Invitation Mission by Coll

With the returning of her slayer strength and healing, Kennedy also gained the 'Faith Factor' slayer trait. While she couldn't do anything about the horny aspect of the trait, she made Andrew pull over to some run down, trucker diner so that she could get some food to go.

Upon entering, though, Kennedy knew this wasn't just some diner. She was getting vibes and all her senses and defenses went on high alert. Patrons sitting at the counter turned, and Kennedy knew then why she was on full alert.

The 'Stop & Go' was a demon diner, which Kennedy found weird enough because she heard of demon bars, but not diners. Some of the customers looking with her had horns on their head, or green skin, and some of their brows were lumpy, telling her that they were vampires and most likely knew who she was the moment she stepped foot in the diner.

Looking up at the chalkboard over the kitchen, Kennedy realized that there was actual food here, as opposed to just blood or other demon things. She guessed demons needed their nourishment as well.

Before Kennedy could take another step forward, a waitress in a pink uniform that was covered in grease stains, as well as a name tag that read, 'Betty', came up and stood in her way. "We know what you are, and we don't want any trouble here, Hon," Betty said automatically while chewing her gum like a cow. "This is a business, and-"

"Relax," Kennedy interrupted quietly. "I just want some food for me and my friends in the car. I didn't even know what this place was…"

"Yeah, sure," one of the things at the counter said. Turning around, he looked completely human: brown hair, smooth, solid features. He sounded human too, but then the guy slid the sunglasses on his face down slightly, revealing eyes that blazed with red. "You just stopped randomly and decided to pick up some food. And those scars all over your body don't indicate you go looking for a fight."

"Easy, Mel," Betty warned, keeping her eyes on Kennedy while her hand was raised at Mel. "She's young. She ain't stupid enough to start trouble in here…Right, kid?"

Kennedy nodded, eyeing the waitress before looking over at Mel. "Sorry to raise the alerts," she muttered. "Honestly, this is the only stop for miles."

Mel scoffed before slipping his sunglasses back up his nose and spinning on his stool. Kennedy could swear she heard him say, "Whatever." But she wasn't sure.

"So, you gonna stand around and scare the shit out of my customers, or are you gonna order and make all our lives better?" Betty asked while whipping a pad and pen out.

Kennedy looked up at the menu, then back at Betty who was being too obviously impatient. Kennedy didn't like her already. She debated leaving, but it was true that this was the only food place for miles. If she left, she'd might as well wait till they got back to Cleveland to eat.

"Just give me three breakfast sandwiches and the biggest cup of coffee you have to go," Kennedy ordered quietly.

Betty made a big ordeal about it: popping her gum and rolling her eyes before disappearing behind the counter and into the kitchen. Kennedy looked around and saw that the only place to sit and wait was right next to Mel.

Trying not to look his way, Kennedy focused on checking out the rest of the diner. When she did this, however, all eyes were on her. Not everyone in joint was a demon or a vampire, but she was the only slayer. It was weird, to feel like the only one of something, an outsider. Kennedy had never had to experience that feeling after being called, which she never admitted was a relief.

Deciding that staring at the counter was her best course of action, Kennedy did so; but she felt eyes on her. Looking out of the corner of her eye, Kennedy noticed Mel blatantly staring at her. "I'm sorry," she said in a low tone to the demon. "I really don't want trouble…I'm just…hungry."

Mel laughed. "So am I," he shot back as he grabbed a cup in front of him and took a sip of the liquid that was smoking out the top. "But I'm not looking to start a fight with a slayer. Even if you look like you just got your ass kicked."

Kennedy felt a slight copper taste in her mouth. She soon realized that her tongue was bleeding, because she had to bite down on it to keep herself from showing Mel how badly she could kick his ass.

"Got a name?" he asked quietly after Kennedy had taken in some deep breaths to calm herself.

"You tell everybody that?" Mel asked back. He received a confusing look from Kennedy in response. "You know what I am?"

Kennedy shook her head. "It don't matter what I am," Mel answered after a pause. "What matters is what I can do. My eyes…they see the truth. They see beyond reality when I want them too."

"And they tell you that my name isn't Kennedy?" she shot back, getting a little annoyed with Mel every second he talked.

"Not only that," he said as a smile slowly spread across his handsome, smooth face. "They tell me what you haven't told anyone since your watcher came and took you away from your family."

If it were possible, the smile on Mel's face grew bigger as he leaned further to his left, inching closer and closer to Kennedy. "You're real name," he whispered, chuckling slightly. "Jean. Do you tell the ones you love that they don't even know your name, Jean?"

Kennedy tried not to look freaked out, but if his eyes could see something that she buried a long time ago, they could see past her façade. "Big deal," she said, trying to play off the macho even though she knew it was fruitless. "You know my real name. Is this supposed to scare me?"

"No, actually," Mel answered honestly, pulling himself back and giving Kennedy some space. "That was just me funnin, even though I know it scared you a little. No, what's supposed to scare you is that mark you have on top of your head."

Now, Kennedy didn't even try to pull of her tough guy look. She was genuinely scared. She reached forward and grabbed the napkin holder, turning it on it's side and using it as a mirror. When she looked back at herself, however, she didn't see any special mark or scar that looked like it merited worrying.

"Mark?" she echoed, still looking in the napkin holder. "I don't see anything unusual."

"You wouldn't," Mel replied knowingly. "The eyes, remember? See, what I'm looking at has long since healed thanks to you nifty slayer powers. However, the mark is buried deep within you now, and that's what you should be scared of."

"What does it mean?" Kennedy asked, not caring how desperate she sounded. "What should I be scared of?"

Mel didn't say anything. He just smiled before bringing his smoking cup up to his mouth as Betty came before Kennedy at the counter, placing a brown paper bag in front of her. "Here's your order, Hon," Betty said before shoving her hand in Kennedy's face. "That'll be fifteen."

Kennedy slapped a twenty into Betty's palm before shifting her eyes back to Mel. "Tell me what you see," Kennedy demanded, her tone getting more and more threatening. "What it means…"

"Because, if you do, I won't kill you," Kennedy answered, reaching her hand forward and grabbing Mel's collar. "And, I gotta tell you, I don't really care if I'll have to take on every single thing in this restaurant. It's been a rough past couple of days, and I'm not in the mood for any riddles or shit like that. Give me a straightforward answer."

"You might wanna back up with that mark, girl-y," Mel warned, using one of his free hands to remove his sunglasses from his face. "You don't know what you're doin-"

"Then freakin tell me." Kennedy said through gritted teeth as she shoved Mel away from her and crossed her arms over her chest.

