A/N: Ok, so I've now had some family issues arrive that might mean updates slow down for everything. Please remember: AU, screw Timelines and pray i can keep in character. only one more fandom to add one day soon.

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

******

Willow held Kennedy close, and let her lover's tears fall. She didn't speak, didn't murmur anything to try to soothe her. She and Kennedy had been together long enough that she knew what the other woman needed. Eventually Kennedy pulled away, and Willow was able to wipe the tears off the brunette's face. "It was ugly," Willow stated.

Kennedy began pacing, running her fingers through her hair as she spoke, "When we fought the First, before I was even a slayer, it was brutal. It was savage and vicious and I knew we would lose people. But we were fighting true evil, and you could see its face in Caleb and in the Turok Han. And then, in that moment, that one moment when your spell went off and we all became slayers, I knew life would never be the same. I had the capability to destroy evil. I could make all the monsters under the bed disappear…"

"But this time you saw man made evil," Willow kept her voice gentle.

Kennedy stopped moving and looked at her lover of several years now. "This time I saw evil men and evil women! I saw the death of girls by men and women we've been protecting all these years, all the way back to Sineya, the first slayer. There were so many dead girls. Dead girls, both normal and slayer shoved into small cells, dead because when Angelspawn broke out the survivors under the mountain just stopped feeding them. Some of those girls were dead from experiments that the so called scientists were performing on them; scientists trying to make normal girls into slayers and slayers back into normal girls." Kennedy was shaking, sitting on the bed for a moment, before getting back up again. "There were signs, the Initiative survivors had left signs, telling us to find them, save them, they were hiding. And even after seeing what they'd done we looked for them. We wouldn't leave them behind because we're not them. We're the good guys. And right then, damn it Willow, for that moment I did not want to be the good guy, but I was… I was because I knew I had to be I had to be the good guy and save people; except there was no one to save. We barely made it to Janet and Lucy. There were so many of them. Every member of the Initiative that had fallen to the infection was outside of one cell, trying to bust down the door. We figured this meant there must be survivors, or another way out. Either way we knew we needed to out the filth."

Willow brought Kennedy back into a hug. "Baby, you will always be the good guy, no matter how many times you stop and think for a second you don't want to be. In the end you're the hero. It's what makes you one of us. I'm talking from experience. I was the bad guy. And it was only the love of one of ours that brought me back. I love you and I will always bring you back. I love you."

"I love you too," Kennedy murmured and the two women fell on top of the bed, kissing and caressing. Each taking comfort in each other.

**

Dawn met Draco as he was coming out of the sunroom. "Hey there, mini-Spike, how's it goin'?"

He scowled at her immediately, "The name is Draco Malfoy. You may call me Draco, or you may call me Malfoy, but do not call me mini-Spike."

Dawn looked at him with one raised eyebrow. "Someone's cranky. You should head down and get some food. Andrew and Lei outdid themselves this morning. And those Elfkin things? So cool. They're building a huge gate out there so we can plants veggies and have animals. At least for this year," she kept babbling as the two began walking towards the elevator. "We're probably going to have to head for a bigger spread next year. I mean there are chances that we'll rescue more people, and we'll want a more permanent set up for families to have individual homes, 'cuz really, do we all want to live together like this forever? I mean, seriously, say you're knocking boots with your girl, and your Dad is walking by, that would be way uncomfortable." Dawn didn't notice the alarming shade of red, or the bug eyed look she was getting from the pale blonde boy next to her. "But, still having the gate now, to protect us, the unicorns, the centaurs as a just in case. I think it's great news. Oh, I'll catch ya later, I need to go talk to Graham about our next supply run." And then she was walking off and Draco wasn't even sure he understood half of what she said and he wished he didn't understand the rest.

He happened to walk by a room where the door was open and he saw the purple-haired wandless witch sitting on a white carpet with strange symbols on it. She sat cross-legged with her hands on her knees, palms up. Her breathing was low and even. He stood watching for a moment and wondered what she was doing.

"I'm meditating," she said, making him jump a foot in the air.

"Great Merlin, Woman!" he snapped. "Worn a person before you go scaring them to death!"

