Note: Hello everyone, thank you so much for the feedback. Another update is here. This one is a past chapter. Hope everyone enjoys.

Previously in Ch 33: Liz felt a pull in her stomach; she was drawn back to her body at lightning speed. Snapping her eyes open she saw Spike's face above her, her head rested in his lap, and some of the others were staring at her. Liz took in the hotel lobby, some Potentials were still passed out, some others were up and walking around and absolutely no people in less modern clothing.

"What did you see love?" Spike gently prodded while stroking fingers down her temple.

"Trouble."

Chapter 35

May 6, 2001

"Trouble?" Buffy snorted. "What's that?" She teased.

Liz laughed lightly and sat up from her previous position on the floor. "How are the others?" She took in the girls around her, some still out, others awake. The ones who were awake ranged from frustrated to scared to excited.

"Don't right care about the others. Are you all right?" Spike's thumbs dug into her shoulders massaging away any aches no matter how small from her back.

Slowly she nodded. Physically she was fine but she didn't know how to explain what she saw and how worried it made her.

When she laid her head down on the pillow she figured she'd get some of the dreams she'd had before, vampires and slayers from different time periods, fighting each other, others not fighting each other. Despite its odd nature, it'd have been a normal, typical dream. What she saw this time was different. Today she saw an event that was important to their current problem.

"What did you see?" Giles repeated Spike's early inquiry.

"First it started with me seeing what I think was this hotel's past. But I saw something go by me and immediately I was in a cemetery."

"Did you see any land marks to determine which cemetery you were at?" Wesley wrote down something in his notebook before looking back up at Liz. He'd been keeping detailed notes of the potentials and their progress or lack of progress, whatever the case may be.

Liz breathed out and closed her eyes trying to remember the landscape. Chunks of the vision she saw flashed around in her mind. Most too fast to get a good visual but some things stood out. "Mausoleum. Weather vain on top."

"Oh that's helpful." Kennedy mumbled under her breath and rolled her eyes. Other's had visions too. Why were they surrounding Liz questioning her instead of coming to talk to her? She had a slayer vision. A vampire attacking a man, in the distance demons were gathering. She hadn't been able to get closer, she'd been pulled out the vision before she could but she clearly had valuable information.

While Liz heard Kennedy's sarcasm she ignored the jealous girl and still went over the bits she was able to see. "The weather vain has a gothic cross. The name Frey is over the double doors. There's a maple tree next to it."

Fred quickly ran toward the computer and began looking for a cemetery in Los Angeles that had those criteria. She knew Wesley would need the information if he decided to check out the area.

Giles nodded, "Now what was the trouble you saw?"

Liz scrubbed her hand down her face. "Um, the Beast was waiting there. Then a figure came out and started talking to it." Before anyone asked Liz shook her head, "I didn't know who it was, the figure was kind of formless and the voice was camouflaged."

"Was the Beast that way too?" Willow asked not noticing Kennedy's stare of betrayal.

"No. The Beast was clear, could hear his voice, everything."

Willow pulled out a red leather bound book and turned to a certain section. "Sounds like it could be a spell to keep the spell casters identity a secret. There are spells that can stop someone from seeing them in a dream, vision, or anything supernaturally enhanced. Which although Slayer dreams are natural for a slayer they are still magic to a certain degree."

"Anything else luv?" Spike worked his fingers down Liz's spine eliciting a low pleasurable moan.

"Besides more of that, yes. The figure stated that it wanted the Beast to destroy the slayer and the rest of the potentials/temporary slayers. Nothing new but even though I couldn't make out anything about the voice it was determined. It wants us dead and fast."

"Last question, when did this take place." Wesley asked writing down his final sentence.

"Present time. The ticket's been punched and the Beast is coming soon." Liz stated, her voice a little louder than earlier making sure the whole room heard her warning.

"Thank you Liz." Wesley squeezed her shoulder and smiled. He stood and went over to the first Potential who woke from the spell and began to question her about anything she saw while under.

