes. "I mean...did Cedric know? What he did to my family?"

"This isn't the focus, Kennedy," Cedric scolded her. "Focus is the key. Channeling your instincts...have you forgotten what I taught you?"

"Sorry." Kennedy offered weakly as she began to walk into the cemetery, with Cedric close on her heals.

"Very good," he told her. "Now...let's get down to business. I'm sure you have questions."

While Kennedy's mind was there, listening to Cedric, talking to him, her body and instincts were scanning the graveyard. What she needed right now was a good throw down with something mean and nasty.

"I think I asked, 'why me?'" Kennedy told him dryly as she stopped and looked over to her right where she heard a rustle.

"Don't think too much, trust your instincts," he instructed before answering her question. "You're a very strong, bold, young girl. There's so much potential."

"Hence, me being a potential." She quipped as she heard another rustle from the same direction. Kennedy reached inside her jacket and grabbed Mr. Pointy, holding the stake firmly in her hand as she walked at a slower pace.

"Don't talk back like that," he lectured with a face that, she imagined, frowned on her in a very teacher-ly way. "Also, I meant a great deal of potential. Far more than those other silly girls. You know I always knew it would be you. It won't be long now, Kennedy. Patience is a virtue. Your time will come."

Almost as if waiting for his cue, a vampire ran out from the bushes and charged. Kennedy jumped out of the way and the vampire tumbled to the ground. "Stay sharp." Cedric said as he stood stiffly planted to the spot, watching the fight.

"Get off my case and let me do this!" Kennedy shouted back as she took a couple punches from the vampire before giving him a one, two and then a sharp kick that sent him stumbling backwards.

The vampire looked behind himself, straight at Cedric, and then looked back at Kennedy with a confused face. "Who the hell are you talking to?" he asked as Kennedy charged with a yell. He was ready for her though.

First, he grabbed her wrist and turned it in a way that sprained it. Then yanked her close so that her body slammed against his before jerking her head to the side. "Is this you handling this, Kennedy?" Cedric asked curiously with raised eyebrows.

Kennedy glared at Cedric before thrusting her knee upwards into the vampire's crouch. It let out a growl of pain as it crumpled to the ground. Kenned bent down, throw him on his back and straddled the blood sucker.

"Is this me making you feel like an ass?" Kennedy responded as she raised Mr. Pointy above her head and threw it down with force, right into the vampire's heart. The vampire growled, exploded into dust, and Kennedy was suddenly sitting on the ground.

She patted herself down and just sat, marveling in the fact that she had just dusted a vamp. Well, she had done that already, but this was her solo. Kennedy's mind was racing. She couldn't wait to get back and tell...

The huge, goofy grin that was on her face faded away with the sudden, jarring realization of what has been going on. Cedric had since stepped forward and held his hand out. Kennedy shook her head and rose to her feet.

"That was an impressive performance, Kennedy," Cedric told her. "I'm very proud of you. I hope now it's clear why I want you."

Cedric smiled down at her and she found herself lost. The cemetery was disappearing and Kennedy could think of nothing else or be anywhere else but here. He had told her before, there is no relationship like that of a watcher and a slayer.

"I will never die in your heart," he whispered quietly as he reached up to touch her face. "Never."

One moment, it was just her and Cedric. The next, it was her face being slammed into the grass. There was weight on top of her and she couldn't move, let alone get up as she cried out, "What the hell?"

"You Kennedy?" A female voice asked. It wasn't any she recognized as she tried to turn her head to get a look of her attacker. All Kennedy got a glimpse of was wild brown hair hanging over her.

"Who's asking?" Kennedy replied as one of her hands got free. She tried to grab the brunette that was sitting on top of her, but this girl was quick...and strong. She had grabbed Kennedy's recently sprained wrist, causing Kennedy to cry out in pain.

"Why don't you just answer the question, make it easy on everyone?" The brunette said with a little more force and a slight twist of her wrist.

The attacker released Kennedy's wrist and got up off of her. Kennedy remained on the ground, trying to swallow down the numbing pain of her wrist and the fact that her cross and stake had been digging into her side when she was pinned down.

She raised herself up, very slowly, and turned to see who had attacked her. The girl was a bit taller than Kennedy, but skinnier yet, somehow, muscular. Her dark eyes stared back at Kennedy. They were piercing and filled with pain and suffering that Kennedy imagined her eyes probably looked that way to whoever this girl was. "Well?" Kennedy asked again as her and the brunette had a little stare down. "Are you going to tell me who the hell you are?"

"You gonna ask a little nicer?" the girl countered in a cocky, Buffy-esque tone.

Kennedy merely stared back, not even bothering to open her mouth in fear of what might come out. The brunette that stood opposite her twisted her mouth into a smile before letting a low chuckle and saying, "I'm Faith, and you're coming with me."

Kennedy was back in her room, but instead of being curled up and going insane on the bed, she was curled up and going insane right near the door, trying her best to listen to the meeting that was going on downstairs.

After Faith had revealed who she was and asked Kennedy to come back, Kennedy resisted. She actually tried to run, but Faith got her again and nearly dragged her back to the Summer's house.

"When I found her, she was walking through the graveyard. Then this vamp showed up and rushed her, but she dusted it," Faith had started, and Kennedy knew what was coming after. "The whole time though...she was talking to someone, but no one was there. Even after, she was just talkin'..."

She lifted herself to her feet and gently opened the door, trying very hard not to make any sound or disturb the conversation she was eavesdropping on. "The First," Kennedy heard Mr. Giles say. "It's still appearing to her. What was she saying? Anything that could give us a clue as to what it was saying?"

There was worry laced in her tone. Kennedy's face softened as she moved towards the top of the stairs and hid in the shadows. Willow was standing at the doorway into the living room, leaning against the frame.

"No...she didn't talk that much," Faith told them in a sort of defeated tone. "She was yelling at...The First. Saying get off her case, she was handling it, when she was fighting the vampire."

Mr. Giles had made some kind of 'hmm' sound, indicating that his head was working. Apparently, Buffy's next statement suggested she was thinking along the same lines, "Before Spike left...he said that she had seen her watcher."

"It would make sense, she was very close with him...from what he told me before..." Mr. Giles trailed off and Kennedy hung her head.

This whole thing was pissing her off. She knew damn well that Cedric was dead and that he wasn't coming back, yet every time The First came around and appeared as him, she fell into It's manipulations. Kennedy was stronger than this, and she knew it.

"Before The Bringers cut him up with the sharp, sharp knives?" Anya asked in her usual blunt manner.

"Faith, we have to focus. Did it sound like someone was...I don't know, instructing her or something?" Buffy questioned Faith.

The other slayer, technically the real slayer, stepped next to Willow and leaned on the other side of the frame, addressing the group gathered below. "She seemed annoyed at whoever she was talking to...then, after, she just stood and stared," Faith told them. "Someone was there."

"We've gotta cut the crap," Buffy announced suddenly. "We don't have time to be thinking of things logically. The First wants Kennedy to trust It, we have to just assume It's using her watcher's guise and try and find out what It's been saying to her."

Kennedy's anger rose a bit at Faith's choice in words when she addressed Willow. Kennedy didn't know what it was about this girl, but she knew Faith was trouble. The girl had an attitude problem and Kennedy felt like helping her get over it.