Kit swallowed down her smile. "I do apologize. I could feel your presence and your aura tasted of confusion and question?" She opened her eyes and stood in a smooth move. He noticed that her eyes were a vibrant blue, and as she smiled twin dimples were set in her cheeks as she smiled. He shook his head to clear it. "Was there something I could help you with?"

"I was wondering what you were doing?"

"I was meditating. My friend Carlos is a witch and a medium. I'm not sure I'll ever have the ability to become a medium, but meditating helps balance everything, and it helps strengthen my magic."

"Seems difficult." He shrugged.

"I'm sure when you first picked up your wand it wasn't the easiest thing to learn to use. When we use magic, we're pulling the magic within ourselves and from the elements around us. Sometimes we use ritual to show our gratitude for that magic."

"And you're going to try to teach us this?" he frowned.

"Actually, no. We'll certainly offer it to anyone interested. But your Professor Snape, and our Mr. Giles and Willow, are going to help you figure out how your wands will work here."

***

Buffy was staring at the scrying map looking at the five points and wondering which one would be the best to go to for supplies when Dean strode in. "Okay, just one little question," he began.

"What?" she murmured.

"What the hell are the big head elf things doin'?"

She was confused for a moment before she remembered. "The House Elves; they're building a big gate that is just like the gate in front of the hotel, to keep out the zombies. One of them asked me if they could earlier. I said yes. I also told them they can't hurt themselves."

"Why would you need to?" he was beyond confused.

"Mopsy or Topsy, whatever, wanted to shove her ears in the waffle iron."

He looked startled, "Oh my god that's nasty! Can you imagine the smell?"

"Yes, Dean because that's what I was thinking about when she was saying she was going to do it."

"Okay, okay, sorry. So, they're building a big gate so we're safe."

"Yes and we'll be able to plant vegetables and have some farm animals."

"Are we staying here that long?"

Buffy shrugged. "I don't know. Right now we've got the room where we're at. We could last out the winter and worry about moving and planting next year. During the winter we could do some locating. Find a place with a main hall and a place we could fortify that would hold everyone, but would also have homes, individual homes, enough for everyone."

"That doesn't sound half bad. Maybe in the next few days we can all get together and start talking about future planning. Like a community farm."

**

Giles heard a slight tapping on the door to his assigned office and called out for the person to enter. He looked up to find a lovely woman, perhaps a few years younger than himself. "Hello, is there something I can help you with?"

"Actually, I think there's something I can help you with," she told him with a smile. "Violet and Rona told me you were looking for something like an assistant? I could do that for you. My last job was a bank teller, but before that I was a secretary for a financial advisor."

"Well, I'm afraid I couldn't pay you well," he said dryly.

"That's too bad, I don't work for less than twenty an hour, and I definitely want direct deposit," she grinned to show him she was teasing.

Giles chuckled. "And what is your name?"

"I'm Carole Hudson. My son is Finn. And I've wanted to say, for several days now, thank you. Thank you for saving the most important thing in my life."

"Well, Ms. Hudson, I can honestly say, I deserve no thanks, that should be given to the people whom I consider the most important things in my life."

"Call me Carole. I have thanked them, but you were the one who mentored them. So I'll give you your due."

The two looked at each other for a moment in understanding before Giles smiled again. "Let's get to work."

**

"Mr. Hummel?"

Burt looked over to find a younger girl, probably college age, approaching him, pushing her dark hair behind her ear. "Can I help you?"

"I'm Sarah McGee, I'm actually a healer. I'm not the only one, but all of us seem to be getting a work out with our abilities. I was hoping you'd let me work on your leg?"

"Oh, I'd hate to get in anyone else's way. Isn't there someone else more important who needs healing?"

"You're just as important."

"Go ahead."

She placed both of her hands on his leg and took a deep breath. Her hands began to glow a faint white, and he could feel his bones knitting back together. He was happy to say it didn't hurt, it felt almost like a tickle or itch, and when she was done her hands stopped glowing. She released her breath and lifted her hands. Opening her eyes she looked at the man and smiled.

"Thank you," was all he could say.

"You're very welcome."

