The undeniable sound of chaos filled the Summers' home; those potentials that hadn't retreated into themselves were yelling, crying or generally having some degree of hysterical reaction, not only to Faiths injury but also to the disappearance of their leader.

In the comparative calm of Faiths bedroom, Willow and Tara were tending to her injuries, the worst of which being a huge blow to the head and a large gash in the top of her thigh, which they had cleaned and dressed.

"Where did Buffy go?" Tara asked accusingly. She didn't expect an answer and she also failed to receive one. Pacing the room impatiently, she looked over at Willow whose head was hung in defeated acceptance as she damped Faiths brow with a cold cloth.

Sighing inwardly, Tara closed her eyes and chastised herself for her selfishness. In her anger at being ambushed and almost throttled, she had forgotten that Buffy had been Willows friend for all of her adult life and that her lover would be just as upset and confused by her disappearance as anyone – more so even.

"Baby?" she asked quietly as she returned to Willows side. "Are you ok?" Gently she rested her hand on Willows shoulder and squeezed softly.

"I'm fine." Willow replied although it was clear from her voice that she was fighting tears.

Tara brushed Willows hair back and guided her eyes up to meet her own. "We'll find her." she said solemnly, "I promise you we will."

Willow got to her feet almost instantly and fell into Tara's arms.

"We need her Tara, Faith doesn't look good, we need her if we're going to get through this!"

Tara nodded and held the sobbing redhead in her arms. She knew that Willow was trying to put on a brave face, trying to convince herself that she was worried more about the safety of the potentials than the possible loss of her best friend.

Saying nothing, Tara held Willow firmly, allowing her to cry.

"All I'm saying is that now that Buffy is gone and Faiths practically dead, we should consider a vote as to who'll be in charge!" Kennedy yelled over the din.

Somehow she had managed to gather everyone in the living room for a debate on leadership but it had evolved into a word riot, everyone hollering over everyone else.

Her words silenced the group. Other then those who had been at the vineyard, no one knew about the fates of the slayers.

"What do you mean, Buffy's gone?" Louise asked.

"I mean, she's gone!" Kennedy snapped back. "One minute she was there, next she was gone and all these uber-vamps and bringers appeared. She's probably dead!"

The potentials took a collective, shocked gasp.

"Well it's true!" Kennedy continued. "And Faith isn't looking too hot either so like it not, we're pretty much on our own now!"

Many of the girls huddled together, hugging and comforting one another.

"That's not entirely true." Louise spoke up once again and received a steely glare from Kennedy.

Getting to her feet, Louise faced Kennedy and tried to still her pounding heart. "There's still Tara. She's just as skilled a fighter as Buffy and Faith!"

Many of the other potentials nodded in agreement. Morale picking up within the room almost instantly.

"No!" Kennedy snapped. She had seen this as her chance to lead the group, she had trained and helped each of the girls at one time or another and believed that she was entitled to lead them into battle.

"No what?" Willow asked. She had made her way down the stairs to fetch a dishcloth, as they appeared to have run out of bandages.

"We think, given that Faith is so badly injured and Buffy, well Buffy seems to have disappeared momentarily." Louise spoke up, walking towards the redhead. "We think…" she continued, gesturing with her hand to the other potentials. "… that Tara should take over as the leader. At least until Faith is feeling a little better?"

Kennedy glared coldly at the group and slammed herself down in a chair.

"Oh!" Willow said, clearly surprised by apparent consensus of the group. "Well, I think we need to speak to Tara about that!"

"Speak to Tara about what?" As if she knew she was needed, Tara appeared on the stairs, peering over the banisters and being met by expectant and hopeful eyes.

"We think you should take over as leader!" Louise announced.

"Whoa!" Tara exclaimed, holding up her hands in front of her. "I'm not a leader, not really!" she said, her cheeks flushing a deep crimson at the joint approval and acceptance she saw in their eyes.

"Fucking typical!" Kennedy mumbled from her chair, her glare still fixed firmly on her face as anger burnt through her.

"Sorry?" Tara asked as she made her way into the living room her eyes searching for the source of the hate filled voice.

"I said 'fucking typical'!" Kennedy snapped as she got to her feet.