"It's just," Willow started off slowly, unsurely. "Kennedy's having some, well, actually a lot, of trust issues with us, Buffy. We never told any of the potentials about Faith..."

"So, I'm foreign territory to the wannabes?" Faith asked as she walked out of Kennedy's view.

"We just...it's very complicated," Buffy began, not sure how to be gentle about the whole explanation thing. "I wanted them to be trained and ready to face The First before they knew about you. Most of the girls knew nothing about slayers, why confuse them with this whole story?"

"It got to one of the girls...one that I don't really remember seeing around and then she just randomly shows up swinging in the bathroom." Anya reported.

"Then it talked to Kennedy," Willow finished, emphasizing Kennedy's name so Faith remembered it. "Told her the truth and now has her believing that she can't trust us and that we're lying to her."

"Well...has anyone tried to tell her that it was complicated or anything? I mean, especially if she's all...well, special with this First thing." Faith asked.

The return she got was silence. It appeared every one was pondering this simple fact that they hadn't explained things to Kennedy, who was marveling at the lack of thought going on down there.

If they knew she was up here, listening, they might think it was okay. Kennedy wasn't sure it was though. She still felt like there was still something missing or not right.

"A lot was going on with her after her conversation with The First," Willow said defensively. "Kennedy was really freaked out and she seemed lost."

"Dead people were talking to her," Anya called out to the room. "Who wouldn't be freaked out? In my opinion she just needs to suck it up and trust us."

Kennedy felt a strong breeze roll up her spine. She turned her head and looked to see she had left the bedroom door open. The wind blowing in from the window was cold, fierce, and strong enough to blow the door shut with a loud slam.

Her eyes moved back down to her glimpse of Willow who had now turned and looked her way. Kennedy saw Willow do something, probably curse under her breath, as she headed for the stairs.

"Will?" Buffy asked as Kennedy pushed herself to her feet and headed back to the bedroom before Willow came upstairs.

Willow must have ignored Buffy, because Kennedy didn't hear her say anything before she walked down the hallway and pushed the bedroom door open. "Kennedy?" she called gently. "You okay?"

The door was only open a crack, but then Willow pushed it open and hung out at the doorway. "Never better." Kennedy answered, not even bothering to feign wellness. Both of them knew Kennedy had been sitting at the top of the stairs, listening.

"I, um...I think we know that there's gotta be some talking," Willow started quietly as she began to enter the room but stopped. "Is it...it's okay to come in?"

Kennedy sighed and nodded before Willow entered and sat on the edge of the bed. Kennedy couldn't help but notice that, when Willow sat on the bed, she gave Kennedy a substantial amount of personal space.

"So...that's Faith, huh?" Kennedy asked after an awkward minute and looking anywhere but at each other.

Willow bit her lip and nodded. "Yeah," she said slowly. "Sorry about the whole tackling thing. You know, we discovered you gone, she showed up, and there was...stuff."

"Nothing to worry about," Kennedy told Willow quietly. "She was right though...you know, putting aside her bluntness and nicknames and all. You should have told me about Faith-"

"The time wasn't right, Kennedy," Willow interrupted gently. "Buffy wasn't too sure what was going on with The First at...first. Things with Faith, too, they're...is there a word bigger than complicated?"

Kennedy remained silent as Willow chuckled awkwardly. "Anyway...Faith went dark, she killed a man, and she turned against us all. She hurt us all, but according to Angel-"

Willow nodded before continuing, "She's been in jail, in L.A., but she...seems better now. I guess, Buffy wanted all of you to know what a slayer is before you learned what a dark slayer is."

"Kinda put two and two together after listening to your little Scooby meeting." Kennedy admitted.

"Every last blunt and completely inappropriate comment directed towards me," Kennedy laughed, but then stopped. "Spike left, right?"

Willow grew quiet. Kennedy knew he did leave, but she also knew that now everyone knew how completely messed up she was. Now, on top of everything, she was completely alone.

After she found out about what Spike did, Kennedy's world felt like it was collapsing. Forget about The First and how It's appearing to her, all of her connections to the earth were gone...and most of them taken by a vampire who fought by her side, who had been training her.

She was snapped back to reality by the tears that stung her eyes. "You know, I hate to cry..." Kennedy told Willow with a laugh as a few tears poured down her cheeks. Kennedy tried to sniff them back, but they just wouldn't stop.

Sure enough, her tears turned into sobs and her face buried itself in her hands, hiding from Willow. She wanted to be strong but she was only human.

"Hey, I know that you're supposed to be mad at us and not trusting us," Willow started as Kennedy looked up, her face red and somewhat blotchy. "Would it be alright if I...will you let me hold you?"

Kennedy nodded before completely breaking down. Without any hesitation, Willow stretched out along side Kennedy and hugged her close to her. Kennedy's arms snaked around Willow's waist and she held on for dear life.

"It's alright," Willow whispered as she ran Kennedy's hair through her fingers. "You're not alone, Kennedy."

When Willow kissed her temple and held her close, Kennedy squeezed her eyes shut and she tried her damnedest to forget about everything else that was going on.

Both Willow and Kennedy jerked their heads toward the door. The sounds of slamming and windows breaking and screams filled the house. "What's going on?" Kennedy asked as she loosened her grip on Willow and pushed herself up a bit.

Footsteps pounded the stairs and suddenly Faith was standing in the doorway. "Gotta cut the make out session short, girls," she announced as she came forward and grabbed Kennedy's arm. "Me and you, newbie, we gotta jet."

"Faith, what's-?" Willow began, but a Bringer appeared at the door with a knife. It turned its eyeless head towards Faith and lunged. Faith pushed Kennedy aside and grabbed the bringer by the neck before turning it until it couldn't be turned anymore.

"Buffy could use a barrier, Willow," Faith said as she went over and helped Kennedy up. "Me and Special K, we got some talking that needs to be done."

She looked over to Willow, looking for some kind of sign that she agreed Kennedy's choice was the right decision, but instead Willow walked forward and pulled Kennedy's lips to her own.

"Listen to Faith," Willow said after she pulled away and briefly looked up at the dark slayer. "Remember, you're not alone anymore."

Then Willow was gone. The screams and sounds of battle filled the house as Faith turned back to Kennedy. "Only way I see out of here is the window," Faith told her as she stopped and looked around the room. "You know if there's any weapons around?"

"Buffy said to go with you?" Kennedy asked, still not sure that she should be going anywhere with Faith.

"Okay, thanks, I'll check there," Faith replied dryly as she opened a nearby closet and smiled. She grabbed a couple swords and tossed one Kennedy's way. "I assume you know which end to hold?"

Faith crossed the room and pushed the window open. "All set?" Faith asked with raised eyebrows.

"I'm still not all that sure." Kennedy admitted as she walked over to the window and looked at Faith with an unsureness.

Kennedy and Faith whipped around when they heard more footsteps. Bringers had appeared at the door. They stopped, surveying the nice slayer treats, before stepping forward. Kennedy yelped as a reaction, but the Bringers remained where they were.

They couldn't get through. "Looks like Red bought us a few minutes to get away," Faith said as she practically pushed Kennedy out the window. "Just wanted to let you know, too, Special K...that kiss was hot."

Kennedy rolled her eyes and jumped down. She landed on her feet, but they buckled underneath and she crumpled to the ground. Faith plopped down behind her and grabbed her by the arm and lifted her up.

