-Couple of hours later-

Huh?

"Explain it simple, Watcher!" Spike yelled out in Kara's unheard confusion.

"Eh, well, simple... Your dream showed you and Spike in a cave?" Giles asked Kara.

Yea, but it was not Spike, I have told this to you before. It only looked like Spike it was much stronger. Spike relayed this to Giles and the others.

"Yes, so in all seriousness, we can assume that the 'Spike' you were with was the First impersonating him." Kara was getting bored with all of this, Giles was just going around in circles.

Good guess, smart-ass. Why don't we state more of the obvious? Spike knew better than to relay this message but got a look from everyone when he gave a quiet snort of laughter.

"Willow?" Buffy asked the redhead as she looked up from the table, "Didn't the prophecy say something about unawareness? Like, she needs to be 'shown' her destiny?" Willow looked startled, why hadn't she thought of that,

"Oh yea, Kara quite possibly is the one who will render the First unarmed, but she just doesn't feel it yet. There was a reference to a spell of clarity in uh..." The witch's head bowed in silence, everyone was curious.

"Where?" Xander asked for them all.

"In one of the dark magic books," she picked her head up looking at the Scoobies with scared sadness in her eyes, "One of the books I soaked up after..." Her eyes welled up with tears that were on the edge of falling.

Everyone but the potentials knew what she meant when she was dark Willow after Tara was killed.

Kara rested her hand gently on Willow's shoulder, to the others it was seen as only a comfort, but Kara had silently relayed a message to the witch,

Let me see the way.

The straight forward willingness to be put under a spell for the good of humanity broke Willow from her tormented reverie. Willow stood before the others with her resolve face on, looking back to Kara.

"I just need to get a few supplies." Kara nodded as the recovering witch walked out of the room.

Resuming her bond with only Spike, he looked at her in apparent awe.

You are ready for this? He asked her silently.

For whatever is to come, sure. I have nothing to fall back on, so I must fall forward, right?

Spike's mind flashed with a memory of telling Buffy that all Slayer's had a death wish. Kara had sensed this as well, feeling his apparent thought that she had gotten a death wish ahead of schedule.

She shook her head at him and smiled slightly, putting him at ease. As close as they have gotten, neither wanted the other to be in danger or worry.

Kara walked out into the living room leaving all the others to chat. She knew she was being talked of, it didn't really bother her. The gang thought that she was some special slayer that could do much more than just fight.

Good for me, she thought sarcastically. Reaching into her white book bag she found the black zippered cloth pouch she was looking for. Picking up a hand full of braids off her shoulder and looking down at the scraggly tips she smiled slightly.

Hours passed while Spike and Buffy trained the potentials. Kara was neglected recently, only training when she felt like it. No one really minded, her position was semi-clear; she was not going to do battle with the First, but to distract it.

As the other girls learned how to kick and defend Spike thought of Kara, and waved off to Buffy knowing he needed a break. Peering into the living room he found Anya and Xander in uncomfortable silence while researching.

Not wanting to break their concentration he walked into the dining room, Giles and Willow were translating from an ancient spellbook. They both noted his presence but he could sense they did not want to be disturbed.

In the kitchen he found Dawn holding a plate of celery in one hand and the peanut butter jar in the other. She was just on her way into the living room, smiling as she passed Spike.

The sparse sun was setting below the horizon blocked out by houses. Opening the backdoor from the kitchen Spike found who he was looking for. Kara sat with a lighter in one hand and one of her braids in the other. A black kit was spread open, revealing a cup of hardened wax, tiny scissors, and a thin comb with a tail at the end.

"Hello, pet"

Kara extinguished the lighter and looked up to him from her perfected braid.

Hey. What's going on?

"Willow is working on the spell, should be done for tomorrow. How come your out here? Spike talked as he sat next to her kit. Kara was picking out a new braid to fix.

Needed some fresh air, plus the burning smells.

Spike sat in contentment watching her separate a single twisted braid and begin to unravel it with the tail of the comb. The crimped strand of jet-black hair seemed to double in length, falling on the porch as she let it go.

When this simple task was completed she looked up into Spike's eyes. They shared a moment before Spike slid over closer to her and picked up the strand, braiding it for her ever so carefully. Spike remembered in the past when he used to braid Dru's hair when she was weak, to keep it neat while she slept.

It comforted him to know he was a friend enough to be allowed to touch such beautiful hair. He had wondered about her past, her piercings, her hairstyle, but before now he had not wanted to pry into her life.

Kara had been enjoying the feel of tautness as he tugged each strand around each other, closing her eyes.

"Before you came here, where did you live?" Spike asked softly.

I lived with my watcher in London after I was called. She answered simply.

"And before that?" He asked carefully, not to overstate his questions out of curiosity.

With my father, I was born in Egypt.

Kara replayed a memory for him of the beautiful desert village of her home during the day.

The sand glittered with gold in the sun as the people busied themselves around the marketplace. A man and a young girl were sitting on a makeshift bed under the shade. The man ran an ivory comb through his daughter's healthy black hair.

He used to braid it for me as he did for my mother before she died. Kara had continued braiding her hair after her father died, it was her memory.

And now as Spike came to the end of the braid she realized she had accepted him in some way as her new father figure.

Sealing off the braid quickly and precisely Spike smiled up at his girl. She lifted the braid to inspect the job he had done,

"How'd I do?"

Not bad, for a vampire. She teased friendly. In content silence, they sat watching as the last bit of sun fell below the rim of the horizon.

You know, That wasn't the first dream I've had. She looked over at Spike. Ever since this all started happening, I have felt a...longing. Sort of like emptiness that can be filled but I don't know what it is or how to cure it.

"You've had Slayer nightmares?"

Kara nodded, Only, not nightmares, I was happy. I...I belonged. Spike pulled her in a light hug, petting her cheek as she rested against him. He knew that this prophecy was her destiny, she now knew it too.