Buffy stood back and watched as her best friend knelt down beside the newly
discovered Slayer in Training, reaching her hands out over the gaping wound
in Michael's stomach. She closed her eyes.
Willow focused her energy onto her hands, felt the light bead from her heart, mind and soul into the source of his pain. She closed off the negativity threatening to invade her connection. His mind opened and progressed to feed her with his memories. She saw his first birthday, the first time he saw Kennedy in elementary school, meeting Cera and then Maria, them playing their first gig in a coffee shop, signing the record deal, the phone call from his father when his brother was killed, watched them lower Jarrad's casket into the ground, she felt the pain. She then saw Kennedy comforting him after the funeral, the band in the studio recording, Kennedy passed out on the floor, Kennedy training, she could see his love for her in every movement, then as she saw the demon stab him in the stomach with a chair leg she was thrown backwards.
Hitting a pillar, Willow slid down. Sweat pouring from her body, shuddering, tears streaming down her face, Willow knew his inner most desires and feelings. It was scary. Plain scary. It hadn't even crossed her mind that she hadn't turned into black-evil Willow.
"Willow!" Kennedy, Buffy, Dawn and Xander had yelled in unison, before abandoning everything and baring down on her convulsing form.
"Let's get her home." Buffy ordered. Bending down and scooping her friend into her arms she looked over at Kennedy. "Get your band, follow us, you have a vehicle right?"
"Yeah." Kennedy struggled to hold back the tears that were building up behind her eyes.
Michael, Cera and Maria were hovering at the rear of the club, close to the stage. Michael shocked that he wasn't dead, his eyes demanded an explanation.
As Buffy, Xander, Anya and Dawn walked from the Bronze, Willow cradled carefully in Buffy's arms, Dawn turned and looked backwards at the band, "By the way, you guys were really good!"
The four figures looked over at her and grinned, somewhat painfully. Somehow the music didn't mean as much as it had 20 minutes ago. Kennedy knew she had to say here now, she wouldn't be able to continue the tour knowing that the answers to so many questions she'd been plagued with since she'd be told of her destiny could be answered by these 5 strangers.
"Let's go." Cera stated and made her way behind the stage. Maria nodded and followed.
"You're alright?" Michael questioned Kennedy.
"Yeah, bit shaken. Impaling aside, you're good now?" Kennedy leaned into him as he draped his arm around her shoulders.
Smiling weakly he sighed, "I guess. We're in for a long night, right?"
------
As the group of rock-stars parked behind Xander's Audi people mover, then all glanced at the house they had decided to refer to as Slayer-Central. Maria's smart idea.
Jumping out of the station-wagon Michael had 'borrowed' from the parking lot. Kennedy had lied a little about them having a vehicle. They had the tour bus, but there was no way any of them were game to drive that.
"Welcome to Casa Summers." Dawn smiled, waiting behind to walk the band into the house.
Willow focused her energy onto her hands, felt the light bead from her heart, mind and soul into the source of his pain. She closed off the negativity threatening to invade her connection. His mind opened and progressed to feed her with his memories. She saw his first birthday, the first time he saw Kennedy in elementary school, meeting Cera and then Maria, them playing their first gig in a coffee shop, signing the record deal, the phone call from his father when his brother was killed, watched them lower Jarrad's casket into the ground, she felt the pain. She then saw Kennedy comforting him after the funeral, the band in the studio recording, Kennedy passed out on the floor, Kennedy training, she could see his love for her in every movement, then as she saw the demon stab him in the stomach with a chair leg she was thrown backwards.
Hitting a pillar, Willow slid down. Sweat pouring from her body, shuddering, tears streaming down her face, Willow knew his inner most desires and feelings. It was scary. Plain scary. It hadn't even crossed her mind that she hadn't turned into black-evil Willow.
"Willow!" Kennedy, Buffy, Dawn and Xander had yelled in unison, before abandoning everything and baring down on her convulsing form.
"Let's get her home." Buffy ordered. Bending down and scooping her friend into her arms she looked over at Kennedy. "Get your band, follow us, you have a vehicle right?"
"Yeah." Kennedy struggled to hold back the tears that were building up behind her eyes.
Michael, Cera and Maria were hovering at the rear of the club, close to the stage. Michael shocked that he wasn't dead, his eyes demanded an explanation.
As Buffy, Xander, Anya and Dawn walked from the Bronze, Willow cradled carefully in Buffy's arms, Dawn turned and looked backwards at the band, "By the way, you guys were really good!"
The four figures looked over at her and grinned, somewhat painfully. Somehow the music didn't mean as much as it had 20 minutes ago. Kennedy knew she had to say here now, she wouldn't be able to continue the tour knowing that the answers to so many questions she'd been plagued with since she'd be told of her destiny could be answered by these 5 strangers.
"Let's go." Cera stated and made her way behind the stage. Maria nodded and followed.
"You're alright?" Michael questioned Kennedy.
"Yeah, bit shaken. Impaling aside, you're good now?" Kennedy leaned into him as he draped his arm around her shoulders.
Smiling weakly he sighed, "I guess. We're in for a long night, right?"
------
As the group of rock-stars parked behind Xander's Audi people mover, then all glanced at the house they had decided to refer to as Slayer-Central. Maria's smart idea.
Jumping out of the station-wagon Michael had 'borrowed' from the parking lot. Kennedy had lied a little about them having a vehicle. They had the tour bus, but there was no way any of them were game to drive that.
"Welcome to Casa Summers." Dawn smiled, waiting behind to walk the band into the house.