"Suck it up." Faith told her as they ran toward the gate. Bringers were already waiting for them. Two out of the three attacked Faith while the other one ran right by Faith, and Kennedy.

She watched as the Bringer ran into the house before running, sword drawn, towards the fight to help Faith. She began to swing her sword at one of the Bringers and, while it fought back, it didn't seem interested.

Faith finished up with her crazy monk just as Kennedy shoved her sword through the Bringer. "That was really weird." Kennedy commented.

"When aren't things weird?" Faith asked as she motioned towards the gate. "Come on...we'll figure it out later, now we have to get our asses in gear."

Never in a million years did Kennedy think she would be here during a situation like this.

Faith turned her head at Kennedy and raised her eyebrows. "You're not into dancing?" she asked as she turned her head to the dance floor. "You're attitude just screams party animal."

"Those bringer freaks are gonna be tracking us." Kennedy reminded Faith. She wasn't listening though. A couple of college, jock type guys walked by and looked Faith over. She looked back at them and smiled a flirtatious smile.

"Yeah, because that's my thing," Kennedy responded as she knitted her eyebrows together. "And what did you mean by 'me?'"

"The bringers weren't interested in you, were they Special K?" Faith told her. "If they're tracking us, they're tracking me. Probably because the big bad wants you. Let's hope It's really a girl for your sake."

Kennedy sighed. This whole thing was pointless. For all she knew, everyone back home might be dead, and here she was with Faith sitting in a bar waiting to be attacked. "You know, they probably could've used our help back home, or something," she told Faith. "Why'd Buffy want you to talk to me?"

"B has her ways, despite how crazy and wrong they might seem at the time," Faith responded. "You though, I'm not all that sure why she wanted me to talk to you. Right now, you seem like a bigger mess than me. Two messes don't tend to make a right."

"Hold it. Before we can have type of serious conversation, you have to give me a better nickname." She said as she interrupted Faith.

The dark slayer stopped and paused. "How bout...K, Ken, newbie, wannabe, The First's butt monkey, Red's new girl toy? Your choice."

Kennedy glared at Faith before she continued, "Fine, if you ain't choosin', you're getting. Anyway, I don't take any shit from anyone, and when I ask you a question, you're gonna answer it.

"So, you're going to be my latest interrogator in the 'What happened between Kennedy and The First' show, huh?" Kennedy asked and Faith nodded immediately. "And what makes you think I should tell you anything?"

Faith smiled. "No wonder Buffy sent me to talk to you," she said. "You and me, Ken, we're like two peas in a very fucked up pod."

"I think she thought that we would...I dunno, connect or something like that," Faith told Kennedy, ignoring her comment. "You know what I mean? You got the attitude thing going, I got the attitude going. You're pretty messed up, I'm pretty messed up. You're brunette-"

"I will pay you to ask me questions about The First," Kennedy called out. "Just...stop comparing us."

"Tell me about The First," Faith asked without hesitation. "Who's It appearing to you as? What's It been saying to you?"

A waiter was walking by with a tray of drinks when Kennedy opened her mouth to speak. She reached out and caught his arm. "Might wanna leave these here." She told him as she grabbed the tray and put it down on the table in front of them.

He looked like he was about to protest, but Faith shot him a look and he ran back to the bar. Kennedy picked up a shot of something and swallowed it with one gulp and winced at the after taste.

"Way to take em, Ken." Faith remarked as she too picked up a shot and downed it.

"It was my watcher...Cedric," Kennedy told Faith as she picked up another glass. "The First has been appearing to me as him...oh, and Chloe. One of the potentials. She killed herself."

"Heard about that," Faith said as she picked up a shot and held it up on the air. Kennedy clinked her glass and the shots were history. "Close with your watcher, huh? How'd he die?"

"Bringers," Kennedy answered Faith. "They...I came home one day and he was everywhere...literally."

"Another thing we have in common," Faith told Kennedy. "Buffy knows us pretty damn well."

"He, or It, hasn't told me any...plans or anything," Kennedy admitted to Faith. "If it had told me something, I would have told them. All I know is that It wants me alive, and that It plays Cedric to a T."

"Cedric...he was like the only family I had for a long time," Kennedy told Faith, pounded another shot, then continued. "Always told me I'd be next, that I was special, you know? I mean, I know watchers are supposed to say that to their girls, but he always made me believe it."

"The First say anything to you about that?" Faith asked as she waved her hand at the waiter, indicating him to bring more drinks over. "About you being next, being powerful?"

Kennedy nodded as she handed one of the last shots to Faith and took one for herself. "He said," Kennedy began, but paused as she let the shot burn down her throat. "That I had a lot of potential. More than the others, and it'd only be a matter of time. Patience is a virtue, It said.

"Light weight," Faith muttered as she finished her shot. "So, It said only a matter of time? Like you'd be the next girl called?"

"That's what I got," Kennedy responded. "What I don't get though...It wants the slayer line erased, if I am the next one called, why would it want me alive?"

"Well, we won't have to worry about that, Ken," Faith told her. "I'm not planning on dying anytime soon so, no offense, but you ain't getting called anytime soon."

Kennedy was about to make some kind of smart-ass remark, but something happened. She doubled over where she sat and held her stomach, like she had just been punched in the gut.

Kennedy shook her head. "Something happened," she choked out. "I feel something, inside of me...I don't know..."

"That might be the four shots you just pounded, light weight." Faith told her as she put her hand on Kennedy's back.

"It's something else," Kennedy told her. "Something's happening...we have to get back."

The slayer and the slayer in training both stood, although Kennedy may have stood up a bit faster than she should have. Her knees buckled, but Faith caught her. "You sure it's not the alcohol?" Faith asked.

Kennedy sighed, "It's not all the alcohol, although you may have to carry me home again."

They were walking up the street to Buffy's house, and from half a block away it looked like a big Swiss cheese house. "After we figure out what the hell happened, you're gonna tell me how you got such a good gut instinct." Faith told Kennedy as she picked up her pace.

Kennedy tried to keep up, but things were still a little spinny. "When I figure it out, I'll let you know." Kennedy responded as they reached the house and walked through the door-less door.

The house was trashed...well, the most trashed it had been out of all the times it had been trashed. "Yo, B!" Faith called out as they walked into the living room. No one answered. Faith moved through the room, stepping over the bringer's bodies and holding on to Kennedy's arm.

No one was in the kitchen either and Faith leaned against the counter. "Where the hell are they?" she asked, although Kennedy was pretty sure that she wasn't going to receive an answer.

Almost as if on cue, Kennedy felt something again. She turned and looked at the basement door. "Down here." Kenned muttered as she stumbled to the door and opened it.

Faith was on her heels as Kennedy ran down the stairs. The sight caused her to gasp and she tripped down a couple of the steps. Faith grabbed her by the collar and kept her alive though.

"Jesus." Faith muttered as she lifted Kennedy to her feet and helped her down the rest of the way.

"Bringers give you two any trouble?" Buffy asked, acting completely unaware that some of the bodies on the floor weren't bringers.

Among them, a few of the more recent slayer in training, as well as some of the ones she had gotten to know pretty well. Kennedy swallowed the lump in her throat down as she looked away from Rona, Amanda, and Chao-Ahn's bodies.

The other Scoobies looked like big bruises, but they were alive. Kennedy blinked back her tears after studying the people in the room, dead and alive. This is what hit her. The First was right...she was next, and she was gaining potential.