Mel didn't seem phased; in fact something was different about him. It was one of the real reasons that Kennedy let him go, and she tried to hide it but Mel had to have known. "Just take your breakfast and go," Mel told her. "That mark you got on your forehead, it's an imprint of the Gormath crystal. You got yourself a demon magnet on your head, Jean-y."

"No," Kennedy said, shaking her head. "We took care of the…Gor, crystal thing. It stopped affecting me, and the girl that had the crystal isn't attracting demons anymore."

"That's cause you are," Mel responded. "The crystal is useless now, served it's purpose. The Gormath's effects now reside in you. You're the magnet now and all your little slayers are gonna be powerless when they're in close quarters with you."

The information was choking Kennedy, and she wanted to move but couldn't. The slayer refused to believe the information even though she distinctly remembered a burning feeling when Pryia's hand, the one with the crystal on it, had touched her forehead.

Kennedy was feeling so much, she didn't even notice Mel get up from his seat and walk up to her. He was a lot taller than Kennedy expected him to be, towering over her; Mel had a good foot on Kennedy. His red eyes blazed down on her, and she felt like she was on fire; but it was like staring at the sun and she couldn't turn away.

"Anything else, Jean?" Mel asked, placing a twisted and perverted emphasis on her real name. "Or do I have to continue holding myself back from grabbing your throat and twisting it clear off your body?"

Kennedy shook her head, backing away a couple steps while still keeping her eyes locked with Mel's bright, red ones. Finally breaking the gaze, Kennedy was only met with other pairs of eyes locked on her. This was the time she should be going. Kennedy went to walk past Mel, going for her breakfast, but he just stepped in her way. "Best thing to do is leave, ASAP." He warned.

"I totally agree," Kennedy said in a clam tone. "But it's morning, and I'm not leaving without my coffee."

Quickly pushing past Mel, Kennedy grabbed the bag and made a dash for the door. Due to the dank, darkness inside the 'Stop & Go,' Kennedy's eyes adjusted a second before she ran and leaped into the back of her Jeep.

"I don't think so," Andrew responded. "You see, you said you'd drive so I could eat, and that all you needed was to drink your coffee-"

Andrew kept babbling as the door to the diner opened and Mel's head popped out. The smile on his face was disturbing, and Kennedy didn't even recognize the same demon. "Andrew," Kennedy interrupted whatever he was talking about. "There's something going down right now, and we don't have time to switch. Just. Freakin. Drive!"

She saw his eyes flash through the rear view mirror, and a second later they were peeling out of the parking lot. Obviously, he had seen Mel in the mirror because he didn't even say anything until the 'Stop & Go' was a tiny dot and Pryia was looking at Kennedy with raised eyebrows.

"Maybe you can tell me," Kennedy shot back, her hand reaching up and rubbing her forehead. "What did you do to me?"

Pryia continued to look confused, and Kennedy got more frustrated with every second that passed. Granted, Mel the demon probably wasn't the best source of information, but the way his eyes and body language changed as the time they talked passed by, and the way every single demon in that diner couldn't take their eyes off of her told her that maybe what Mel had said was rooted in truth.

"I don't know-" Pryia began. But the anger took Kennedy over and she wasn't patient enough to wait for an explanation.

"Supposedly, I have some mark on my head that came from the crystal," Kennedy said in an accusing tone. "I'm the new demon magnet and I can only think of one time that the crystal has touched me."

"You touched my forehead," Kennedy pressed on. "I felt something imprint itself in me. I didn't even notice…but it's all clear now. You set me up, you're working with someone."

"You know, Kennedy," Andrew began, trying to sound calm but not being very successful. "Maybe we shouldn't be jumping to conclusions. How do you know-?"

"The demon that was at the door of the diner," Kennedy began to explain. "He had this power, he saw beyond reality. He knew what my real name was and that I had the mark of…crap, what the hell was the name of that thing…?"

As Kennedy racked her brain to remember this vital information, Pryia looked at Kennedy apologetically. "Kennedy, I really didn't do anything," she told her. "You've done so much for me, and I don't even know anything about this cry-"

"Gormath!" Kennedy exclaimed, showing that she wasn't listening to Pryia. "The Gormath crystal. We were right when we guessed that the wearer became a demon magnet and sucked the powers from the other girls, but now…Mel said that the imprint is on me. The crystal's useless now."

"It's my last name," Kennedy said quickly before getting back to the point. "And not Mel Gibson…Mel's the demon guy. He said that I have the mark, but it's deep within me. The scar healed but the mark remains, and you put it there."

The slayers eyes shifted to Pryia, who was still watching Kennedy. Fear crept into the girl's eyes as she slowly and unconsciously began to move away from Kennedy's grasp. "Kennedy," she started off calmly, gently. "I swear to you that I didn't do anything…"

"You, know, Kennedy, I believe her," Andrew jumped in. "No evil genius is that good of an actor, because Pryia looks really freaked. You're scaring the bananas out of her, and me for that matter."

Turning around, Kennedy saw that the diner was completely out of sight. In fact, they were on a completely different high way that was the last stretch to Cleveland. They were almost home, and Kennedy couldn't wait to be in a familiar place.

The smile that had spread on to her face had faded quickly as she thought about the Academy. If this mark thing was for real, then that meant she was a danger to the other slayers. She knew, first and, the effect the mark of Gormath could have. The slayers would be at the mercy of the demons she was attracting.

"I'm sorry," she said quietly, turning back around to look at Pryia. "I'm really sorry, it's just…I sometimes find I need to blame something for stuff that happens. I was wrong to take it out on you. How are you feeling, Pryia?"

Pryia shrugged, and Kennedy began to get impatient again. She needed proof, needed to know if Mel was telling the truth. Kennedy reached into her nearby bag and pulled out something sharp.

In a quick motion, Kennedy reached forward and grabbed Pryia's arm. She then took the sharp object, which was a dagger, and sliced downwards on Pryia's arm. It wasn't that deep of a cut, but a lot of blood appeared and Kennedy's eyes remained on the wound.

Nothing happened for a while. Kennedy blocked out Pryia's screams and accusations that Kennedy was crazy. She felt the car jerk to the right and realized that Andrew was pulling over, but the wound was still the same. There appeared to be no quick healing of it whatsoever.

"Kennedy!" Andrew shouted, snapping his fingers in front of her face and shaking her from her small trance. "Are you crazy? What are you doing?"

"Yeah, it's what happens when you cut someone!" Pryia shouted, holding her arm close to her body. "What's your problem?"

"If she had her strength, that wound would've been healed by now," Kennedy told Andrew, who shifted his gaze to Pryia as if something was finally dawning on him. "Andrew, whatever power was in that crystal is in me now. I'm the demon magnet, and I'm taking away other slayer's powers. I can't go back to the Academy."

