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Chapter 6: An Intense Ritual

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It had been a week since Willow had seen Kennedy in her apartment. Willow was worried. Yes, she has just met Kennedy, but she got this vibe from her when she looked into her dark brown eyes. It wasn't the slayer vibe either; it was something else, something deeper.

Willow was sitting in her usual spot. She was watching the sun slowly set and fade away as night come on. The moon rose and Willow was still lost in her thoughts.

'Maybe I should go visit her to see how she is doing, you know just a little visit…I bet you she has left town. No she couldn't of even with her sister here. I should ask Faith to go with me just in case something did happen…boy I hope she is okay…'

Willow grabbed her coat and walked out of her room. She went down stairs and didn't even bother to look around because she knew where Faith was. She had been spending her time there almost all day everyday since she found out about Kennedy. Willow made her way down the basements stairs. She could here the bounding sounds of a frustrated slayer hitting the punching bag. Faith was hitting it with amazing speed. Willow had never seen her so uptight.

"Faith?" She asked when she reached the bottom stair.

Faith didn't hear her. She continued to hit the bag. With every punch the bag would sway even more violently. The slayer took a couple steps back and gave it one last round house kick. The bag flew off the chains and hit the wall. Exhausted Faith relaxed her arms so they were on the side of her. Willow walked towards her waiting for Faith to even realize her. After a couple of seconds Faith turned around and still didn't see Willow. She walked to the window seal and grabbed her water bottle. She began to drink it and when she opened her eyes she saw Willow. Faith jumped and started to choke on the water.

"Shit Red, I didn't see you there!"

"Well so much for slayer senses." Willow chuckled.

"Ha ha very funny Red. Did you need anything or do you like scary the shit out of me every chance you get?"

Faith walked away and sat down on one of the mats. She grabbed a towel and started to wipe her sweat off her face. Willow started to pace, not sure she really needed Faith to come anymore.

"Spit it out Will you obviously want me for something."

Willow stopped in her tracks. She turned and faced Faith.

"It's been a week since I have heard from Kennedy."

Faith nodded her head. When Willow didn't continue Faith moved her hand to signal her to keep going.

"Yeah and?" She asked.

"I think something bad has happened or is about to happen. Faith, last time I saw her she had punched one of her hands right threw a wall. Her fist was really messed up and I think her sister is bad news. I want to go check on her and bring her back here to watch her, but I thought since you're a slayer and all, if she doesn't want to come you could convince her that we could work through this together."

"Why do you care about her so much Red?"

Willow was a little taken back by the question. It hadn't hit her why she would care about this girl so much; it was just her instinct to do so. She hadn't told Faith anything about her and Kennedy. She had planned to keep it that way but now Faith needed to know if she was going to get her to go anywhere with her to look for Kennedy.

The witch sighed. "Well you see me and Kennedy kind of shared a kiss the other night when me and Dawn were attacked…"

Faith raised her eyebrows.

"That's all we did and it felt so good…I like Kennedy okay, is that enough?" Willow was already blushing.

"Of course it's enough but Red did you just share one kiss…cause this is you we're talking about here. Not miss spontaneous vampire Willow."

Faith knew she caught Willow. Willow smiled.

"You know me all to well Faith."

"Hello! How many apocalypses have we been through together!? I would say enough to know you well enough. Any way come and sit here I want you to tell me everything."

Faith was curious. She always needed a good smoochie story and if it came from her best friend, hell yeah that's more like it!

"Faith I can't tell you all of it now…"

Faith began to pout.

"Oh come on Faith I will tell you later but right now I need to make sure Ken is okay."

With that Willow pulled Faith up and dragged her up the stairs. Faith pulled out of the red heads grip and went to her weapons chest. She pulled out couple of stakes and threw one to Willow.

"Just in case Red, now let's hurry up and get Kennedy."

Willow stuffed the stake in her jacket and lead the way. It didn't take them long for Kennedy's apartment building was only a couple blocks down. Willow pulled Faith into the building and up the elevator to the third floor. The doors opened. Willow quickly got out and hung a left. She ran down the hall until she found the door she was looking for, Room '313'.

Willow lifted her hand to knock, but got butterflies and dropped her hand back down. She turned around and faced Faith.

"Maybe we shouldn't do this…I mean she is probably fine being a slayer and all…"

"Oh no you don't you can't just drag me out here and let me give you the nice pat on the back and say 'Let's try again tomorrow', who do you think I am? Xander? Nope not gonna do that we came to get her and we sure as hell will."

With that Faith lifted her hand and knocked on the door aggressively. When no answer came she knocked again. Still no answer. Faith decided to try the door. Low and behold it opened. It creaked as the slayer and witch walked in.

"I got a bad feeling about this Will…" Faith whispered.

"Same here Faith but lets look around."

"Well duh Red of course we will…show me her bedroom…"

Willow got in front of Faith and started to walk down one of the halls. When she came to the door at the end of it she turned around and pointed to Faith. Telling her to go first.

Faith walked up to the door and knocked on it quietly.

