Love On The Hellmouth

Finally Kennedy’s day had arrived. Giles was back and he was taking all of the Potentials to the desert. Willow was keeping her promise of helping her stay home. She could hear them talking from her room upstairs. Giles was worrying, “Now, you're sure you'll all be all right here?” “You'll only be gone for two days. I think we've managed without you for a bit longer than that.” Buffy was answering. Giles continued to pace, “Right. Well, thank goodness I needn't worry myself with the idea of bad things happening in my absence. You getting shot and killed, for example. Or throwing everyone in the basement and trying to kill them. Dawn told me that.” Buffy’s trying to usher Giles out, “Okay, just leave.” Giles continues, “Dawn, Vi left her notebook there next to the TV. Would you mind taking it out to her in the car? And maybe whack her in the head with it as a reminder not to leave it lying all about?” “On it.” “Buffy I'm a bit twitchy about leaving you alone again with things in such a state of flux.” “I know…but you should go. The girls need this trip to understand the source of their power. And to know how to use it right.” “I don't think they appreciate the gravity of what we're undertaking. How frightening and difficult it is. Apparently somebody told them that the vision quest consists of me taking them into the desert and doing the hokey pokey until a ‘spooky rasta mama Slayer’ appears and talks to them in riddles.” “That's not exactly the way I put it” Buffy says feeling caught. As Willow comes down the stairs Buffy changes the subject, “How's Kennedy?” “Still fluey. Bummed about missing the field trip. She wants you to meditate extra hard for her. And maybe bring her back s'mores.” Giles roles his eyes and sighs, “Yes. S'mores. I'm going to end up singing campfire songs, aren't I?” Xander and Dawn come back in at this instant, “Giles, you might wanna get out there.” Says Xander. Giles pales, “Oh, god, what...” Dawn answers, “Molly and Rona are fighting over who gets to drive the first leg.” “Betcha now you wish you'd renewed that California driver's license.” Buffy teases. Anya comes in saying, “Rona won. You should probably let Molly out of the trunk.” Giles simply shuts his eyes, for a last moment of peace. He goes to leave, “Please be safe while I'm away.” They then hear a loud honk from outside. Buffy smirks, “Yes. You too.”

Buffy goes down to the basement to check on Spike who is sitting on the cot. She starts “Giles is off. On the retreat. Said to say goodbye.” “Yeah, he's gonna miss me ever so. But gives us all a breather, eh?” Buffy’s confused, “From Giles?” “From the constant pitter-patter of clomping teenage girlie feet.” “I have no idea what you mean.” “Oh, come off it.” “I enjoy my responsibilities as mentor and, and role model and life guide and oh my god, I can't believe I have my bathroom back for two whole days!” “It's like a bloody war zone up there. And not in the fun way.” “And have you seen the kitchen since they got here?” They laugh. “I think I’m going to have a nice long bath, and possibly read a book or something equally quiet.” “Enjoy luv.”
Buffy walks into the kitchen to find Willow making a cup of tea. “Is that for the patient?” “Yeah.” “How is she?” “Pretty bummed about missing the trip. I was thinking that maybe you could go and talk to her about your vision quest while you take her this tea.” “Will, remember what the First Slayer told me? I don’t want to scare the poor girl.” “It won’t. She’s a lot older then the others as well as the fact that she is the only one who has had any real training. She’ll handle it.” Buffy looks at Willow and seeing the resolve face firmly on display agrees, “Fine. Give me the tea.” Willow smiles at Buffy as she went up the stair, saying to herself, “This is your only chance Kennedy.”
Buffy reaches hers and Kennedy’s door, knocks and then enters with the tea, “Hey, Willow figured the best thing for a cold was probably a nice, and hot cup of... boots?” She spots Kennedy sitting on the edge of the bed dressed to go out just about finished lacing up a pair of boots. “Okay. What’s going on, Willow said you were sick. You were never sick.” “No. I was never sick.” Buffy sighs, “Well then I guess Xander's gonna hafta drive you to the desert now.” “Buffy. Chill. There's a reason I didn't go. I have a thing. A separate thing.” “What kind of thing?” “I've got my own mission. And I need your help.” “Still not buying it.” “Come on Buffy. It has to be important if Willow helped me by lying to you for me.” Buffy thinks but then nods her head okay. As they leave the house Buffy warns, “This had better be good otherwise I’m getting Xander to drive you out to the desert when we get back.”
