Brown Eyes Blue

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Chapter 9:

Understanding...or Lack There Of

Willow begins to wake up. As her eyes open she sees Kennedy who now lies facing her, her head resting on the redhead’s shoulder. She realizes her arm is cradling the teenager and that Tara isn’t there. Willow is petrified! She doesn’t want to wake the injured teen but desperately wants to get up. Carefully the witch slides her arm from under the girl and then moves slowly off the bed.

As she stands her eyes settle on her blonde sitting awake in the chair across the room. She can tell something is bothering her girl and she walks toward her. She starts to defend her sleeping position. “I didn’t-I wasn’t awake and you know I snuggle but-”

Tara cuts her off mid-babble, “It’s okay Willow.” She takes her hand and their fingers lace together.

“But something’s wrong I can tell-you’re all with the unsettled vibes and-”

Tara stands and kisses Willow on the forehead, then leads her to the hallway. There she looks into the eyes of her redhead, “It’s bad-Kennedy’s Watcher-”

Willow finishes the sentence, “They killed him didn’t they-the Bringers?” Tara nods and wraps the smaller girl in her arms. “I should have been able-” her words stop as she battles tears.

“No-listen Kennedy’s gonna need us to be strong.” Willow nods but leans into the blonde’s body and tears fall.

Later the teenager still sleeps. She mumbles and then stretches. As her eyes slowly open she sees the couple sitting next to each other on the bed, “Hey-” whispers Willow with a smile.

“How are you feeling?” asks Tara.

“Sore,” admits the teenager as she sits up and realizes she is in pain.

“Why don’t you let me check the stitches?” Asks Willow.

“Then I can redress it,” suggests the blonde witch.

“Okay,” Kennedy agrees. She raises her shirt and Willow touches her skin-it feels warm but not hot. She decides that there is no infection.

Tara who had momentarily disappeared returns with clean bandages. “This might hurt a little,” she advises.

“Don’t worry just do what you have to,” Kennedy states. The injured girl winces and gasps slightly as Tara removes the dressing. The room grows quiet and then fills with the loud sound of the young potential Slayer’s stomach growling. She turns a light shade of red as Tara and Willow both meet her gaze and smile.

“Someone’s hungry,” says the redhead.

“Yeah, no midnight snack,” informs Kennedy.

“We were a little busy with the bleeding,” grins Tara.

“There’s that little issue, true, but still you should always eat,” deadpans Kennedy.

“There all finished,” states the blonde as she stands. “Let’s get you some breakfast.”

Kennedy stands gingerly and grimaces in pain. Willow sees this and says, “Why don’t you lie back down, I’ll bring you breakfast.”

Kennedy smiles a flirty smile and their eyes meet, “Never turned down a girl who offered me breakfast in bed before but now-” she glances at Tara, “For more reasons than one I think I better.”

Tara shakes her head at the teen and smiles, “Good choice-Willow show her where the bathroom is and I’ll start pancakes.”

Willow’s words fill Tara’s mind, ‘She needs to know-’

‘After.’

‘What if the others-’

‘I’ll make sure they’re gone.’

The silence creeps Kennedy out, “Did I just miss something?”

“Don’t be too long-” Tara leaves.

Kennedy’s stomach growls again and the redhead smiles-reaching in the drawer by the bed she pulls out a candy bar. “Maybe that will keep you from passing out while you change.”

“Change-are you kidding me? This is me-I’ll never change.” She smiles her cocky smile and Willow shakes her head.

After Kennedy has eaten pancakes-funny shapes- along with eggs and bacon, she stands and looks at the couple. “Thanks.”

Tara touches her hard. “You feel up to going outside?”

Kennedy becomes instantly worried, “Tara-is something not right?” Tara looks down at her hand on the teen and stands beside her. Willow comes around the table and joins them. “No-” she shakes her head. “Did something happen to Rich?” Willow nods as her hand touches the girl’s shoulder. “Is he-” her words die as the redhead nods. Kennedy fights tears, “How?”

“Bringers,” Tara confirms, “they attacked last night.”

“If I had been there-” she starts but Tara stops her.

“No-there where too many.”

Kennedy moves away from them, “I have to go-” tears fall and Tara steps towards her and wraps the teenager in her arms. The young girl sobs uncontrollably.

“Sshhh-” Willow tries to comfort her as she hugs her too. Kennedy is safe between the two Wiccas.

“No-this can’t happen-” says the girl. “He-no.”

Buffy stands in the doorway with her own heart breaking for the teenager. Her mind is racing with thoughts and emotions as she remembers the loss of her first Watcher-Merrick.

Later Buffy is sitting in the living room as Willow comes in. “How’s she holding up?”

“Not good. She talked to her dad, the services are going to be the day after tomorrow.”

“Tara will make her feel better,” assures Buffy. “I mean she helped Dawn after I died-right?”

“Yeah.” They are quiet for a few tense seconds before the redhead speaks again. “Buff-I’m not sure it’s safe for her to go back but she wants-”

“And she should-” says the Slayer. “But I can’t leave here not with the attack last night.”

Tara and Kennedy are now in the doorway. Kennedy speaks, her voice soft- “Tara said she’d go with me.”

“Baby-” Willow’s voice is unsure.

“We’ll be okay-I can keep the Bringers away,” assures the blonde Wicca as she walks to her girl and puts an arm around her.

“With magic?” Asks Buffy and Tara nods.

“I should-” Willow starts but is interrupted.