She looked up. Willow was next to her, blood covering the right side of her face and trickling down in drops from her nose. Kennedy looked down; Willow's hand was laced together with hers. It was also bloody at the knuckles.

"I'm here," Kennedy said, not able to take her eyes off the ground. "I don't know if my heart is...or, or my stomach right now."

"Bringers, sharp knives, blood." Anya muttered as Xander was cleaning up her injuries. Dawn was next in line, followed by Giles, both of whom glared at the ex-demon.

"We were ambushed," Buffy shrugged. "We weren't prepared for this at all and The First knew that."

Everyone paused a second, looking over at Kennedy. No one really knew how to respond because they all knew she was right. Kennedy knew it wasn't their fault. That they had no way of knowing, but more people she knew were dead.

"Kennedy, we all knew that this is a war," Buffy began, but not in her normal I'm-better-than-you tone. "And we all knew that some of us were going to die."

"That's what it all comes down to, doesn't it?" Kennedy shot back. "Everyone dies! Everyone leaves...and I can't do this any more, this losing people thing."

Willow's hand squeezed hers, hard. It didn't hurt, it was actually comforting. "I told you, you're not alone, Kennedy."

This was all too much right now. The smell, the look of it all, and the fact that she was still a little drunk was what caused her to break contact from Willow and run upstairs. Once she hit the bathroom, everything came out.

After a couple minutes of hugging the toilet and flushing it, Kennedy leaned back. She was drenched in sweat and gathered her hair up and tied it into a ponytail.

"Wow, I heard that from the bottom of the stairs." Willow commented as she walked in and plopped down on the floor.

"She told us," Willow said as she grabbed a nearby towel and blotted her forehead. "How you feelin' now, alchie?"

Kennedy smiled, chuckled a bit even, and she instantly felt horrible for it. "So many of them died, Will." She whispered.

Willow nodded as she lowered the towel and put her hand over Kennedy's. "I know," Willow told her. "You all bonded, whether or not you wanted to or not. You were all connected-"

"We still are," Kennedy told her and Willow looked back at her, confused. "Willow, I think I've figured something out. The First, It told me I have a lot of potential, more than the other girls, and It told me my time was coming soon. It said I was next.

"When we were at the Bronze, I felt something." Kennedy told Willow with a serious look.

"No, it's not the alcohol," Kennedy stressed with force. "I felt when they died because their energies, their potential, went into me, Willow. I'm the one that's going to be called when Faith dies, don't you get it? Not only am I next, but now I'm even more confused as to what The First could possibly want with me.

"Kennedy." Willow whispered as she crawled over to Kennedy and let her rest on her shoulder. She was having trouble breathing now and, even though it felt nice having Willow hold her again, she couldn't get these thoughts out of her head.

"We'll get through this," she told Kennedy. "We will...we've gotten through worse, you know? I mean, I absorbed all the magics in the world and nearly destroyed it. I think a little thing like the ultimate evil wanting you isn't that big of a deal."

Kennedy knew what Willow was doing, and despite how bad, worried, and scared she felt it was working. "Through all the things that have been going on, through all the big bad," Kennedy began. "Everything melts away when you hold me."

"Well, that's good," she replied. "Cause, you know, I don't plan on letting you go anytime soon."

Their eyes found each other and Willow smiled. Kennedy moved towards her lips, trying to remember the last time they had kissed and not being able to wait to kiss her again. She stopped anyway though and pushed herself up off the floor.

Kennedy nodded as she turned on the faucet and gathered water into her hands and splashed it into her mouth. "Fine, it's just," Kennedy paused to slosh the water around her mouth and spit it out. "Didn't really think you'd appreciate me kissing you with throw up mouth."

She smiled down at Willow before grabbing the mouthwash and taking a quick swig. Willow, apparently, couldn't wait though. She, too, had pushed herself up and pressed her body against Kennedy's.

"Thanks for the consideration." Willow commented as she wrapped her arms around the potential's waist. Kennedy spit the liquid out of her mouth and turned so that she was facing Willow.

"Now I'm all minty fresh for you." Kennedy whispered as her arms snaked around Willow's neck and her hand tangled into Willow's hair.

Not being able to wait anymore, Kennedy pulled Willow's lips on to her own. Unlike their usual kisses, this one was fast. Both went to deepen the kiss at the same time and both of their hands began to roam new places that haven't been explored on either side.

Willow's hands traveled up, one even managed to sneak it's way under Kennedy's shirt. A low moan escaped from the back of Kennedy's throat when Willow's hand cupped her breast.

Kennedy had never felt this much for one person in a single moment ever...in her entire life. Being here, with Willow, having her kiss her and back her against the wall and trail kisses along Kennedy's jaw, she just knew that...

The kissing didn't stop. Kennedy had grabbed Willow's face and moved her lips back to her own. She kissed Willow deeply before pulling back and looking into her eyes. "I love you, Willow." She repeated as she rubbed her thumbs against Willow's cheeks.

Willow was quiet, sort of smiling, and confused when she opened her mouth to respond, but Kennedy stopped her. "You don't have to say it back, or anything," Kennedy told her quickly. "And I don't mean to mess this up or anything. It's just...you have this power over me, Will. You can make every bad thing disappear to me with one touch and when I kiss you...it's just you and me and I love that so much."

"It's okay...I'm not freaked out, Kennedy," Willow assured her. "It's just, I'm not that sure if I'm ready to say it back or anything. I do feel something for you, really, I just don't know what it is yet."

Kennedy nodded, "It doesn't have to interfere with the kissing and the groping, does it?"

"Kissing and groping is my rendition of slow. If you have a problem with that...?"

She had no idea what was going on, if any of the thoughts she was having now were her own. That's how bad it had gotten with The First. She tried resisting, tired to focus on Willow. It didn't help in the end.

No, in the end, at night, she was standing on the edge of the Hellmouth, bringing about the end of the world.

It had been a couple days since the bringer's attack on the house. Buffy and Faith had taken the fallen potentials to where she buried Chloe and Annabelle. After that, they came home and nothing happened for a day.

Buffy allowed everyone grieving time; although she stressed that they shouldn't let their guard down too much. Kennedy understood Buffy's position and actually admired her a bit more for it. After the whole First/Faith thing, her trust for the group had been...was non-existent the right way to describe it?

Anyway, Willow had helped with that, what with filling in a lot of the blanks. Kennedy, in turn, had relived everything to her. Spilled about her past, Cedric, and how she ended up here. It felt good to get everything clear and out in the open.

It also made her and Willow a lot closer. Official, actually. Willow had used the word girlfriend. It was nice, having that title. It especially helped, during the day of mourning, Willow just held her all day. It was nice, just being held, not having to talk about anything else, being comfortable enough to just lie with one another and not have to say anything.

Kennedy never really had that before. She could remember the last time she had slept next to a girl, but she didn't remember it ever feeling like this, or it being quiet or anything.

At night, Buffy and Faith took her patrolling. Just her though. They didn't want to risk any bringers or anything coming to kill the other potentials that could never survive a fight with them.

It was weird, though. Things were busy, tons of vampires. While Kennedy was a little stronger, the vamps were way outnumbering them. Buffy and Faith were taking care of it though. Kennedy dusted a few, but not nearly as many as them.