Kennedy takes Buffy to the Bronze. She takes her to a table and orders them some drinks. Buffy is not happy, “This is a mission?” “Oh yeah.” “This is not a mission.” “Hey, trust me. I told you, I have a thing.” “No, this is a fun thing, I've done this thing! Far too many times.” Buffy starts to leave. “Come on don’t leave, just hang for a bit.” Buffy considers this but continues out the door. “You're sexy when you pout.” Buffy stops at this, “Why’d you say that?” “To get you to stay.” Buffy doesn’t know what to think but she does come back to the table. “I will stay for one drink. Just to
keep you company. Then I'm going home.” “Okay, one drink. I can work with that. Let's start with the easy stuff. How long have you known?” Buffy looks at Kennedy confused. “That you were gay?” “I’m sorry, that I’m what?” “Oh come on Buffy, either your avoiding or my gaydar is really off.” Buffy smiles but she’s not giving in, “Can you always tell? Just from looking at someone?” “Sometimes. But others I have to get to know first. It's like flirting in code. It's using body language and laughing at the right jokes and… and looking into her eyes and knowing she's still whispering to you, even when she's not saying a word.” Buffy is getting really caught up in what Kennedy is saying and not saying. Buffy is a little mesmerized by Kennedy’s voice and eyes. “And that sense that, if you could just touch her, just once, everything would be okay. For both of you. That's how you can tell.” Kennedy pauses for a moment; she thinks she has her. “Or if she's really hot, you just get her drunk, see if she comes on to you.” Buffy laughs a little at that, “Four years ago. That’s when I considered it.” “Well who?” “She was a Slayer, Faith, the crazy one. Only at first she was wonderful. At first she got to me but I think that had more to do with the fact that I liked her. One night she kissed me and we went from there. We kept it a secret, and a good thing too. After she killed a man everything went to hell. She wouldn’t talk to me and in the end she joined the enemy and tried to kill me. I succeeded in putting her in a coma and now she’s in jail.” “After her?” “A guy. Ended badly. Then Spike. Ended badly. But now he’s got a soul. I don’t think we could ever be together again but I do still care about him.”
They finish their first drinks and go for another round and Buffy decided it was Kennedy’s turn to reveal when she first knew. “It was Gone With the Wind. I saw that, and I knew I wanted to sweep Scarlett off her feet.” “You were five.” “I'm not saying the sweeping would have been easy.” “How bout girlfriends?” “There have been a few, but none who have really hit me hard. Would you say you’ve gone off women altogether?” “No. But I might have gone off relationships altogether. I mean, Angel. Vampire. Has a soul. I sleep with him and he loses his soul. He kills some of my friends, half the student body. Tries to destroy the world. I kill him just as Willow restores his soul. He comes back. Things are awkward. He leaves. Faith. Slayer. Totally get each other. Hide the relationship. She kills someone. Loses control. Swaps sides. Tries to kill me. I put her in coma. She’s now in jail. Riley. Human. Kinda dull. In a secret government agency that tries to kill me. Gets vampires to bite him so he understands me more. Leaves. Married now. And Spike. Vampire. Tries to kill me. Gets chipped. Loves me. I die. Come back. Feel awkward. He’s good to me. I get attached. I break it off. He doesn’t accept. He tries to rape me. Leaves. Comes back with a soul. I don’t have a stellar relationship history. All of them have tried to kill me indirectly and directly.” “Maybe you just haven’t found the right one?” “Maybe. And let me guess, you’re the right one?” “Maybe.”
Some more time passes and Buffy is studying Kennedy. Kennedy becoming concerned asks, “What’s the matter?” “Nothing, just I don’t get it why me? Why do you like me? You don’t even know me that well.” “Have you seen you? You’re the most beautiful woman I have ever met. Plus Slayer, that’s cool. Which gives us something in common, the whole fighting evil thing.” Kennedy thinks for a bit, “Does anybody know about Faith and the whole might be gay? Mom, little sis, ex’s?” “No. None of them. So if we go out, I’ll have some explaining to do. The Faith thing they will not like.” “If? If is good.” “Yeah. Well what about you. Your folks know?” “Yeah.” “How’d they take it?” “Not as bad as they did when my Watcher showed up. Now that was a blowout... but the gay thing...they're pretty cool about me being me.”
They continued talking for a while longer but soon called it a night. When they got up to their room Buffy became a bit nervous. “So I’m guessing all this is why I found myself sharing my room with you huh?” “Pretty much.” “Well I’m glad we talked. But I’m still not happy about the fact you missed the vision quest.” “Yeah well it was the only time I could get you all to myself. And Willow told me you could just tell me about yours. Anyway it did clear the air.” “I guess.” “And you know, in the spirit of air-clearing. I feel like I need to be honest about something. I think you should know…” At that moment Kennedy moved in slowly and kissed Buffy. Buffy while surprised was not entirely disappointed, was shocked. Buffy found herself quickly responding to Kennedy’s kiss. Kennedy placed her hands softly on Buffy’s hips and pulled her closer to her. Buffy in turn placed her arms around Kennedy’s neck pulling her closer as well. Reluctantly pulling apart for air they continued to hold each other. Breathing heavily Buffy spoke first, “That was, wow. I mean really.” “Good to hear it.” Kennedy goes to kiss her again but Buffy pulls away. “I’m going to fast aren’t I?” “I honestly don’t know. I like you a lot Kennedy but with my history of relationships…” “Okay, I’ll back down.” “No. Kenn that’s not what I meant.” “Then what?” “We go slow. No rushing. Nice and slow.” “I can work with that. Can I kiss you again?” Buffy nods and Kennedy kisses her over and over again. After awhile they decide that it’s time to crash. They fall asleep in each other’s arms.