Buffy, Giles, and Angel went to get the other dreams from the other girls, Wesley would collect and write them into the book later.

"Looks like Angelus was right, the Beast isn't working alone. He's got a master." Liz commented to Spike.

"Ponce has to get some things right I guess. Doesn't happen too often. He should write it down on his calendar." Spike picked up on his Sire's displeased growl which pleased him. While there would always be a side of him that wanted to make Angel happy and make the Master vampire proud of him, the other side wanted Angel to take a flying leap off the nearest building onto a stake in broad daylight.

As Liz and Spike spoke quietly to each other Wesley made his way to Kennedy. "What did you see Kennedy?" He let his pen rest above the page in this temporary slayers section in his notebook.

She scoffed. "Why didn't you come to me first? Clearly I had something important to contribute." Kennedy realized she should keep her mouth shut but the fact that Liz had been the first to get questioned rubbed her raw.

Wesley rolled his eyes and sighed, he worried this would occur and didn't relish having to deal with it. "Because while Liz was out she had a different experience that we," he gestured toward Buffy, Giles, Angel, Willow, and Spike, "all saw. Now, either tell me what you saw or I'll move onto the next Potential."

Kennedy shifted her gaze to the side angry at being told off again. "Fine. A man was being attacked by vampires. Off behind him I saw what looked to be demons gathering."

Wesley nodded and wrote down what she said. "Could you tell when this was happening? Was it recent or do you think it was in the past?"

She focused on the vision and a moment later came up with, "Recent. It felt future-y." Kennedy leaned against the stair railing and tried to remember anything else. "In the background I saw some fireworks going off."

"All right." Wesley quickly scribbled down more information. "Where was it taking place, any landmarks, buildings, anything we can use to determine place, city?"

"A cabin, a wood cabin. But how could the vampire get in to a house that she didn't own?" She murmured mostly to herself.

"So the vampire's a woman. That's good. Anything else?"

Kennedy remained quiet for a moment before shaking her head negatively. "Nothing else I can pinpoint."

"Good job. Thank you." He left her at the stairs and moved onto the next Potential.

Meanwhile Spike helped Liz stand up and guided her to the round red couch in the middle of the lobby. "Do you want anything?" He tucked a strand of brown hair behind Liz's ear and gently caressed her neck.

"Could I get some tea?"

"Of course luv." Spike kissed the side of her temple and left for the kitchen.

As soon as Spike turned the corner Kennedy moved to occupy the empty space he left. "You're not the only one who's special." She hissed at the younger girl.

Straightening her recently massaged spine Liz twisted a bit and glared at the insecure woman, which is what she was, if Kennedy really was as strong and confident as she pretended to be she wouldn't care as much if Liz did better than her at something. "Never said I was special. Never said I was the only special one. Clearly not. There are a lot of temporary slayers here. I'm just one of the few."

"Come on, stop playing that sweet innocent pregnant girl with me. I'm not buying." Kennedy sneered. "You're different then everyone else with your green sparks and freaky slayer visions."

"Why don't you back off Kennedy?" She took note of the people in the lobby. No one was paying a bit of attention to them. Of course the fact that neither one were giving any outward appearance besides civility helped. "I don't care what you think of me."

"You should. Because when I'm declared the true Slayer, not one of these wannabe's, you and your vamp boyfriend are going to be very sorry." Kennedy warned.

Anger surged up and it threatened to explode. This nasty bitch dared to say that to her? She kept her Slayer cool when everything inside her wanted to strangle her whiny neck.

Swallowing past her anger she leaned fairly close, while still maintaining her outside calm. "You attempt to do anything to Spike, I don't care if it's giving him a paper cut or staking him in his sleep. I don't care if you are the "true" Slayer when all these tests, that are only being done so we all keep busy and not kill each other, are finished. I'll destroy you, count on that." Liz promised.