"OK, you shouldn't be making rash decisions like this," Andrew said, trying to calm Kennedy, but it wasn't working. "We have to go back there. We have to investigate this mark thing and-"

"No," Kennedy insisted as she shook her head. "I won't put them at risk. Everyone's worked too hard for the Academy to have me come in and ruin it."

Andrew began to argue with her again, but Kennedy didn't want to hear any of it. She grabbed her bag and slung it over her shoulder, tightening the straps so they wouldn't slip. Kennedy wiped the blood on the back seat of the Jeep before shoving the knife in her belt.

The slayer looked back at Andrew as the tears began to well up in her eyes. "I'm sorry Andrew," she choked out as she sniffed back the tears and wiped her eyes. "But I can't go back. I can't do that to them."

Without giving Andrew the chance to talk her out of it, Kennedy jumped out of the Jeep and ran off into the trees that surrounded the highway. The faint cries of Andrew screaming her name could be heard in the distance, and Kennedy's legs unconsciously sped up and, soon, all she could hear was the sound of her sobs.

A couple miles were probably cleared before Kennedy finally stopped. Her cell phone rang a few times already before Kennedy dumped it a half a mile back in the woods. It was Andrew, she knew it, trying to convince her to get back to the Academy, but she cared too much about what she did and what was happening there to ruin it with the mark.

Needing to rest and not seeing any sign of road at the moment, Kennedy propped herself against a tree and tried to even out her breathing. Her bag slipped from her shoulder and fell to the ground, making a clinging sound due to the weapons that resided inside.

As the pain throbbing in her legs began to die down and her breathing slowed, Kennedy's mind began to wander as to where she went from here. Night was a mere couple of hours away, and that left her access to a lot of demons that can't travel during the day.

The mark hadn't attracted anything yet, but it was a big yet. The only probable reason why Kennedy hadn't been met with hordes of demons was because she was in the Jeep, traveling on a highway. Now, however, she was on her own and on foot. It would only be a matter of time.

A rustle nearby sent her senses on full alert. Kennedy didn't want to chance anything and decided that ten minutes of rest was plenty. She slung her bag over her shoulder, once again, and took off in the direction she was heading before she stopped. Kennedy didn't run right away, however. She wasn't going to waste her energy unless she had to.

"Hey Jean," Mel greeted as the sun bounced off of his sunglasses and into Kennedy's face. "You know, if it weren't for that mark, I'd say you were one hard chick to track."

"Yeah, some of the other guys find it hard to keep up," Mel replied. "See, that thing's a beacon, but it messes with the mind a bit. I'm normally not this aggressive."

"Well, not good," Mel shrugged. "But I'm not evil entirely. I don't normally kill people…it's not my purpose."

As he spoke, Kennedy's hand slowly made its way to the handle that stuck out of her belt. If they were going to fight, and with the mark on her forehead it was inevitable, Kennedy wanted to be the one to make the first move. "Now why would you go and do something like that?" Mel asked, nodding towards her hand. "I'm talking here, you wanna go to violence…you always think like that?"

"I'm a slayer." Kennedy responded as her body instinctively prepared for an attack from Mel.

"So you are," Mel nodded as he took off his sunglasses and let them drop to the ground. "And it's always been a secret dream of mine to get a slayer."

"I thought you said you didn't kill people," Kennedy shot back, her body still tense and prepared for an attack.

Mel smiled, and his blazing, fire red eyes felt as if they were burning a hole through her forehead, right where the mark was imprinted. "Things change, Jean-y."

Before Kennedy could react in any way, Mel leaped forward. Kennedy took a step back, held her arms up and squeezed her eyes shut. She always found it funny that time seemed to slow down whenever she braced herself for an attack, but in this case it seemed to take way too long.

Kennedy peeked one eye open and saw Mel's eyes inches away from her, but he wasn't coming any closer. Physically, he couldn't. Mel began to growl and thrust his fists forward, but nothing happened. They would just stop as if he was hitting some solid, brick wall in front of her.

After about a minute of Kennedy slowly lowering her arms and Mel backing off, both eyed each other carefully and muttered, "What the hell?"

"What?" Kennedy asked back, reaching her hand out to see if she could feel anything in front of her.

Trying to seize the opportunity, Mel tried to grab her hand. He was, however, met with the same results as when he tried to tackle her. His hand would be stopped inches from her own hand. "Weird…" Kennedy muttered, her gaze fixed upon his hand trying to grasp for her own.

"You're a witch, aren't you?" Mel asked. "I didn't know slayers could practice witch craft."

"I didn't know I was a witch," Kennedy responded. "Honestly, I don't know what's going on just as much as you do."

"You don't?" Mel asked and continued after Kennedy absently shook her head no. "That's weird…"

Despite the situation, a smile spread on to her face as the thought of Willow came into her mind. "You can say that."

Kennedy shrugged, "I never told her, but she's been practicing this connection thing with me, so we can communicate while I'm away…I guess that's how she knew."

"Well, this blows," Mel shouted suddenly as he threw up his hands and turned his back to Kennedy. "I mean, I'm going insane here because of that mark and I can't touch you. Great!"

"Sorry you can't touch me," Kennedy replied automatically before furrowing her brow at what she had just said. "Actually, you know, I'm not."

Mel turned suddenly, launching himself at her again but being met with the same results. "You know what the definition of insanity?" he asked quietly. "That mark is driving me crazy. I mean, I'm a pretty decent thing normally…"

The way she felt went from bad to horrible shortly after Mel trailed off. Kennedy didn't ask for this, and she honestly didn't want to do this to innocent demons that don't hurt people. This mark hurt so many people, and Kennedy hated to be a part of that. She never wanted to be a slayer because she got to hurt things; she wanted to be a slayer so that she could help people.

"You know, I am sorry that I'm doing this, I don't mean it," Kennedy muttered as she gripped the handle of her knife and pulled it out of her belt. "I'm sure you were…OK, if this mark wasn't affecting you."

Mel's back was once again facing her, and Kennedy began to quietly inch herself forward as she raised the knife into the air. The guilt weighed heavily on her shoulders, and it would keep adding on if she killed Mel; but, in the end, he was a demon and she was a slayer.

"Do you think I don't see?" Mel asked quietly, still keeping his back to her. "You should know better, Jean."

"I j-just thought," Kennedy stammered before pausing and collecting herself. "I'm sorry. I thought if you didn't know-"

"I've always known," he interrupted. "It's my thing, and ever since I can remember…I've known."

"Then you know that I'm truly sorry." Kennedy told him. Mel nodded once, still not looking at her, before Kennedy brought the knife swiftly down into his back.

Black blood spurted out from the wound as Kennedy withdrew her knife only to stab Mel again. He didn't cry out, didn't struggle, but accepted his fate. Kennedy found a new respect for the conflicted demon that she never thought she'd feel for anything that wasn't human.