“No-” says Tara before Willow has a chance to begin again, “Buffy needs you here-the dreams and the research. We’ll be fine.”

“Okay-” the redhead surprises her by agreeing. She leans and kisses her softly.

That night the teenager is again sleeping in the witches’ room. The injured potential Slayer is lying on their bed while the redhead and the blonde snuggle on blankets and pillows in the floor. I feel like a baby,” Kennedy admits.

“It’s okay-this way everyone sleeps.” Tara tries to give her a chance to save face.

“At least let me sleep on the floor,” begs the teen.

“Good night Kennedy,” says Willow.

“Guess that means shut up?” She closes her eyes.

“Night Kennedy,” repeats the redhead.

“Night.”

Willow snuggles against Tara, her head resting on her girl’s shoulder. ‘You’ll be extra careful right?’ her thoughts drift to her blonde’s mind.

‘More than careful, extra-extra careful,” assure the Wicca. ‘I’ll even take another charm.’

‘I’ll miss you,’ Willow’s words sound a little suggestive. She leans closer and kisses Tara’s neck.

‘I’ll miss you’ she looks toward the bed. ‘But-’ the redhead kisses her neck again. ‘Company remember?’ Cautions Tara as she fights to stifle a moan.

‘Actually-no.’ Willow smiles against her girl’s neck and kisses the spot once more. ‘Stopping now,’ she states but instead kisses her. ‘Really this one last time,’ assures the witch. Their lips meet in a soft kiss that escalates quickly.

“Hey-” warns Kennedy, “In the room here.”

“Sorry,” giggles Willow. They all close their eyes but sleep still hasn’t entered the redhead’s mind as her hand slides up the blonde’s side under her nightshirt. Tara moans.

“You gotta be kidding me-” Kennedy complains.

“You might learn something kid-”

“Kid-who you calling kid?”

Now Willow laughs but it is short lived as Kennedy tosses a pillow and hits her in the head. Now Kennedy and Tara laugh and the redhead pouts.

At Kennedy’s house the teenager sits quietly on her bed. She is dressed in black pants and a simple black blouse. Tara knocks softly on the opened door, “Ready?” The girl shakes her head and tears fall. Tara walks in and sits beside her, she puts an arm around her shoulder. “Listen-I know this is hard and it’ll get harder but you’re not alone. Okay?” Kennedy nods. “Your dad said he’d meet us there.” Tara stands and holds out her hand for the younger girl.

Kennedy looks up at her and takes her hand. As she stands she speaks, “I don’t understand why he-”

“It’s not our place to understand just to accept and remember.”

“How can you be so-” her words stop.

“I’ve done it before,” admits Tara. “We should go.” With her arm around the shaky teen they go out the door.

At the funeral Kennedy stands strong-the tears that have fallen since the news are held at bay. Tara watches her strength and sees something in the young potential that she missed before. A sad smile crosses her face and then a tear as she realizes what she must do.

The next morning on the plane home Kennedy has her head on Tara’s shoulder. “You sleeping?” asks the blonde.

“No,” Kennedy sits up to face her friend-Tara had become that in just the few days she had known her. No wonder the redhead loved her. “Something not right?”

“I need you to do something for me,” says Tara.

“Anything-” confirms Kennedy.

“Listen first-then questions later okay?”

“Yeah-okay.”

“Will’s dreams-they have her a little shaken. Something’s coming and it’s bad-worse then bad but this isn’t about that. Well in a way it is. Willow has strong magic in her-but she’s not always focused. Before the bad comes-I think anyway, she’s gonna need you.”

“To fight-I’m there.”

Tara shakes her head, “No-”

“I don’t understand.”

“Kennedy I won’t be there-you have-”

“Why?” As the word leaves her mouth she wishes she had it back. “No-”

“Look I know my Willow and she’ll-she doesn’t do losing people well. Promise me you’ll be there for her keep her safe from herself.”

“I promise,” tears threaten to fall again.

“No tears-she can’t know we talked.”

Kennedy wipes the tears before they can fall, “She won’t.”

Later before they land Kennedy, whose head is on Tara’s shoulder begins to mumble-her words soft. “No, -I -please Tara-”

Tara presses a kiss on her forehead, “Sshhh-”

Kennedy opens her eyes and starts to pull away but Tara’s hand on hers stops her, “Sorry.”

“Wanna talk?” Kennedy nods and turns to face the blonde.

At the Summers’ house Willow is standing in the open front door as the car pulls up-she bounces as she impatiently waits for Tara. She sees the blonde smile as she gets out of the car. The brunette looks more sullen. Tara wraps her in her arms as she reaches the redhead. She pulls away from Tara and looks at the teenager, “Hey,” she says as she hugs her too. “We have lunch and a surprise,” smiles Willow.

“Not hungry,” says Kennedy as she walks past her and up the stairs.

“Not hungry,” repeats Willow. “A Slayer not hungry-that can’t be good.”

“Give her time Will-. We’ll check on her later. So what’s the surprise?” Smiles the Wicca as she raises an eyebrow.

“Well since there’s no teenager there could be a different surprise.” She smiles with a slight smirk.

“Like the sound of that.” She leans in and they kiss, “I missed you.”

Kennedy who has stopped at the top of the stairs just watches the couple interact. She whispers softly, “I won’t let you die Tara.”

She turns startled as she hears a voice behind her, “You can’t save her. You can’t save any of them.” In shock she stares into the face of her dead Watcher.


Well chapter 9 was a little bit like work. Did I surprise you? I tried hard to- let me know what you think.