Willow had told her about the slayer's past together, and Kennedy was amazed at their dynamic. They were a good team, and they got Kennedy out of there as fast as they could when the fight was over.

Before heading back to the house though, Buffy said she had something to take care of. Faith took Kennedy's arm and tugged her home. They had encountered some vampires, but they took care of them without any fuss.

Faith was healed by the time they got home, and when Buffy arrived home, she was healed too. Kennedy, on the other hand, was still bruised and bleeding. Willow had been waiting up for them to get home. When they did, and when she saw Kennedy, she ran to get the first aid kit from the kitchen.

"There were way too many of them Giles." Buffy had told him, along with everyone else gathered in the living room.

"I fear that things are beginning to go into motion," Giles told them. "The fight is coming, Buffy. All the signs are here..."

"Yep. The First appearing to Kennedy, bringers upon bringers upon bringers, and now vamps galore," Faith reinforced. "Sounds like the perfect recipe for an apocalypse."

"You know, in all fairness, The First hasn't appeared to Kennedy in a couple days." Willow told them as she smiled at Kennedy, who in turn smiled back at her girlfriend.

"You're right, Will," Buffy agreed, but Kennedy felt a 'but' coming on, and sure enough. "But, The First already said It wanted Kennedy. The best thing we can do is keep an eye on her, make sure she's safe."

"And, you know, talk to me like I'm sitting right here as opposed to sitting in another room." Kennedy said defensively.

"Sorry, K," Faith said as she punched her arm and plopped down on the couch next to Kennedy. "You know how B gets when she's in war mode."

"We all should be getting this way," Buffy said sternly. "Not making jokes. Tons of vampires and endless bringers aren't just everyday, Hellmouth-y things. It's gonna be the last fight, and I don't know about any of you but I don't feel like dying for a third time."

Everyone remained silent, which meant that Buffy hit home. Something stuck in Kennedy's mind though, and she furrowed her brow, causing Willow to give her a stern look. "Die a third time?" she questioned as she looked over at Buffy.

She stiffened, as well as everyone else in the room, and Willow grabbed her chin and forced Kennedy to look back at her. "Don't move your head." She muttered.

"What can we do, B?" Faith asked. "It's not like The First can be fought, and we don't know where all these bringer freaks come from. I'm all for kickin' some ass, but it helps when the big bad actually has an ass."

"Technically speaking, it does have an ass," Dawn piped up from the back of the room where she was on the laptop. "It's just, you can't kick it."

"You know what I mean, Nerd 'R' Us," Faith shot back. "But what can this thing do if we can't touch It and It can't touch us?"

"Manipulate people," Anya answered. "Like Kennedy, and Andrew, cause he did kill Jonathan. Oh, and Spike...remember all those people he killed? Now that I think about it, what was all that about? What purpose did killing those people serve? You know, Spike-"

"Ahn," Xander interjected as he looked Kennedy's way. "Perhaps we should keep the Spike talk to a minimum."

Kennedy looked straight ahead. She assumed that Buffy had been in contact with Spike, after all he was still a good fighter, and The First had used him before, so she probably wanted to check on him.

Kennedy shrugged as Buffy, knowing about Kennedy's issues with Spike, sighed and continued. "I know...some of us don't really want to hear this, but Spike is a good fighter. He's one of my strongest-"

"Killers?" Kennedy filled in, under her breath. It was loud enough for Willow and Faith to hear though.

"Maybe he could just, I don't know, come here," Buffy said. "We could work through some things before The First has a chance to make It's move."

"Fine, we'll get Spike back and find a way to break the trigger," Buffy replied. "Then The First won't be able to use him against us."

"No," Kennedy shook her head. "I can't fight along side him, Buffy. He killed my family!"

"Kennedy, listen, I know what he did and I know how you must feel-" Buffy began.

"You don't have a clue as to how I feel, Buffy?" Kennedy interrupted. "Did Spike kill any of your family? Or were you too busy screwing him to notice if he did?"

That was a low blow; even Kennedy had to admit that. She knew just how low it was though when Faith muttered, "Shit."

"I know that what Spike did to you, Kennedy," Buffy started through gritted teeth. "But you have to remember who's in charge around here. You're in my army, and you don't give me any lip like that."

Kennedy stood up and faced Buffy. "Why do you always put Spike above everything else, Buffy? He's done so much and you claim that you don't even love him, yet he's got an invite into your little group whenever he wants. He's a goddamn killer."

"Guys, maybe you should both just back up a bit." Faith said as she stood and tried to squeeze herself between them, but Buffy pushed her away.

This time, Mr. Giles stepped forward, "Buffy, Kennedy has suffered a tremendous loss because of Spike, and on top of everything The First wants her. Where is your head?"

"This really isn't like you, Buffy." Willow said as she snatched Kennedy's hand and gently pulled her back.

The words hung in the air. It was like something dawned on them all as Buffy smiled and folded her arms over her chest. "Man you guys sure are bright," she told them all. "Some army."

All at once, everyone backed away from Buffy, except for Faith who had her feet planted firmly to the ground and stood up to The First. "Where's B?"

"How bout you start answering, or-" Faith began, but The First didn't even give her a chance to finish.

"What?" Buffy challenged as she held her hands out. "Bring it on, Faith. Might as well get some shots in before I kill you."

"My good buddy, Spike, is keeping an eye on her for me" she told the group, emphasizing the word Spike as she turned to look at Kennedy. "Wanna go save her, Kennedy? Show all the power you've been gaining?"

"You think appearing as Buffy is gonna make me trust you or something?" Kennedy asked with raised eyebrows.

With a shrug, Buffy disappeared and Cedric stood in front of them. Kennedy froze as everyone around them looked to her and back at Cedric. They were smart, and put two and two together. "Don't listen to him, Kennedy," Willow whispered as she squeezed Kennedy's hand. "He's dead. He is dead, Kennedy. Listen to me."

"Yes, Kennedy," Cedric announced. "Listen to the witch bluntly tell you that someone you loved dearly is dead. What do you see in her, anyway? She'll never be good enough for you."

Instead of frowning on her, Cedric smiled down at her. "Is that the game we're playing now?" he chuckled. "I thought we had talked about this, Kennedy. They've lied to you."

"Kennedy, you must ignore him until It goes away. He's The First." Mr. Giles told her.

Cedric laughed, a hearty laugh...the one she used to make fun of him for. Kennedy wanted to smile, remembering Cedric, but he stopped laughing and looked over at Mr. Giles. "Trying to steal my slayer, Rupert?" he asked. "Venturing to screw up yet another one are you? Will Kennedy be your third?"

"She ain't the slayer yet," Faith spoke up. "She comes after I'm gone and, in G's defense, he was never my watcher."

"Like it matters," Cedric scoffed. "And why do you have this notion in your head that you're invincible. You're human, Faith, and my Kennedy will be the next slayer soon."

Cedric nodded. "Fine," he complied. "But I'll be seeing you soon. Just wanted to make sure you haven't forgotten about me, little one."

After a small light show, Cedric was gone, everyone was very quiet, and Kennedy actually had to wince at how hard Willow was squeezing her hand.

While still holding Willow's hand, Kennedy's knees gave out and she plopped down on the couch. With all that had been going on, Kennedy thought The First had moved on or something. Boy was she wrong.

"Oh, I get it!" Andrew exclaimed suddenly, forcing all eyes on him. "That was Kennedy's watcher. I had no idea who that British dude was for the whole time."