She only stopped embedding her knife into his body when it slumped over and landed on the floor with a thud. Even though she was fond of the knife, Kennedy let it drop from her hands and on to the ground where it would stay until someone, or something, moved it.

During the killing, Kennedy hadn't really noticed that the demon's blood had splattered her good. Black flecks covered her exposed skin, as well as her clothes…but they were already dirty. She stared down at Mel, and as soon as she saw that he was lying face down in a pool of his own blood, Kennedy squeezed her eyes shut.

A part of her wished that she didn't know he had a name. The whole thing would have been easier. She also wished she never said, when she decided to just be Kennedy, that she would kill anyone that knew her real name. Little things like that ran through her head as she walked by the body and continued on her journey.

For the first time in her knowledge of knowing what she was, could be, Kennedy felt the burden of being a slayer. No, not a slayer, the slayer. The mark isolated her, and Kennedy now hated being alone.

It took a couple hours, and night was rapidly approaching when Kennedy got out of the trees and plopped herself down on the side of some road. If Andrew was determined enough, he would drive around, see if he could find her, and that wasn't going to happen. The finding her part anyway, she figured he was looking for her…probably with a little help from Willow who obviously put a shield around her and was no doubt doing a locator spell. But Kennedy had to deal with this on her own, so that she was only risking her life as opposed to every person's life at the Academy.

What hurt the most as she strained her eyes against the sunset was the thought that it would probably be a long time coming since she saw, let alone talked to, Willow. The fact that it was near nightfall and some of Mel's buddies would be coming her way soon also dangled over Kennedy's head, but the Willow thing seemed worse on the list. Just when she had figured out her feelings for Willow she couldn't even tell the witch how she felt.

"And it's about to get worse." A familiar voice threatened behind her, causing Kennedy's brow to scrunch up in confusion.

The slayer turned and was met with a foot. The familiar voice behind her had kicked her off to the side. After the shock wore off, Kennedy looked up to her attacker and gasped. Before she could do anything, however, another blow to the face sent her sprawled on her back and looking up at the sky.

Night had just fallen, and everything spun a little before her eyes rolled into the back of her head.

She wasn't quite sure where she was right off the bat, but her head kept bumping up against something and she soon pieced together that she was in a vehicle, being transferred somewhere.

Kennedy peeked her eyes open, and wasn't able to see anything. That's when she felt the cloth that was tied over her eyes. As consciousness slowly came back to her, Kennedy felt the burn of the ropes tied tightly to her wrists, bounding them together. She heard the sound of cars and scenery flying by through he open window, and she felt another person shift next to her as the person driving cursed quietly.

"What the hell is going on?" Kennedy asked, turning her head in various different directions as he other senses began to heighten.

She received no answer, however. The car that they were traveling in jolted suddenly, sending Kennedy scrambling blindly in the back as the vehicle stopped suddenly. It was then that the slayer felt a hand grasp at her face until it grabbed Kennedy's blindfold and pulled it off.

"I fuckin knew it." Kennedy growled through gritted teeth as she stared back at Pryia who merely smiled a twisted smile at Kennedy and shrugged innocently.

"Honestly, how did you think this was going to end up?" Pryia asked as she killed the engine to Kennedy's Jeep. "I mean…you run, trying to get away from the Academy, that's not right, Kennedy. It's not the plan, not what I wanted. Of course I had to find you."

"So, you admit it?" Kennedy spat as she watched Pryia exit the Jeep and walk around to her side. It was then that Kennedy noticed Andrew was bound and gagged, much like she was, in the seat next to her. It looked like he was just coming to, but Kennedy wasn't really all that worried about right now, the anger was too blinding at the moment.

Pryia scoffed at Kennedy's question, holding a laugh back at the ridiculousness of Kennedy's question. "Well, I think I just did," Pryia responded. "What I'm tryin to wrap my head around is the fact that it took you so long to realize…guess you missed out on the slayer common sense, huh?"

She tried to jump out of her seat and lunge towards Pryia, but somehow she was bound to the seat and was pulled back. "Temper, temper," Pryia warned, wagging a finger in front of Kennedy's face as she clicked her tongue. "It's what got you here in the first place. Stubborn Kennedy messes up on a job and her punishment is an invitation mission. How funny that you're losing every thing on this mission all because of your attitude."

"Oh, you're gonna see my attitude," Kennedy said through gritted teeth. "I'm going to get out of this Pryia, and you are going to be so dead when I do…"

"Don't count your chickens," Pryia responded. "You know, there's a whole mess of demons heading straight here. They're all a little aggressive and pissed due to your mark-"

"It's your mark," Kennedy interrupted. "You're the reason why I'm here. Why my life is so fucked right now."

"No, you're the reason Kennedy," Pryia corrected. "Or a part of it. All the slayers are the reason…you're mucking up normal business in Cleveland and someone had to fix it. However, you are the reason why we met. If you weren't clumsy and dropped the Gormath-"

The slayer eyed Pryia as she reached past Kennedy and fished around in her bag. "You're just gonna…" Kennedy stopped and watched Pryia pull a knife out of the bag and past Kennedy before continuing. "Tell me what I wanna know? What kind of a evil slayer are you?"

"The confident kind," Pryia answered, running her finger along the blade, testing its sharpness. "Are you going to waste this opportunity?"

"No," Kennedy replied, even though her brow furrowed in confusion. "I just need…a second."

"Well, honey, clocks tickin down," Pryia reminded her. "Do I need to fetch your thinking cap?"

"You know, while you're doing that, you can pick yourself up a coffin," Kennedy retorted. "There's no way I'm just going to let you talk to me like that."

Pryia just laughed off Kennedy's threats, "What are you gonna do? Glare at me to death?"

"I tried helping you, Pryia…why the hell are you doing this?" Kennedy sighed, not being able to comprehend why this girl would just do a complete 180. She seemed genuine enough when they first met, and Kennedy believed that she was really afraid and ignorant of the slayer life.

"I got something inside driving me," Pryia answered. "It's nothing personal, really."

"OK, so you set us up to find out about the Gormath, right?" Kennedy asked and continued when Pryia confirmed her train of thought with a nod. "How did you get it back after I lost it?"

"I had a team following you after you left the building," Pryia explained. "I thought you were competent enough to get back to the Academy. Guess I gave you too much credit."

"And then, when you got the Gormath back, you decided it was time to be found," Kennedy elaborated. "It didn't matter if it was me that picked you up, you would have stuck that mark with any one of the girls. Oh, I am going to hurt you so bad when I can…"

"Give the girl a prize!" Pryia shouted as she clapped Kennedy on the back. It shoved the slayer forward, and Pryia held Kennedy in that position. She struggled a bit, but Kennedy stopped when she realized that Pryia had used the knife to cut off the rope bounding her wrists together.