"Kennedy?"

Faith walked in and saw holes in the wall. There was blood on the walls. Paper was every where. The slayer was afraid she would find a body. She signaled for Willow to stay and stay she did. Willow was leaning on the frame of the door taking in the sight of the bedroom.

Faith walked around the bed. Looking everywhere, under it, over it, in it, nothing. She looked in every corner and still the same result.

"Just keep looking…" Willow told her, "I'm gonna check out the rest of her apartment."

Willow left the room and walked down the hall. There was a noise coming from the bathroom. Willow stood outside the door knowing she had to go in. She opened the door slowly. She gasped when she saw the mirror was broken. Basically everything inside the bathroom was broken. There was blood in the sink, floor, just everywhere. She hear a whimper coming from the tub. She saw a dark body laying in it.

"Kennedy…"

Willow saw the face turn slightly towards her. It was so pale. The face showed pain, hurt, but when the face recognized who it was it immediately toughened up.

"What did you do?" Willow whispered as she rushed towards Kennedy.

Kennedy tried to get out of the tub but her knees went weak. Willow caught her in time and carefully helped her out and onto the toilet.

"I didn't know there would be so much blood…" The slayer murmured.

"Sweetie what did you do?" Willow tried again.

Willow than saw shallow cuts all over Kennedy's body. Symbols of all sorts.

'God that looks painful…' Willow thought.

Kennedy looked into Willow's eyes.

'She looks so serious…'

"I know their plan…they are gonna send me back to that hell dimension but they didn't know I found away to stop from being transported…"

"Honey who?"

"My sister and her 'girlfriend'…they sent me to a hell dimension called Gracch. I escaped after five years being a torture toy to the king. Luckily five years there was only five months here. So it's like I went on a vacation…"

Kennedy tried to make a joke.

"That's so horrible…"

Willow took both of Kennedy's hands in her own, worried that she had just tried to commit some kind of suicide.

"Tell me about it." Kennedy muttered.

"But why did you make all those cuts on your skin?"

"They are symbols to, like I said, to prevent me from being sent to another dimension…I didn't know there would be so much blood…"

Kennedy had this glazed look in her eyes. She looked away from Willow and looked up.

"I haven't finished the ritual…I still need to rub this powder stuff on myself and then I will be less vulnerable. I'm just so weak I don't think I will be able to."

The slayer looked back into Willow's eyes. It took a couple of seconds but Willow realized what she asking her to do.

"Ohhh…you want me to ohhh…yeah I will do just tell me when…well you probably want right now. He he well then let's get this over with…"

Willow started to blush. She helped Kennedy up and stood there until she could stand on her own.

"About time Red. Since you seem to have everything under control here I will let you to get on with what you need to do. I will be out patrolling; a lot of bad things waiting for a good ass whooping…oh and Red have fun!"

The two were stunned. Neither of them realized that the older slayer had been watching them. Willow was shocked and she looked back at Kennedy who just smiled and shrugged. Kennedy started to slowly walk and realized something.

"Umm…Willow the ritual kind of requires for me to be umm…naked so could you get my robe? It's just hanging on the inside of my door."

It was Willow's turn to smile at Kennedy's shyness.

"Of course be back in a sec and don't go anywhere."

Willow left the room.

"Like I can…" Kennedy muttered as she sat back down on the toilet.

Willow returned in a flash with the robe in hand.

"Thanks Willow. While I am getting ready could you wait in my bedroom? The powder is on my night stand…"

Willow nodded and left once again. Kennedy sighed and slowly took off her pajamas. She painfully piled them on the floor and slipped the robe on her toned body.

'You can do this Kenny…it's just a little rubbing while your naked…on the bed…with the most beautiful women right next to you actually touching you…

Okay not getting any calmer…let's try happy thoughts…

These are happy thoughts oh smart one…

Shut up and go to your bedroom…

That's where the red head is…

You are incorrigible when your life depends on something like this…

Love you to self…

Gonna stop now…'

Throughout Kennedy's self conversation she hadn't realized she was walking diagonally and she ended up running into the door frame.

"Oww…" She squeaked.

She heard a rush of body movement coming towards her. She looked up and had to laugh. Willow even almost tripped trying to rush to Kennedy's side.

"Boy were both pretty klutzy aren't we?" Kennedy chuckled.

Willow blushed. She took Kennedy's arm and helped her to her room. Not a word was spoken. When they were inside Willow let go of Kennedy's arm and walked to her bed and laid down on it, powder ready and all.

"You sure you want to help me with this Will?" Kennedy asked leaning on her closed door.

"Yes…if it is to help save your life then yes."

"Okay here it goes…"

Kennedy got up from the door. The slayer walked to side of the bed and sat on her knees in front of the witch. Willow looked up into the brunettes eyes and saw the most beautiful thing in them; she saw the want to be loved.

'Well she is going get some lovin tonight!' Willow thought as she smirked up at Kennedy.

Willow grabbed the tying of Kennedy's robe. She opened the robe and let it fall off Kennedy's shoulders and onto bed.

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