"We'll go get her then," Kennedy answered. "Someone here besides Buffy had to have known where Spike's been hiding out."

"B let me know," Faith told her as she crossed the room and cracked open the weapons chest. "I'll go, get Buffy back."

Kennedy pushed herself up and walked over to Faith. "You're not going alone." Kennedy said as she reached for the crossbow. Faith was reaching for it too and she smiled at Kennedy.

"One, no you're not coming with me," she said. "And, two, nice choice of weaponry."

"Faith can't go alone," Kennedy reminded them. "And I'm the best candidate. If we run into bringers, they won't try to kill me, and I can hold my own against vampires. Also, if Cedric tries to take a swing at me, we all know what's going to happen."

"You mean The First, Kennedy," Mr. Giles reminded her. "And, you're right. Faith, take Kennedy...find Buffy and if you have to..."

"Kill Spike?" Faith said as she zipped up the bag of weapons she just loaded up. "Not a problem. Let's head out, Special K."

Kennedy strapped the crossbow on to her back and grabbed a bunch of arrows. She went to follow Faith, but Willow grabbed her arm. "If The First is there...just, remember that you have people, Kennedy," Willow told her. "You aren't alone."

"I know," she replied. "I meant what I said the other night, you're my anchor, Will"

Willow smiled and let go of Kennedy's hand. Faith was out the door, and Kennedy backed out, keeping her eyes on Willow the whole time and mouthing, "I love you" before she disappeared into the night with the dark slayer.

The music changed beat, but it was still pretty intense. Kennedy loved clubs, and not just because the sea of hot girls. The music was intoxicating and one of the most incredible highs she ever felt. This was exactly what she needed.

Normally, when Kennedy had some excess energy to work off or when she was frustrated, like now, she'd train or something. She'd tried doing that, but it wasn't working so she decided to do this.

As her body twisted and swayed with loud beat, Kennedy scanned the crowd. She did this in a cool manner, though. If she looked around and lingered on one girl too long, they'd know she was desperate.

Confidence was key. Keeping her focus up, that was how she learned to master the game.

Almost like slaying, she thought to herself as one tall, leggy blonde made eye contact with her. Kennedy immediately looked away, acting like she was looking past her as opposed to at her.

Keeping your guard up, while making your prey believe that they are the hunter and you are the hunted. Kennedy knew the role she played, however. She was always the hunter...ess.

Sure, Kennedy had the confidence of it all, but she had another advantage: she looked innocent, and that was like a magnet.

That and the mix of confidence made her the most desirable girl in the whole club. Kennedy kept dancing, but she closed her eyes and she still knew that everyone was looking at her.

Kennedy opened her eyes, eager to see who was dancing around her and who she would end up leaving the club with, but what she got was totally unexpected.

"Cedric?" Kennedy exclaimed as she sighed and grabbed his arm, tugging him hard off the dance floor and over to the bar. "What the hell are you doing here?"

Her watcher got stiff as he looked around, taking in the surroundings. Kennedy prepared for Cedric's speech; because this was one of the more racier clubs that London had to offer.

"I could ask you the same thing, young lady," he replied, or yelled back over the music, as a couple girls walked by him, pointing and laughing. "And, that is exactly what I am doing. Asking you, that is."

"Let's look at the facts here, Cedric," Kennedy started off, carrying her voice over the loud pulse of the music. "This is a gay bar...more importantly, a lesbian bar. I, in turn, am gay. What with being a gay woman, I am a lesbian. Hence, here I am."

Kennedy smiled up at him, but all she got back was one of Cedric's famous stern looks. "That's very humorous, Kennedy, but right now, I need you to come with me." He shouted to her.

One of he girls that Kennedy had her eyes on was still looking at her from the dance floor. Kennedy heard what Cedric had said and all, but this girl was whispering to her and who was she to not pay attention?

"Yeah, great, Cedric, I totally agree," Kennedy responded, ashamed a little to admit that she hadn't been paying attention. "Just so we're clear though, maybe you should, I dunno, repeat what you just said."

Cedric was way smarter than that, though. He looked back to the dance floor, where Kennedy imagined the blonde was still looking her way. After all, she still had her confidence up. "We're leaving, Kennedy." Cedric told her as he grabbed her arm.

It wasn't like him, though. He was really pissed and squeezing her arm to the point where she winced and pushed him away with her other hand. Kennedy furrowed her brow in thought after she watched Cedric stumble back a good distance.

"Don't you ever talk to me or grab me like that again," Kennedy yelled. "I may just be a potential but I am way stronger than you and way more able to kick your ass."

"I apologize about the grabbing, however, there is serious danger going on, Kennedy," he shouted as he folded his arms over his chest. "Serious danger that merits your expertise in fighting."

Kennedy knitted her brows, "Why can't you just say that there's some vampire or demon I need to fight, Cedric?"

He opened his mouth to responded, but stopped and actually thought about her question. "Look, think about it all you want, Cedric, I'm not leaving." Kennedy told him as she headed back to the dance floor.

Cedric ran forward and stepped in front of her, holding his hands up, a clear sign that he was not touching her. "I'm not touching you, Kennedy, but do you want me to ask you to come with me without being, well how you say, British?" he asked her gently.

Kennedy shook her head. "It's not about that, Cedric," she told him. "Why don't you go get the slayer over here to take care of her business? I'm just a potential, and it's all I'm ever going to be because this current girl just refuses to freakin' die."

"I know that you," Cedric started, but paused not really too sure what to say to her. "You are so much more than just a potential, Kennedy. The girl I had before you, God bless her, she was amazing, but nothing compared to you. You are different.

With a sigh, Kennedy shook her head, "Do you even mean that? When you say I'm different, you like have to say it or something, right?"

He just smiled at her as he held his hand out. Kennedy looked back to the dance floor and turned to Cedric with a smile as she put her hand in his. "Remember what I've told you before, I'm not sure if you do remember anything I say, but patience-"

"Is a virtue," Kennedy finished as she and Cedric walked out of the club. "You've only told me about a million times Cedric. Also, this whole vampire or demon thing better be really really dangerous cause I was about to get some major play."

Good question. Kennedy looked around. "Here?" Kennedy guessed. It was a graveyard, surprise surprise, but which graveyard was the thing she couldn't tell.

"Great, where the hell were you like five minutes ago?" Faith said as she started to walk again.

Faith turned and raised her eyebrows, but she didn't slow her pace. Kennedy stepped in time with Faith, who had a stake drawn and walked straight with her head high and determined.

"So, should we talk about plans? Strategies?" Kennedy ventured. "Like, what do we do with Spike if he turns out to be under The First's control?"

"Well, I know what you want to do," Faith answered. "But, we'll play it by ear. See how bad the situation is and, if it is that bad, we're gonna have no choice but to introduce Spike to good old Mr. Stake."

"Actually...it's Mr. Pointy," Kennedy said with a slight nod, but then she grew serious and stopped Faith. "Hey...promise me, if it comes down to killing Spike, you save him for me."

"Vengeance, huh?" Faith asked as she patted Kennedy on the back. "I dig your style Ken, even the whole lesbian thing..."

"But, it means I respect you and I got your back," she told her in a serious tone, a side of Faith that Kennedy has yet to see. "If it comes to it, he's all yours."