The girl's weight was off Kennedy when two things registered with her. The first being that Pryia had untied her. The second, well, the second was that Pryia was string enough to hold Kennedy down while she cut the ropes off. According to the mark, Pryia should be feeling pretty powerless, but she looked good enough…considering the mark was draining her power at the moment.

Kennedy sat back up, still in marvel a bit, as she looked at Pryia with wide eyes. "Looks like I underestimated you again," Pryia told her. "Things aren't as they appear to be, huh?"

"What are you?" Kennedy asked, curiosity laced in her tone. "And, something that's still sticking with me, why the hell did you untie me?"

"You kept going on about beating me, or killing me, I figure I'd give you a shot," Pryia replied as she stepped back and held her arms open. "Bring it on, slayer."

That was all the invitation Kennedy needed. In one, fluid motion, she reached down and retrieved the first weapon she could grab from her bag. It was a knife, a little bit smaller than Pryia's but she didn't mind. After grabbing the knife, Kennedy jumped out of the Jeep, kicking off from the door and lunging at Pryia.

The girl was ready, however, and lunged forward as well, smacking into Kennedy. The experienced slayer was a little bit stronger, however, and ended up on top of Pryia. The girl got a couple, good punches in on Kennedy before she caught Pryia's fist and used her other hand to smack Pryia's jaw with the handle of her knife.

Kennedy forgot, however, to put her weight on Pryia's legs. She used them to kick Kennedy off of herself and on to the side. Leaning back on her shoulders, Pryia used her weight to kick herself to her feet. She had the advantage now, and Pryia used it, sending blows to Kennedy's stomach.

The air was being knocked out of her, and Kennedy just needed a second to catch her breath, but Pryia wouldn't allow it. After a few kicks, Kennedy managed to stick her hand out and stab at Pryia's leg as it swung towards her stomach. The plan worked, and Pryia was knocked off her feet, clinging to her now bleeding leg. Kennedy should have been quicker, but the truth was that the wind had been knocked out of her.

In the end, Kennedy was the first one up. Looking over at the Jeep, she saw her crossbow sticking out the back. The knife in her hand fell to the ground as she stepped forward and grabbed the handle of her favorite weapon. Pryia had began to stir on the ground, reaching for the knife that was now at her side, but Kennedy had moved the crossbow so that it was now pointed right at the girl's throat.

"You know, I do have to give you credit," Kennedy said. "You gave me a pretty good beating, but the better person came out on top. Pryia, give me one good reason why I shouldn't kill you."

"You're not that innocent," Kennedy shot back. "And, sorry, for using the Britney Spears quote."

"You've figured things out so far, have you stopped and asked yourself why I have strength?" Pryia brought up. "How did I manage to give you a beating when I'm supposed to be having all my powers sucked from me?"

It was true; Pryia shouldn't have been able to give her the fight that she did give Kennedy. Her brain, however, couldn't figure it out. Pryia could have been lying, exaggerating or smudging some of the details about the mark. Kennedy didn't really believe that, though. She saw enough to know that the mark of Gormath was real enough, but she hadn't seen why Pryia was still strong.

Taking Kennedy's silence as a response, Pryia continued on, "Give up? Well, Kennedy, you're not going to kill me because, if you kill me, you kill Pryia."

Kennedy arched an eyebrow and tilted her head slightly at the girl. "Well, that merits a 'duh,'" Kennedy replied. "I know that if I kill you, I kill-"

"You're not listenin to the words, Hon," Pryia cut in. "Pryia isn't in control right now. In fact, she hasn't been for a while. You never met her because I've been residing in this body. Can I spell it out any clearer?"

"You're a parasite," Kennedy thought out loud. "Latch on to a body, they become your host."

"See, I knew you were smart," Pryia, or whatever was controlling Pryia, said, smiling. "Now, the reason why you can't kill me is because you'd be killing her as well. Slayers don't kill innocents, they protect them."

She knew it, what her job was. Buffy had talked with her and the other potentials about the sacred duty, about why she had the power she had, the power that Kennedy has now. Even though she was never the ideal child, Kennedy was always inclined to helping people, in any circumstance.

It was one of the reasons she wasn't really surprised when she found out she was a potential. All the times she imagined how many people she would save, Kennedy never imagined she would be put in a situation like this. A situation where she might have to kill some innocent girl she never met just to get rid of some…thing.

Granted, this thing did a hell of a lot of damage and deserved to have an arrow shoot straight through its throat; but the only thing is, it wasn't the thing's throat. It was Pryia's, and that's why Kennedy just stared down into those emerald green eyes, trying to see if any of the girl had shone at all through the time that Kennedy was in contact with the body.

A part of her liked to think that she did, shine through, but Kennedy had seen enough in her life to stop hoping and stop being optimistic because the world was cruel. The world would kick you in the crotch, cut on you, and then leave you in the gutter so people could walk by you and not do anything. That was the real world, but Kennedy wasn't going to be like that. She wasn't going to let something like this get away with whatever the hell it's doing.

She made a promise to herself, a long time ago, to put the job first when job and emotions and ethics butted heads. Slaying was first, and that's what Kennedy was going to go by. It's what she did with Mel. Kennedy never met the real Mel, but she still killed him for his own good.

Kennedy made a spilt second decision: look through the black and white glasses, or look through the gray, blurred glasses.

"You wanna put yourself through the details?" Pryia replied quietly. "You wanna know that if you kill an innocent, the mark of Gormath disappears from you because the person that invoked it in the first place died? You wanna know that the Academy, Andrew, the slayers, your girl will all be safe from the demons for a while because the plan they put a lot of stock into failed? Failed because…well, because you took an innocent life."

Kennedy swallowed the lump in her throat down before finding her voice and responding, "All that will happen if I kill you? Kill her?"

"Genius plan, huh?" Pryia said proudly. "I knew you wouldn't be willing to risk lives. Heroes never are willing to make that sacrifice."

"You're wrong," Kennedy stated. "You know, you picked the wrong girl because I don't look at the world as grays. I see what's good, and what's bad. I see what I have to do to make things good, and I see that it sometimes outweighs the bad. You didn't pick a hero, Pryia, not exactly. I'm a tragic hero. I see the whole scope, the path that has to be taken to get to the greater good. Right now, you're standing in the way of that path."

"You're full of shit," Pryia spat back, her confidence disappearing completely. "You wouldn't take an innocent, there's no-"

"Way…no other way around it," Kennedy corrected. "Being a slayer isn't just about protecting the innocent. It's about sacrifice. Pryia, if you're in there, if you can hear me, then know that a true slayer is always willing to lay her life down to save others. It's part of the protecting gig. A part of me wishes we really could have met, but there's also a part that doesn't because it makes what I'm about to do a little easier."