"And what exactly do you mean by that?" Tara snapped back. She could feel the anger building within her; it was as if the mere sight of the potential irritated her.

"You waltz in here, take over the training, act like you know it all and then when they offer you the leadership, they give you the goddamn crown and you don't want it!" she spat. "You take everything that isn't yours!"

Tara looked the potential up and down slowly.

"Oooh, I get it!" She said. "This isn't about them wanting me to lead at all, is it? It's about them not wanting YOU!" She smirked at the realisation.

"You really can't handle not getting your own way, can you!" she continued, delighting in the fury that she saw in the potentials eyes. "You've always gotten your own way and it's killing you that you have a place that's not at the top of the pecking order!"

Without warning, Kennedy pulled back her fist and swung a fierce punch at Tara, connecting squarely with her cheekbone.

Tara spat violently onto the floor, blood hitting the hardwood and an otherwise perfectly healthy molar rattling its way across the floor.

Turning her attention back to the young woman in front of her, Tara smiled. "I'm right, aren't I!" she said, a giggle tinting her tone.

"Fuck you!" Kennedy yelled.

Tara grinned and returned the punch, knocking Kennedy to her ass. In the blink of an eye she was on top of her, anger having taken over her as she rained punch after punch on the helpless slayerette.

It took Willow and the potentials a matter of seconds to realise the danger that Kennedy was in and they all piled onto Tara, fighting against her in an attempt to wrestle her off.

"TARA!" Willow yelled, the power in her voice rising over the din and stopping everyone in their tracks.

Tara also stopped and turned to Willow before looking back down at the bloodied face of Kennedy and then back to Willow.

Silence hung in there air, a mist of tension twisting through it and making everyone uneasy.

Tears stung Willows eyes and she turned and rushed back upstairs.

"Willow?" Tara called after her. "Willow!" Getting to her feet quickly, she rushed up the stairs after her lover.

Kennedy slowly got to her feet, the other potentials staring at her in stunned silence. Not one of them could believe the scene they had just witnessed but the blood that dripped gently from Kennedy's nose was a stark reminder of the power that Tara possessed.

"I think we need to find Buffy!" Louise whispered into the solid silence.

The group nodded but held their silence.

Tara burst into the bedroom and slammed the door behind her almost as soon as she had, Willow turned, tears filling her eyes but not diluting the disappointment she saw there.

"What the hell was that about Tara?" she snapped. Deep inside, she knew that it wasn't all Tara's fault and yet she couldn't help but blame her slightly for not trying to have more control.

"Will, I'm sorry!" Tara said, dropping her gaze to the floor as her cheeks burnt with shame.

"Sorry? Sorry?" Willow echoed. "Why can't you control yourself, she didn't deserve that!"

Fury flooded Tara's body and she clenched her fists involuntarily at her side.

"Didn't deserve it?" she whispered dangerously, her eyes flicking up to meet the emerald orbs of her lover.

"No!" Willow replied, seemingly unaware of the change in Tara's demeanour, "She didn't!"

Suddenly Tara snapped and strode aggressively towards Willow. "So what? She can go hitting who she wants, hitting me and I'm supposed to just stand there and take it?"

Willow backed away slightly, her back hitting the wardrobe doors causing them to clatter loudly.

"After everything I had to put up with from my family, from Glory, from you! And now you want me to stand by and let some hormonal, jealous kid beat me about? You expect me just to roll over and take that shit?"

She slammed her hands on the wardrobe on either side of Willows head, her eyes blazing with anger as she spoke.

"Tara, baby, you need to calm down… Please?" Willow whimpered. She had seen the power and fury that she was capable of reigning down on someone and didn't want to be on the receiving end of that.

Pushing back from her lover, Tara growled menacingly as she stepped away.

"Yeah, Tara's gotta be a good girl, gotta do as she's told!" Tara said, mimicking the redheads voice as she spoke. "Sweet, meek, mild Tara is dead!" she snapped, spinning back to yell in Willows face.

Anger suddenly filled Willow and she closed the remaining inches between them.

"Well you're a shitty substitute!" she yelled back.

Tara's hand came up immediately, an open palm whistling through the air towards Willows cheek.

And then. All went black.