With a half smile, Kennedy nodded and said, "Thanks. If it means anything to you, I wanna apologize to you. I had, like, the worst first impression of you and I actually wanted to kick your ass."

"Like you could," Faith scoffed. "Look, enough of the bonding shit, let's go kick the ass of a vampire who's being controlled by The First."

"And, who has Buffy." Kennedy added as Faith walked a little ahead of Kennedy, leading the way to the place where Spike was staying.

Kennedy eyed the crypt, looking around for some kind of way to remember how to get back here. Unfortunately her little flashback episode prevented her from doing that. Kennedy shook her head as Faith walked forward, holding her hand back, letting Kennedy know that she should stay until Faith made sure it was safe.

The door was cracked open, a sliver of light illuminating the grassy field and surrounding headstones. Faith peeked in, and then stretched herself out along the wall, trying not to let any part of her show through the slight opening.

Faith nodded her head, letting Kennedy know that it was okay to come up. Kennedy did so, walking silently and quickly towards Faith. "That was good, Kennedy, you know. Very stealthy," Faith commented.

Kennedy lost herself a second there, but quickly recomposed herself and forced a smile on for Faith. "What do you see?" she asked Faith.

Kennedy nodded as Faith grabbed the door and pulled it slightly, allowing just enough room for her and Kennedy to squeeze in. Faith waited for Kennedy to enter the crypt before continuing on. She stuck to the walls, a good tactic for not getting ambushed and being able to see your surroundings at all times.

There was some kind of sound, it sounded like a rustle, a few leaves blowing by outside or something; it was loud enough to cause Kennedy to gasp as she grabbed her crossbow and aimed it at the darkness.

"Breathe, newbie." Faith whispered as she walked forward, smirking at Kennedy as she did so.

With one swift punch to the face, Faith was knocked back. Luckily Kennedy was there to soften her fall. Both girls feel back, but Faith was the first one up, charging their assailant. Kennedy looked up and the anger inside of her grew.

Spike and Faith were trading blows, each doing damage but both equally matched. Kennedy wasn't really focused on Faith though; her eyes were glued to Spike. His face wasn't the same, it was vamped out and he was going crazy.

"Kennedy!" Faith shouted as she gave Spike a one two, sending him stumbling back a couple steps. "Look around...find Buffy!"

The potential nodded, giving the room they were in one last look before venturing deeper into the crypt.

Kennedy took in a deep breath, trying to block out the sounds of grunting and punches that were coming from Faith and Spike. Everything was so dark, but oddly enough Kennedy had no problem seeing.

There was something this time. A muffled something. It wasn't the fight, which Kennedy could still hear a bit, it was closer. Kennedy entered a new room and walked along the wall. She scanned the new room she was in and she smiled a bit at the sight she saw.

Buffy, lying in the corner of the room. She was unconscious, bound, and gagged. Kennedy walked away from the wall, her anchor, and stepped forward. When passing the doorway, she looked back and heard a couple grunts from the fight.

Deciding that it was safe, she walked forward with her crossbow in hand. As she got closer, she noticed Buffy had a few cuts and scrapes. The slayer, lying helpless on the floor, scrunched her face up as Kennedy crouched down to help untie her.

"You okay?" Kennedy whispered, turning to the door, again, just to be sure she was safe. "Buffy?"

Buffy looked up. She was conscious, but in total pain. Kennedy reached down and began to work on the knots that bound Buffy's wrists together when she started to move around and mumble under the gag.

Kennedy furrowed her brow and ripped off the tape. Buffy yelled out, "Behind you!" but it was way too late.

A low, fierce growl came from Spike as he tackled her aside and held her down. Buffy let out a scream and Kennedy looked up to see what had happened. When Spike had rushed her, the crossbow fired, and an arrow was sticking out of Buffy's leg.

Kennedy's attention was forced back to herself as Spike held down her one arm and turned her neck to the side with his other. Kennedy tried kicking her legs up, but the way he straddled her prevented her from doing so.

"Ain't pullin' that trick on me this time, pet," he whispered to her before laughing and looking over her with a smoldering kind of look. "Well, I must say, Kennedy, you are beautiful. Too bad about the whole Willow thing. Don't think she knows how good she has it.

"And, have I ever told you that you are the spittin' image of your father. I never saw it in you before, but now..."

"You gonna bite me or talk me to death?" Kennedy asked him as she tried to wiggle free, but it was no use. Spike had her pinned and he leaned down to her neck.

"Thought you'd never ask." He whispered into her ear before biting into her neck.

The nicotine from the cigarette flowed through his veins. He found that it kind of gave the blood a little more flow than it was used to, what with being dead and all.

Spike put the cigarette up to his lips and inhaled the last bit of cigarette left. He savored the taste, closing his eyes to get the full effect, and then he flicked the now useless cigarette aside. He leaned his head back against the wall that he had propped his body against. Who needed breathing when smoking could make you feel alive again?

A cold breeze blew through the night and Spike lifted the collar of his duster before folding his arms over his chest. His body was dead, cold all the time, and yet he still would wonder why he felt cold in the winter. It's bass ackwards, he thought to himself.

Another thing that always amazed him, that he mused about, was a vampire's sight. He scanned the area he was in: it was the dead of night, not a single star in the sky, and the light outside of the mansion was dim and provided little support to one's vision; and yet, Spike could see as if it were the sunniest day in June.

Out of all the powers he possesses as a vampire, out of all the things he's done, he simply marvels at this one thing. He'll look around and take a minute to ponder about his sight and how it is such a beautiful gift.

The marveling was interrupted, however. A car had pulled into the long driveway, it's two headlights passed by him, but the driver didn't notice so Spike didn't really worry about that.

Spike pushed himself off the wall and strode forward, having a certain hunch that he knew who the driver was and exactly why he was at this big ass house.

Sure enough, Cedric had stepped out of the car after parking it, a look of urgency imprinted on his face. Spike smiled to himself as he silently fell in time with the unaware Cedric.

"Cedric..." Spike whispered in a spooky fashion, causing the nervous man to jump and scream. Also, to reach into his coat and pull out a cross and shove it in Spike's direction.

Spike, strictly out of shock, jumped back a bit. "Hey now!" he exclaimed before laughing a bit. "How are you, son? You always seem so tense, you know. One of the leading causes of natural death is stress."

"I wonder why I might be under so much stress, Spike." Cedric replied as his knuckles turned white and the cross began to shake slightly. "How did you find this place?"

Spike let out another laugh, this time it echoed throughout the brisk night, causing Cedric's already moist brow to become completely drenched. Spike stepped forward, but so did the Nancy-boy watcher, thrusting his cross forward in the process.

The vampire feigned pain before grabbing Cedric's wrist and forcing the cross to make contact with his chest.

"Oh, stop," Spike said sarcastically. "It burns. Well, actually it kinda tickles."

Cedric gave up and threw the cross aside after smoke started coming from Spike's chest. The watcher was extra jumpy, Spike had to admit that, and he kept looking to the house and back at Spike. "Tell me how you found this place." He ordered.

Although his performance was very convincing and somewhat impressed Spike, this whole brave watcher thing wasn't Cedric's cup of tea. "How I found this place is not important, Cedric," Spike said, putting aside the fact that he could kill this guy in a second. "What is important is that I get what I came for. My girl, Dru, heard the voices whisperin' your name. I have this little hunch that the next great power everyone's talking about is in that house."