Pryia didn't have a comeback now, she looked back at Kennedy, fear etched in her face. Kennedy looked back as tears welled up in her eyes and sorrow spread across her features. She hoped that if Pryia could know one thing, she'd know that Kennedy was sorry for what she was about to do.

It was quick, and didn't make as much sound as Kennedy thought it would: the click of the trigger, the small zing of the arrow leaving the bow, and then the squish from the head embedding itself in the girl's throat. The moment didn't even go in slow motion, but it did replay in her head as she stood there, staring at the lifeless, emerald, green eyes of one of her sisters.

She made her decision, and, slowly, her black and white world slowly started to bleed together and formed a gray like the blood that trickled down Pryia's throat.

The sudden question jolted Kennedy. She jumped a little and turned her head to the direction of the Jeep, where Andrew sat in the back. Truth was, she had completely forgotten about the nerd. What happened was something she wasn't going to forget easily, but for now she focused on the state Andrew was in. He was looking away from Kennedy and breathing heavily, but he looked well enough. The thing controlling Pryia must have just hit him upside the head or something.

"Uh, who…me? Pfft!" Andrew answered, trying to sound cool even though she knew that he had been freaked. "Actually, though, being untied and able to see wouldn't be too bad."

Kennedy wanted to smile, but reality was weighing too heavy on her shoulders at the moment. She'd made tough decisions before, but this one just seemed bigger. Maybe it was because, in a way, no one might be able to understand her logic of things; Kennedy's need, at the moment, to look at the world as black and white.

Champions had always surrounded the slayer, and now it appeared she wouldn't be able to join that club. Kennedy was an outsider, and what she had done pretty much secured her position.

"So…what was that squishing sound I heard?" Andrew asked as his head turned every which way until Kennedy walked up to his side of the car and took off his blindfold. "I mean…it was quiet, but because I was blind I could hear it."

"It was my crossbow," Kennedy replied, focusing on untying Andrew's hands so she wouldn't have to look at him. "I…um, I had to…kill…Pryia."

"Good," Andrew responded quickly, and Kennedy wanted to bash his head in but she restrained herself. He couldn't be faulted; he had no idea what she had just gone through. "And…sorry. You were right about her, she put that mark on you."

"It's gone now, though," Kennedy said, telling the good news of the situation before getting into the bad. "And, it wasn't Pryia."

"Well, I mean, it was her. Her body," Kennedy clarified. "Pryia was being controlled by a parasite demon. It was never her, Andrew."

The ropes were untied, but Kennedy continued to stare downwards, avoiding Andrew's eyes, as he took it in. A part of her was glad she couldn't see his face, because if the first words out of his mouth remotely mirrored his face, Kennedy wouldn't have been able to stand it.

"And…you killed her?" he asked in such a way that Kennedy wanted to change everything she did.

That wasn't an option, though. She did what she had to do, and Kennedy figured if she kept feelin this guilty about the tough choices she would make, life wasn't going to be so easy.

"I did what I had to do," Kennedy replied firmly, looking up into Andrew's innocent looking, blue eyes. "Did the job. The mark disappeared when I killed her, the Academy's safe, the slayers…"

Kennedy may have accepted what she did, but that didn't mean that one of her sisters, a slayer, was dead. Tears welled up in her eyes, and the thought that she was dead by Kennedy's hands pushed the tears out. "I know I did the right thing," Kennedy insisted. "But it is so goddamn hard to try and understand why this is how the world works, you know?"

Andrew continued to stare in silence, which left Kennedy feeling irritable. A few things have brought her down on this trip, and Andrew had brought it up with some damn good advice, or a joke, or a comparison to some sci-fi show. Now, though, he looked older somehow, like a boy that had gone to war and come out a man. Kennedy couldn't imagine him doing anything Andrew-esque again, which is why she sniffed back her tears and smiled a little.

"It's not the club you want to join," Andrew said, finally, his voice cracking from the lack of use. "No matter how cool it seems."

"How do you do it?" Kennedy asked. "How did you kill someone, take their life away, and were still able to not only live but be…happy again? Normal?"

Andrew shook his head. "You're never normal again, not really," he thought out loud. "It'll always be there, but then there's a choice. You can either move on, or be guilty of taking away two lives when you took the one."

"If you let your actions absorb you, you're nothing," Andrew elaborated. "If you don't move on, let your actions consume you, you're not living. You kill yourself."

"You know, it's gonna be a long time coming before I ever call you a nerd again," Kennedy assured him after she took a moment to look at Andrew in a new light. "Or put you down in any way, or roll my eyes when you make silly comparisons, or-"

"Looks like not that long," Andrew pointed out, smiling for the first time in a while since this whole situation.

Kennedy returned the smile, feeling a little better about not what she did but how she felt. Death, in any form, changed people…there's no denying that notion. What you do after, however, the choices you make on what you decide to be, that was the most important step in the healing process.

There had never been a more beautiful sight than the strip of abandoned (not so much anymore, however) warehouses lined along the edge of Cleveland. Kennedy had ever called three places home, and this was, due to the circumstances, her favorite.

They tried to be as quiet as possible when entering the housing building a little shy of three in the morning, but found there wasn't that great of a need to be. Faith was standing at the base of the stairs, arms crossed and wearing a look that could kill.

"Thanks for calling," Faith greeted, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "I mean, Kennedy's just in trouble. You know, a demon magnet, able to suck other slayer's powers, and running from the Academy, but hey no big deal. We don't need to know if you're-"

She made a move to the stairs, but Faith caught Kennedy by the waist and, physically, forced her to stop. With a heavy and, what she hoped, sounded like an annoyed sigh Kennedy dropped her bags to the ground and shifted her weight to one leg while she shoved her thumbs in her pockets.

"Duh," Faith replied dryly. "Anyway, aren't you supposed to be a threesome? Where's the new girl?"

"Can't you ask Andrew?" Kennedy pleaded, using her last attempt to get out of this recap so she could go talk with Willow.

"Not getting out of it, brat. I could talk to Andrew, but I wanna talk with the girl who has just been on the invitation mission from hell," Faith replied before turning to Andrew. "Yo, geek, Robin's in the computer lab playing Space Invaders, why don't you go-"

"On it!" Andrew interrupted as he dropped his bags and ran towards the computer room.

"That's better," Faith commented before turning back to Kennedy. "Now, where's the newbie?"

