Chapter Thirty-Five

"Showtime"

A/N Bit longer this one, was considering making it into a full length one but these were really the only scenes I wanted to do.

Sunnydale, the world without shrimp 2003

"So what's up with you guys and the magic?" Kennedy said out of the blue as the three of them were trying to sleep through until the morning. Downstairs there was a little raucous but none of them could be bothered to move and sort it out. Xander was down there trying to sleep on the couch anyway. And the most trouble the girls had caused lately was that they'd run out of cookies. I know right, a true crime. Tara was sitting up in bed now as Willow shuffled around trying to get comfy, having someone awake in their room watching them try and sleep was a little off putting.

"You know it's very complicated and-" Tara began, rubbing her eyes furiously before being very rudely interrupted by the brunette again.

"Cause I feel like it's all new age stuff you know?" Tara rolled her eyes, looking down at Willow for a possible answer, but when the sleepy redhead just mumbled in her newfound sleep and nestled into Tara's side she felt she'd take matters into her own hands.

"Well, Kennedy I mean, it's very 'old age stuff' really because it's so core-rooted to the Earth... Like there's all these different elements and crystals and things-" Tara stopped talking when she glanced over the end of the bed to see Kennedy, fast asleep, snoring with her mouth open. Not exactly a pretty sight. "Well that was just rude." Tara sighed heavily and settled back down into the pillow, she'd have to have a serious talk with the potential slayer in the morning.

Meanwhile downstairs, the raucous had subsided and Xander had retreated to the kitchen to avoid irritation from all the women in the house as he attempted to sleep. Anya was making cups of tea for the group as she leaned her back against the counter and watch the yawning man enter the kitchen. He sat at the breakfast bar, she would lean over the counter and kiss him if they were together. But they weren't.

Since their night together a month and a half ago, nothing, and I mean nothing had happened between them. They'd been avoiding each other's eyeline really, Anya pretending it had meant nothing, and Xander pretending nothing had even occurred. But now they were alone, and they couldn't avoid anything. They would have to talk about it, or stay in perpetual awkward silence, the option Xander obviously wanted until Anya was speaking at him.

"Xander what is this thing between us? I don't understand what you want me to do. You said you loved me, then you proposed to me because the world was ending-" Anya said far too bluntly, Xander was about to interject and correct her but she continued mercilessly anyway. "Then you leave me because you aren't ready to commit, but it was you, you asked me. Why would you ask me if you didn't want to go through with it? And then you give me orgasms and what? It means nothing." Anya bit her tongue then, a little blood flowing around her mouth, she hated that taste, iron-y. Like rusting coins.

Xander gave a thick sigh, he'd known this was gonna come at some point, he knew Anya. He knew at some point the trepidation and usual human behaviours would confuse her. Somehow he still loved that about her though. I love that about her? I love her? Heck I love her. I still love her. I think I always will. But I can't tell her, I'm still not ready, I can't be hers. Anya stared at him because he wasn't replying.

"Sometimes people just hook up An." The use of her nickname made her lift her head slightly, if he's using that there might be a chance, he might. Feel something? She still shook her head, lifting the tea to her lips and sipping delicately before he elaborated at her open eyes. "Sometimes people that know each other and have had-" he hesitated, "love in the past, when that love is over they might have a hookup just because they can and it's easy. They are already comfortable with each other. I don't think it's supposed to mean anything An." Anya had to hold back the quiver on her lip as she buried her face in her mug. Her newly redyed blonde hair falling around her face as she felt ashamed for wishing there was more behind his deep brown eyes.

He was thinking the opposite, ashamed at himself for not letting her know how he felt, he loved her yes. But they couldn't be together until he worked out what he wanted, he was cold to her because he had to be. He had to see whether he could separate himself from her and if he couldn't? Well, then he'd know. He'd know loving her wasn't a lie and that he could work it all out if he tried.

As soon as Althenea had rung off the line and Tara had finished their quick catch up she slumped off down into the basement to where the potentials were training. In truth she really did miss the coven at times, it wasn't this big force of evil they had to fight for a change. It was earthy and natural and her mother most certainly would've approved. They were taught about elements and crystals and all those magical things Kennedy didn't seem to have a care for, she was young and impressionable, and as soon as she learned to keep her eyes to herself the better it would be.

"I heard there's more than one." Tara heard Vi say as she descended the stairs, she thought she'd watch them train for a bit, clear her mind maybe spare them a little attention - advice.