**

The Glee kids had split up for the day, knowing they'd get together later that night to discuss what they were considering Schuester's defection. Meanwhile, Finn, Puck, Quinn and Rachel had gone to the kitchen to get something to eat.

It wasn't hard to scrounge something up and it was while they were eating that Finn began speaking. "Look Dude," he addressed Puck. "I know you want to go out on runs so you can stay near Rachel, but you can't keep doing it."

"What's going on?" Quinn asked. Puck was staring down at his meal. He was torn, but he knew Finn was right.

Rachel was the one who answered her. "Anyone pregnant can't go on runs any more. Puck's not pregnant, but he is the father of your baby. Neither he, nor Finn should be going out on runs."

Everyone at the table was silent as they continued eating. "I'm sorry, Man," Finn said quietly.

"Not your fault," Puck shook his head and laughed dryly. "Dude, so not your fault."

"Well, then Rachel can't go out either," Quinn stated.

Rachel looked at her from narrowed eyes, and the boys were gaping at her.

"I mean, sure, I'm having the baby, and Puck is the biological father, but Finn is my partner, so he can't go. And since Rachel is Puck's partner, unless she is no longer Puck's partner?"

Puck felt a slice through his heart. Would Rachel break up with him now? He hadn't even considered she'd break up if it meant she couldn't go fight.

"Of course I'm with Noah! Don't be ridiculous!!"

"Then as his partner you can't go! OH, unless there's an emergency. That's the one thing that can change the rule. If something insane happens and all fighters are needed, then everyone goes."

**

"So, do you like being stronger and stuff?" Santana asked as she painted Brittany's toenails. They were sitting on the front porch of the hotel enjoying the lovely weather, knowing that Brittany's internal slayer alarm would protect them, along with the House Elves, and the guards on the roof.

"It's neat. Sometimes, people are scared of me now, and that's weird. But it's been really cool saving people. Sort of like Superman only I'm not a man."

"So, what did you think of that Victor from the New York High School?" Santana brushed off Brittany's babbling, pretty much the same way she always did.

"I don't remember a Victor. They weren't very friendly. That blonde girl, Alice, she thinks she's better than us."

Santana waved that off. "She'll learn who the real Queen Bee around here is."

"Totally Buffy," Brittany nodded, not realizing Santana had been speaking of herself.

"What are you up to out here?"

Both girls looked up to see Marcus Flint and the Weasley twins, Fred and George, walking towards them from the tree line. Santana saw Brittany's smile widen on her expressive face and it made her wonder; which boy was bringing that look to her blonde friend's face?

"Just maintaining our manicures and pedicures," Santana shared, smiling flirtatiously with all three boys.

"I myself have often wondered," one of the twins began.

"How much time women have to put in to become as beautiful as they are," the other finished.

Santana actually found herself smiling. She knew they did it for the attention, but it was pretty cute… and so were they. "You think we're lovely?" she asked and made sure to look up at them from under her lashes.

Marcus scowled. "Will ya be doin' yer fingernails as well?" he asked bluntly.

Brittany smiled and answered, "Yeah, but I haven't chosen a color yet."

"Well… why'd ya color them toes green?" he asked, confusion apparent on his face.

"I like green," she shrugged.

"Then why don'tcha color them fingers green too?" Marcus asked, feeling like he was missing something. While he and Brittany were talking the twins and Santana had moved away from the duo.

Brittany's face lit up. "That's a really good idea. I can do one hand but not the other," she began to grumble.

Marcus muttered something and glowering, pulled out his wand. He pointed it at the bottle of nail polish and then back at Brittany's nails. A moment later Brittany's nails, both finger and toes, were perfectly painted the dark hunter green, with small silver swirls on each nail.

Brittany squealed and reached over hugging Marcus before he knew what was happening. She leaned back and told him, "Thank you! You even did nail art, that's normally expensive. You're amazing. Thank you thank you thank you. You know what?"

"What?" he asked cautiously.

"We should go show Mercedes, Quinn and Rachel," she said and stood up grabbing his hand and tugging him up, unfortunately she didn't watch her strength and he slammed into her body. Brittany shocked Marcus even more by planting a kiss on his unprepared lips. "Thank you."

**