It was the moment that she had been dreading. Kennedy knew she had to relive what she had done, but a part of her wanted the first person to hear to be Willow. Faith wasn't going to let that happen, however. "We never met her," Kennedy answered quietly, continuing after seeing the confused look spread across Faith's face. "Her name was Pryia James, and she had a parasite demon using her body. It invoked the mark of Gormath into the crystal I lost and then it transferred the mark on to me. I found all this out and…

Faith's lack of shock, or human emotion, upset Kennedy a bit, but she went on with the conversation anyway. "Yeah," she replied. "That's what it said would happen."

"You seem shaken, brat," Faith observed. "You got the bad guy, what's the deal?"

The anger building inside Kennedy was too much to bear. She had been holding everything back since she killed Pryia, and Faith picked the wrong time to piss her off. Kennedy's fist connected with Faith's jaw the instant Faith finished talking. She stumbled back a bit, hand to jaw, before looking back at Kennedy.

"Start explaining before I decide to use my self defense right, Kennedy," Faith ordered.

"'What's the big deal?'" Kennedy echoed, exploding at the dark slayer. "I killed a girl, Faith! An innocent girl died and I killed her. How the hell can you ask what the big deal is?"

"From what I understand, brat, you did what you had to do," Faith responded. "If she didn't die, you'd be a demon magnet for who the hell knows how long."

Once she hit Faith, it opened a floodgate for all her emotions. Everything she had ever hidden before was being released now, and Kennedy didn't care. "She didn't deserve what she got," Kennedy said quietly. "No one does."

"Exactly," Faith agreed. "The girl, she didn't deserve that…just like you didn't deserve some mark on your forehead. Look, what I'm about to tell you is gonna piss you off and you're welcome to punch me, but I'll be punching back. The world sucks."

"Stuff happens to good people, evil sometimes wins, and not everything is black and white," Faith told her. "But sometimes you just gotta look at things like that and suck it up. I'm sure research will show that there was no way you could not have killed her to make everything right. Don't dwell on it, don't let it consume you…just deal."

"I feel empty, though," Kennedy admitted. "When I killed her…I just thought about the greater picture, not who this girl was and what I was taking away from her."

"Something else took it away, not you," Faith corrected. "And it's OK to feel the way you're feeling…ask one of the big group of people that's killed here, its all part of the process. From here, though, you could move on or become me and go evil and alienate everyone that's ever tried to help you."

"Thanks for the metaphorical punch," Kennedy said. "Feel free to punch my face anytime in the future, I owe you."

"And I'm gonna collect because that hurt like a mother," Faith responded, grabbing her jaw and rubbing I with her hand as she nodded towards the stairs. "OK, now go see Willow and I'm gonna try and fish my boyfriend away so we can get some sleep."

The slayer turned to follow Andrew, but Kennedy stopped her. "I meant it when I said thanks," Kennedy told her. "And good luck with Robin. If there's someone that loves computer games more than Andrew…"

"It's Robin, I know," Faith finished with a smile. "Now, seriously, go talk to Red. She's been all witchy up in your room and I don't want her walkin on the dark side because of you, brat."

Despite her anticipation, Kennedy took her time going up the stairs and heading towards her room. She was going to have this talk again, even though Faith had helped her put things in perspective and made her realize it was OK to feel how she felt, but what she was more afraid of was the other talk she was supposed to have with Willow.

Kennedy had almost forgotten about it while dealing with the whole Pryia thing, but it always dwelled in the back of her mind. After what she faced, and how much more she had learned about life and death, Kennedy decided that she wasn't going to beat around the bush anymore or be afraid to let Willow know how she felt.

The door to their room opened, suddenly, before Kennedy even reached it. Willow peeked her head out and looked down the hall at Kennedy. The slayer couldn't help the smile that pulled at the corners of her mouth when she saw Willow. With everything that happened, it felt like forever since she had Willow.

"Will…" was all Kennedy could get out as the witch stepped out of the room and met Kennedy half way.

The greeting Kennedy received wasn't what she was expecting. "Oh, hey, it's my girlfriend who calls me and lets me know what's going on when she's in trouble," Willow said before her face fell and her eyes narrowed at Kennedy. "Did the trip cause you to forget how to use a phone? Or maybe it's the mark of Gormath on your forehead? You know, I'm here worrying and putting up a protection spell for you and you don't even-"

"Willow!" Kennedy shouted, interrupting Willow who would've kept on babbling if Kennedy hadn't stopped her. "I'm sorry, OK? I ditched my phone in the woods and Pryia dumped Andrew's. We were so close to home and I just wanted to get here…"

There was a silence that had settled between the two that Kennedy hadn't really expected either. It took a few seconds, but Kennedy shrugged and asked, "Aren't you going to ask me what happened? It seems to be a popular question amongst those pissed at me for not calling."

"So I don't have to tell you about Pryia and stuff?" Kennedy responded although she wasn't entirely getting how Willow could feel the events of the mission.

"You're emotions are coming off you in waves, sweetie," Willow corrected. "I have an idea of what happened because I know how you're feeling right now. I'm sorry for yelling just now, I couldn't feel it until after…"

Kennedy nodded along, but she couldn't hide her emotions anymore. She'd had a hell of a lot of practice before, but now all she wanted to do was break down. She no longer regretted her decision to kill Pryia or questioned it, but Kennedy was still grieving and needed someone to help pull her through this.

Willow must have still been able to feel Kennedy, because her arms reached out and pulled Kennedy into her. Instinctively, the slayers arms wrapped around Willow, holding the witch close as she buried her face in her shoulder. Things started to feel better already. She had been waiting to hold Willow again for a while now, and Kennedy reveled in the witch's soothing touch.

"Whenever you need to talk," Willow whispered. "I'm here to listen. I'm always here."

"There's only one thing I need to talk to you about," Kennedy responded, pulling back and looking into Willow's green eyes. Pryia's eyes flashed into Kennedy's head, but it only reminded her that every pair of green eyes she would ever see would always make her think of Willow.

Swallowing down the lump in her throat and tightening her hold on Willow, Kennedy opened her mouth and uttered the words she had been dying to tell Willow for so long, "I love you. I do and I've felt this way for a long time, but I never got around to saying it and…I don't know what else to say now."

"Then just listen," Willow replied automatically. "I know things aren't going to be smooth sailing with us all the time…in fact, most of the time with your attitude…"

"We're getting to some good soon, right?" Kennedy interrupted, looking back at Willow with raised eyebrows. "I mean, I'm pouring my heart out to you here-"

"Still talking," Willow interrupted gently. "I was going to say that the time we've spent together…it's worth dealing with our fights. I know it's almost been a year, but we still have a lot to learn. It's what a loving relationship is all about, you know?"

Willow shook her head. "You really don't get the concept of listening and letting someone finish their train of thought, huh?" Willow teased before lightly touching her lips against Kennedy's. "And, yes, loving. I do love you, and I want to know you better. What we have is definitely worth putting up with your crap."