Kennedy only smirked at her, the young woman clearly didn't believe she was in any danger from the pregnant girl. "It'll be interesting to see you try. I might let you get a few a shots in but you'll never win. I was the best Potential and I'm going to be the best Slayer. Buffy doesn't have anything on me." She boasted.

Smoothing a hand down her rounding belly Liz stood up and stared down at the arrogant girl. "You talk a big game Kennedy. However if you were the best you wouldn't have to continue telling everyone with ears how great you are. You just would be. Grow up." While fuming Liz left the conversation with dignity.

Although she looked serene and calm she was anything but. Her baby was feeling her stress at the situation, he moved around, waking up during her confrontation with Kennedy. Liz rubbed her belly, think peaceful thoughts. She inhaled and exhaled slowly. Visions of sunsets, her favorite flower, Spike shirtless…ok that last one didn't calm her so much as made her excited but it was a very happy thought.

Sooner than she would have expected Spike seemingly appeared out of thin air at her side without tea. "Spike?"

Spike growled, but it wasn't aimed at her. Immediately he ran his hands over her body. Normally it'd be a delightful thing, it wasn't bad mind you but getting her horny for him wasn't the goal of this. "Are you ok?" He firmly demanded.

While in the kitchen finishing her tea he felt a warning bell blare inside his body. Worry wracked him and he knew he had to get to Liz. Quickly he left the steaming tea pot on the stove and ran for the lobby. She hadn't been where he left her, instead she was across the room and Kennedy sat where she had been.

Putting her hands on his cheeks she made him look at her, his gaze so intent on finding an injury on her body. "I'm fine. Just had some unpleasant words with Kennedy. Nothing unusual."

"Nooo. This felt different, like something more happened." The last couple times it hadn't brought on the mind numbing fear. Was it because he hadn't been near her this time?

Not wanting to tell him downstairs for fear of what he'd do to Kennedy she motioned upstairs. "Can we go to my room?"

Spike didn't say a word only took Liz by the hand and led her to the stairs. From behind him Angel said "Spike, where are you going?" From Giles he heard, "We still have another few tests after this." And from Fred he heard "Liz?" But they ignored them all.

Once in the safety of her room Liz hugged him tight. "Just hold me for a second. Please." The threat toward Spike shook her to the core. She'd only known him a few days but already it hurt to think of her life without him. Truthfully that scared her. At least a little. She thought she loved Max, their love, for the brief time it'd been there, was wonderful. However it didn't compare to the deep connection she formed with Spike.

"What happened downstairs?" She smoothed a hand up and down her back. "Did that little bitch say something?"

"After I tell you, don't kill her. Let me deal with her." Liz didn't make him promise but she hoped he listened to her wishes.

"Can't say I won't. Not until I hear what she did."

Resting her chin on his chest she told him. "Kennedy threatened to kill you." Liz left out the threat to her life too. That for sure would make Spike snap the temporary Slayers neck.

Spike sighed and cradled her head and pulled her into a slow lingering kiss. A threat to him didn't bother him, especially not one coming from that whiny potential. "That girl won't be able to get near me. She won't be able to kill me. One lousy loud mouth potential won't get the drop on me. I promise."

Liz wrapped her arms around Spike's shoulders and cuddled into his embrace. "Please don't underestimate her. She may not be the Slayer at the end of all this but she'll do her best to get what she wants and two things she wants is to be the best and get rid of you."

"Don't worry about it." Spike whispered. "I won't let my guard down and she won't get to me. Let me deal with her."

"Spike…" He pressed a finger to her lips stopping her from going further.

"I'm not going to kill her. But I will handle this." As he held her a plan began to form. It wasn't a complicated plan but it'd get Kennedy to think twice about coming near him or his girl. He kissed the side of Liz's temple and the two stood embracing each other, neither wanting to let the other go quite yet. Spike vowed Kennedy would get what's coming to her, she'd live but it wouldn't be a happy existence.

TBC

Coming Up in Ch 36: Present day. Angel arrives to the Crashdown. Will Drusilla harm Maria for what she saw in her head? And a threat makes itself known.