"More than one what?" Kennedy replied, taking an interest and looking over at the girl to her left.

"Slayer." Vi replied bluntly, she'd heard about the other one but as a myth, she wasn't actually aware of the story or whereabouts of this 'other slayer' but she thought it was impossible. There weren't supposed to be two slayers. Tara stayed quiet, waiting to see if any of them knew about Faith before she would go and explain it herself. "There's another one... Somewhere?" Vi finished, but no one interjected and nobody seemed to know.

So Tara walked herself into the room, sliding her hands into her jean pockets and nodding gently. "Yeah, there's another slayer. I've met her." The girls were a little surprised to see Tara being so forward with information and alone for once. What they'd seen of her was very little, she kept herself to herself and stuck close to Willow, most of them had figured out the relationship between the two of them, and for those who hadn't Kennedy had kinda been broadcasting it.

There was also a little gasp from the group at the fact Tara had met this other slayer and that she wasn't a myth, and if so, why wasn't she here? Vi had a lot of questions for the witch now. Tara could see the intrigue in all of their eyes, the wanton knowledge she had to offer was enough to keep them interested for now. And really all she wanted to do was help, Willow was busy sorting out spells and research with Dawn, she might as well make herself busy. She didn't have a class today.

Sitting on the hobby horse, Tara began to explain the story... "The other slayer, I'm guessing you all want to know. Where she is? What she's like? Well, she's the complete opposite of Buffy, and actually kinda mean..." Blushing a little at that as she remembered the first time she'd met the feisty other slayer, her comments always outrageous.

"And now she's a bit locked up in prison, for his murder." Tara finished, the girls sitting around her were staring around a little in awe. Awe because Tara knew all this, and that a slayer could act like that. And be so different from Buffy and murder, kill a man. The slayer was supposed to protect and serve the innocent, but this Faith slayer had destroyed that unspoken oath. Kennedy looked up with a newfound respect for her roommate, they didn't exactly get on but Tara knew so much, and she'd been there with Buffy for years, she must have been a powerful witch, to have sensed that change in energy. Not that Kennedy understood anything about energy but to read auras that must be quite a skill.

She actually smiled up at the blonde as they started training again, Tara walking around until she reached the steps, sitting down on them to just watch. Observe their technique she would pretend to understand and give out help when she could. She wouldn't try and whittle a stake or anything, it'd be a complete bloody mess if she tried. Her last words to them lingering in her mind. You'll all be fine if you believe in your power, it's out inner strength that guides us. Believe you can do it and you'll be stronger. Trust your instincts, you're potential slayers for a reason. Tara was just hoping they'd listened.

It was almost time, almost time to face the evil. So Willow was trying her luck with simple spells, a build up for her and Tara's barrier spell they'd have to do later. The blonde had reassured her it would be absolutely fine, but she was checking, testing her magic out on things that couldn't go wrong. She knew Tara would be fine, when the dark forces had filled her, they'd dispelled within days, Tara's soul was just too pure to hang onto the darkness for too long. Her goodness soaked it all up. But Willow had dark power contained, she'd done wrong in the past, taken too much magic and now it would haunt her until she could dispel it and let go.

"Wow!" Kennedy said, creeping up behind Willow and forcing her to catch the candle she'd been floating. Tara was elsewhere preparing for the battle and there was a few minutes until they had to be anywhere. "You really can float stuff." The redhead wondered what Kennedy wanted, maybe to tease her or something, but since this morning, there'd been something different, Tara had been more comfortable around her and that settled in Willow's mind. The blonde was incredibly intuitive and if she finally deemed Kennedy alright then her intentions couldn't be too disillusioned.

"I'm just testing, see if my magic's strong, so I don't turn all bad and scary." Willow said with a loose half-smile half-frown, Kennedy looked perplexed at the older witch, she was wiser, more competent yet somehow shy and unsure of her power. Something had turned her like that, a fear, she was drawing on it. Kennedy smirked though, she thought she'd quite like to see a scary Willow, confident and sure of herself, she thought she'd find that sexy. She couldn't help admitting to herself that Willow was sexy, especially when she smiled.

But after that morning and hearing what Tara had to say, she respected the both of them far too much as a couple. She stayed in their room, saw how coddled together they were in sleep, how much love passed between them in gentle eyes. They were meant for each other. And she'd have to get on with that, ignore her lust. Willow walked past her holding the candle, but sensing the respect from the girl she left a lingering touch on her shoulder. Perhaps they could be good friends.