Spike clapped Cedric on the back, forcing him to walk forward with Spike towards the door. "Even if I were to tell you about the power, which, I assure you, I won't, it'd be no good to you," the watcher began. "You don't know anything about it, and no one does. Not even me. There's so much you can't ever know about it, Spike, and you never will."

"Am I just supposed to forget, then?" he asked Cedric, anger laced in his tone. "I spent two years trying to find you, two more years in this hell hole, a.k.a. Boston, and now I'm just supposed to go home empty handed?"

In an act of rage, Spike grabbed Cedric by the collar and charged him into the wall. The watcher grunted in pain, but something was different. Spike had beat the shit out of Cedric before, but now, even before he really got started, he saw something in the old bloke.

Cedric was prepared to die for whatever this power was, which told Spike that now the watcher had the advantage over him. "You continue with this, Spike, you kill me," he started, not once taking his eyes off Spike. "And you will never...ever find the power."

The muscles in his neck were jumping as he clenched his jaw and let Cedric fall to the ground. "Might as well go back to your girlfriend, because I'm leaving Boston, Spike," Cedric said. "You won't ever find me, or the power. Now go."

Spike nodded, "Fine. Cheers, then, Cedric. I'm leavin', but...I always get revenge."

Spike turned and ran down the driveway, a wicked smile spreading on to his face. He hung out around the gate of the mansion, laughing wickedly at the plan that was running through his head.

After a few minutes, Cedric's car pulled out of the driveway and sped down the road. Spike walked back up to the house, taking a cigarette out and lighting it along the way. "Maybe I won't find you, Cedric," Spike muttered as he savored the first drag of the new cigarette. "But I know where you're family lives."

It was almost over, and it seemed to Kennedy like he had just sunk his fangs into her neck only a second ago. Her hands dug into his shoulders, her nails cutting into his flesh, drawing blood, as the life was slipping away.

Kennedy's mind wasn't wrapped around the fact that she was dying, she was thinking about what she saw. Is that how it all happened? They had died right after she left them forever. The whole time Kennedy had thought that they were still alive and merely just forgot about her, but that wasn't the truth at all.

Buffy's cry ripped Kennedy out of her thoughts and the fact that she was still being sucked dry. Wouldn't be long now, she thought groggily as her grip on Spike's shoulders loosened and her hand went limp.

Like, the fact that this whole come and rescue Buffy thing was a big set up, all orchestrated by The First. This was Spike's role, to lure her and Faith away, get Buffy out of the picture for a while, so the bringers could finish off the slayers in training. How did she know this?

Kennedy felt herself getting stronger; gaining the strength from the potentials that had just fallen. Each second, she felt their energies passing into her. Kennedy's hands regained their strength, and she pushed on Spike.

This time, though, she was gaining the upper hand. Spike's mouth left her neck and his weight wasn't entirely on her body anymore. It wasn't enough though, she couldn't push him off her yet, but someone had come by and grabbed Spike and lobbed him off of her.

Kennedy let her hands drop to her sides, she was so tired, drained, yet she could feel herself growing stronger, her neck wound healing. She wasn't all that aware of much that went on over the next few minutes.

She remembered Faith, falling to her knees by Kennedy's side, pressing a piece of her shirt that she had ripped off on to Kennedy's neck. Also, looking over, seeing Spike untying Buffy and helping her up.

"Hey, you still here, newbie?" Faith asked as she grabbed Kennedy's hand and held it up to her neck, forcing Kennedy to hold the cloth. "Sorry I couldn't get there in time, Spike gets a little strong when he's evil-"

"It was all a set up." Kennedy said as she started getting up. Faith helped her, slowly and telling her to take it easy.

Buffy walked over and stood over them, offering Kennedy her hand. "Let's see if you can stand." She wasn't focused on Buffy's hand or anything else, she was watching Spike; and Spike was keeping his distance.

Ignoring Buffy's hand, Kennedy leaned her weight on Faith and got to her feet. "I can stand," Kennedy said once on her feet. "And you better keep him away from me."

Buffy looked over her shoulder; Spike was backing into the shadows as he wiped his sleeve over his mouth. Kennedy watched, catching a glimpse of blood that had been rubbed on to his sleeve. Kennedy's blood.

"He was under The First's control." Buffy told Kennedy calmly as she looked back at the young girl and stepped in front of her view of Spike.

"It was all part of The First's plan, too," Kennedy replied as she felt something taking her over. "The others, most of them, are gone. I was getting stronger and my neck is almost healed."

Faith and Buffy exchanged looks as Kennedy removed the bloody cloth from her neck. The wound was almost closed. "I'm stronger now, Buffy, and I've seen things," Kennedy said as the cloth slipped from her hand. "And Spike's part is done. The First doesn't need him anymore. It needs me."

"Kennedy?" Faith said warily as she slowly backed away from the potential. Buffy, however, stood her ground.

"No, for once, I'm seeing everything clearly," she told Buffy. "Your army was just killed, they're all inside of me. You think you have the power, Buffy. You're wrong, now I have it.

Kennedy ran forward, keeping low so she tackled Buffy's legs and slammed her into the ground. Buffy cried out in pain, and Kennedy twisted the arrow that was already sticking into her leg. "Stay down this time," Kennedy told Buffy as her eyes shifted up to Spike. "I've got something I have to take care of."

"You don't want to do this Kennedy," Faith said as she stepped in front of Kennedy. "He's fine now, you see?"

"He bit me, I almost died," Kennedy shot back. "You told me, Faith, that if we needed to you'd hold him down for me. If he needed to die, you'd let me kill him."

"Emphasis on the 'if.'" Faith muttered as Kennedy tried to get by, but Faith stepped in front of her.

Something was growing inside of her. She could still see Spike in the shadows. He had his game face on, waiting for when Kennedy would get past Faith. Kennedy smiled to herself. He thought it would help him, but it only made it easier for her to kill him.

"I saw it, Faith," Kennedy shouted. "I saw what he did. And now...I have this power because my friends are dead, and they're probably not the only ones dead. Willow might be dead and...if I kill him..."

After easily kicking Faith aside, Kennedy ran forward and grabbed Spike by the collar and threw him across the crypt. He growled in pain before getting up and saying, "You don't have to do this Kennedy. What happened with your family, what I said before, it wasn't me."

Kennedy shook her head. She closed her eyes and tried to block out his words. "Stop it!" she yelled. The echo that came around again pierced her ears and she looked at Spike who now looked like Spike again. "If I kill you...all of this will stop. It has to stop, I can't do it."

Without saying a word, Kennedy jumped forward and landed on top of Spike. He tried to fight back, and managed to get a few punches in, but Kennedy slammed her fist into his face and he feel back.

Blood was pouring from his nose and he coughed a bit. Spike was defeated, and Kennedy Pulled the stake she had from her sleeve and clutched it in both of her hands. "I'm sorry, Kennedy." Spike whispered, while Buffy clung to her leg and yelled out.

"Faith, get up!" Buffy shouted from across the room to the knocked down slayer, but Faith was out. "Kennedy, stop! You can't do this! Think about it!"

"I've given it a lot thought," Kennedy replied as she raised the stake above her head, totally ignoring Buffy's calls and blocking out Spike's apologies. "And here's the conclusion."

Ignoring the screams from Buffy and Spike, Kennedy threw her arms down and plunged the stake into Spike's chest.

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At Night

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