"Uh!" Kennedy responded, breaking her hold on Willow and pushing past her towards their room. "Hello? Which one of us sent the other on an invitation mission that went bad in so many ways?"

"OK, apologized for that," Willow shot back, reaching out to grab Kennedy's arm. "Even though I know you're going to hold it over my head for a few months coming."

Pausing at the door to their room, Kennedy spun on her heel and caught one of Willow's belt loops with her thumb. "Well, I could forget it," Kennedy teased, slowly pulling Willow closer towards her. "But…it all depends on what you're willing to do for me."

Not being able to take the slow game Kennedy was playing, Willow closed the distance between them. She tackled Kennedy and pushed the slayer over to their bed and on to her back. Kennedy had a hold on Willow, however, and tugged the witch down on top of her.

Their lips were immediately drawn to each other and fused together in a kiss that symbolized their now verbalized feelings for one another. Their mouths crushed together, their tongues danced, their hands roamed, and it was all the perfect personification of their love for one another.

Despite Kennedy's moan, Willow broke away from her mouth and trailed kisses down her neck while both pairs of hands got to work trying to set them free from their clothes. Willow's hand had reached Kennedy's pants when protested and sat up from where she was lying.

"Kennedy, sweetie…" Willow began, confusion written all over her face, but Kennedy put a hand up to her lips and smiled.

"I'm fine…it's fine, baby, it's just…" Kennedy started, biting her lip and scrunching up her forehead as she looked down at Willow. "You said we still have a lot to learn from each other. Before we…do what I think I need after a trip like the one I was just on, there's something I want you to know."

"OK, don't tell Andrew said this," Kennedy whispered cautiously, looking around to make sure no one else was in ear shot. "But…I much prefer your company over his."

"Well, I would hope so," Willow giggled back. "I mean, I know you two bonded on your last trip, but I didn't even think Brad Pitt could change you."

Kennedy laughed back, reaching out and grabbing Willow's hand. "Well, maybe if he got a sex change," Kennedy joked, lacing her fingers between Willow's. "But, even then, he'd have to do a whole hell of a lot more to turn my head."

"Not to mention, going through me," Willow added, continuing to play along "I mean…I've never really had to fight for someone before, but I think if I can activate all the potential slayers in the world, I can hold on to my girlfriend."

Kissing Willow was just necessary after she said stuff like that. Since the invitation mission, and telling Willow how she felt, things couldn't have been better for the slayer. She was back to her normal routine at the Academy and her and Willow almost never fought; and, if they did, made up almost right away. Actually, sometimes they'd just make up even if they weren't fighting.

Things were pretty much perfect, except for what they were about to do. "What time is it?" Willow asked, pulling back from Kennedy.

"Well, we have an important job to do," Willow replied, making a motion to get up off the bed they were currently lying on. Kennedy, however, wasn't about to give up so easily. She sat up and grabbed Willow's waist and pulled her back down on to the bed. "Sweetie…we're on a mission."

"Yeah, well, I've got my own mission." Kennedy flirted as Willow turned to face the slayer. Kennedy's grip was still tight when she kissed Willow's neck, lightly sticking out her tongue and grazing her piercing along the witch's jaw.

"I've heard that before," Willow muttered as she shuttered when Kennedy hit the right spot. "And no fair…you know what you do to me when you…do that."

"That's the point," Kennedy mumbled; still busy massaging Willow's spot with her piercing. "Come on, we have time."

Somehow, though, Willow wiggled free and jumped off the bed before Kennedy could grab her again. Defeated, and still a little ancy as well, Kennedy groaned and fell back on to the bed. "Sorry," Willow apologized as she grabbed Kennedy's jacket and threw it at her. "You know I'd rather be with you, but we do have a job to do."

"Yeah, yeah," Kennedy replied, catching her jacket and pushing herself off the bed. "It's just going to be hard to focus when all I'll be thinking about is ravaging you."

Her arms slipped around Willow's waist, and Kennedy pulled Willow close. They were both facing the mirror, and Kennedy smiled at their reflection. Willow's hands rested on her stomach, over Kennedy's, as the slayer lightly kissed Willow's neck before resting her own head on Willow's shoulder. "I love you." Kennedy whispered.

"I love you too," Willow replied before a devilish smile spread across her face. "Jean."

"Ugh, OK," Kennedy responded, breaking away from Willow as she grabbed her bag and slung it over her shoulder. "You're not gonna get any now…for a while, for that. You know we don't use my first name." Willow kept laughing as they both exited the motel room and headed for Kennedy's Jeep.

The ride was short and complete with Kennedy grabbing Willow's hand and playfully scaring her as she swerved the car while driving with one hand. Fifteen minutes later, they pulled up to a strip of row homes. They hoped out of the Jeep and peered at the addresses. "You sure it's around here?" Kennedy asked.

"Yeah, there's 1202," Willow said, pointing to a nearby house. "1206 must be two down."

"Are you sure we should be going through with this?" Kennedy asked as Willow tugged the slayer to the address. "My experience-"

"One bad time does not taint all others," Willow interrupted as they walked up to the house. "I'm here, you don't have to worry."

"Oh, I'm not worried," Kennedy corrected as Willow knocked on the door. "Scared shitless, maybe, but worried…"

The curtain behind the window on the door was pulled back, and a girl peered at the pair before opening the door. A girl a few inches taller than Willow and herself peeked her head out form behind the door, which she almost used as a shield. She had deep, brown eyes and nearly black hair that was tightly pulled into a ponytail. "Can I help you?" she greeted, being as polite as she could as she wore a wary face.

Willow turned to Kennedy who mock glared back before turning to smile at the girl. "Hi, my name's Kennedy-"

"Jean Kennedy…please forget my first name, and this is Willow Rosenberg," Kennedy greeted. "And you are…?"

"Emily Gray," she answered. "And, not to be rude or anything, but I know you're names…that, however, doesn't mean that I know you."

"Yeah, and we're sorry about being like this, it's just," Kennedy began, but paused. Willow watched her Kennedy bite her lip before squeezing her hand. Everything that happened before flashed into her head, and Kennedy lost herself in the trance before she was pulled out of it by Willow gently shaking her.

Kennedy nodded, feeling, for once in a very long while, truly fine. Willow was by her side, and she had nothing to worry, or be scared, about. Kennedy shook her head before looking back up at Emily and smiling. "We're here to offer you an invitation Emily, because I think you know that you're…more special now. First, though…

One of Emily's eyebrows arched immediately following the question. Willow's shaking head fell into her hand as she released a heavy sigh and glared at Kennedy. The slayer, however, merely shrugged, saying, "What? Just trying to avoid what happened last time…"

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Invitation Mission

By Coll

Copyright © 2003