It was storming the night the core of the Scooby gang decided to get together for one of their all night movie fests. It had been so long since Buffy, Willow, and Xander could spend some alone time together, and with Giles visiting from England, there wasn't a better opportunity, or any other activity on their minds.
"So what do we watch first?" Xander eagerly asked while he searched through the pile of DVDs and video tapes. "I'm thinking comedy since we pretty much live horror on a day to day basis and, to be perfectly honest, what's the point of watching a scary movie when you don't get scared?"
"The man has a point," Buffy agreed. "So what do we have to watch, O' Mighty Knower of all things Hollywood?"
Xander listed off the names of the films and soon the four were watching the third chapter in a raunchy teen sex comedy series. Willow complained about everyone saying she looked like the female lead, and Giles complained about not really understanding the point of the film. Xander laughed like he was on nitrous oxide and Buffy just looked at her friends, happy she could share this moment with them. It was a rare moment, and each one of them came so close to not being able to share it with her. She even came close twice. But together the four of them could pull through anything. She not only believed that in her heart of hearts, but had proven it time and time again.
It was good to see them all so close, as though no time had passed. And they had all faced so much hurt and so much pain. Giles had lost Jenny, and then was tortured by her killer, who Buffy had once called lover. Willow had lost a love as well, and even went evil, almost destroying the world in the process. And Xander, sweet Xander, had lost Anya, his left eye, and almost his best friend. And here they were, laughing and arguing like nothing had ever happened.
And outside, the storm raged.
Kennedy stared out the window, watching the rain come down. She knew Willow was okay, but that didn't stop her from worrying about her wife. The storm was pretty bad and she really wished her love was here with her, but she understood the importance to Willow to just hang out with her closest friends.
"Is it me or did that storm just come from nowhere?" a young voice asked from the doorway.
Kennedy turned and smiled at her adoptive daughter. "It's just a storm, Ally," she assured her and herself at the same time. "You should be in bed. You have school in the morning."
"The thunder woke me up. I never cared for thunder."
"Me neither, but it's just a loud noise. Nothing to fear but your own fear."
Ally smiled. She was amazed at how far Kennedy had come in terms of being a mother. When Willow was around, she was like some nymphomaniac highschool student, but when it came down to it, Kennedy had an awesome mother's streak in her. And between her and Willow, Ally knew she never had anything to be afraid of. Yes, Ally was a very fortunate girl indeed.
"Is there something you wanted to say, honey?" Kennedy asked. Ally shook her head and ran over to her adoptive mother. She wrapped her arms around her and gave her a huge hug. Kennedy laughed and asked "What's that for?"
"That was for being you," Ally answered. "That was for being a great mother and a great friend. Good night."
Well, I'll be, Kennedy thought as Ally left the bedroom. She then turned her attention outside to the storm once more. I love you, Willow. Hope you're having fun with your friends, sweetie. I'll see you in the morn.
Kennedy pulled back the bed sheets, climbed into bed, and shut the lamp on her night stand off. Darkness filled the room with a few flashes of lightning illuminating it every few moments. Kennedy smiled to herself, closed her eyes, and fell asleep.
Buffy awoke with a start. As usual, their movie festival ended with the four of them falling asleep. Willow, who was sitting next to Buffy on the couch, was leaning against her. Xander was asleep on the floor, and Giles was passed out in Buffy's recliner. This looks all to familiar, Buffy thought. Oh well, as long as the first slayer doesn't try killing us again.
Lightning illuminated the room and thunder quickly followed. Buffy figured that the storm was probably what woke her. She usually awoke to thunder. The other three seemed to be sleeping soundly through it, however. Buffy chuckled to herself when she thought that Xander could probably sleep through anything. It was a good thing she pulled those spare blankets out earlier.
Buffy pulled the curtain aside so she could look out the window. The rain was coming down pretty hard and the road looked as though it was slightly flooded. Buffy couldn't remember the last time she really enjoyed a good thunderstorm. So much had happened in her life from the time she was 15 that she really missed out on the little enjoyments in life. With everything that seems to happen to her and her friends, there was a very real possibility that this was the last time the four of them would ever be alone together.
"Penny for your thoughts," she heard a familiar English voice say behind her. Buffy smiled as she felt the hand gently on her shoulder. Giles was very much Buffy's adoptive father and also one of her closest friends. No matter how scared she could get (and she could still get scared), she could always count on Giles to be there to comfort her and to offer her words of advice.
"Just enjoying the storm," Buffy told him.
Giles smiled kindly and took in the beauty of the storm himself. "There certainly is something relaxing about them, isn't there?"
"Sometimes."
"If I didn't know any better, Buffy, I would say there was something troubling you." Sometimes, it seemed Giles knew Buffy better than she did. He never really stopped being her Watcher, and she figured he probably never would. That made her a very lucky girl.
"Things just seem to be quiet," Buffy admitted. "That's never a good sign."
Giles removed his glasses and started to wipe at them with his handkerchief. "I've come to trust your instincts as well as your intuition over the years, Buffy. You have an almost sixth sense when it comes to danger. You're...spider-sense I believe you call it. But things have been quiet for a couple of weeks now. I would say you are just getting antsy."
"Remember that time in Sunnydale when we had that earthquake and I said it was a sign and you told me it wasn't and I was right?" Buffy rambled.
"I see your point," Giles relented. He put his glasses back on his face. "So what are your thoughts?"
"I wish I knew, Giles," Buffy answered. She felt a chill go down her spine. Someone just stepped on my grave, she thought. She looked up into Giles face and then gave him a big hug. "I'm scared, Giles. I'm really scared."
"So what do we watch first?" Xander eagerly asked while he searched through the pile of DVDs and video tapes. "I'm thinking comedy since we pretty much live horror on a day to day basis and, to be perfectly honest, what's the point of watching a scary movie when you don't get scared?"
"The man has a point," Buffy agreed. "So what do we have to watch, O' Mighty Knower of all things Hollywood?"
Xander listed off the names of the films and soon the four were watching the third chapter in a raunchy teen sex comedy series. Willow complained about everyone saying she looked like the female lead, and Giles complained about not really understanding the point of the film. Xander laughed like he was on nitrous oxide and Buffy just looked at her friends, happy she could share this moment with them. It was a rare moment, and each one of them came so close to not being able to share it with her. She even came close twice. But together the four of them could pull through anything. She not only believed that in her heart of hearts, but had proven it time and time again.
It was good to see them all so close, as though no time had passed. And they had all faced so much hurt and so much pain. Giles had lost Jenny, and then was tortured by her killer, who Buffy had once called lover. Willow had lost a love as well, and even went evil, almost destroying the world in the process. And Xander, sweet Xander, had lost Anya, his left eye, and almost his best friend. And here they were, laughing and arguing like nothing had ever happened.
And outside, the storm raged.
Kennedy stared out the window, watching the rain come down. She knew Willow was okay, but that didn't stop her from worrying about her wife. The storm was pretty bad and she really wished her love was here with her, but she understood the importance to Willow to just hang out with her closest friends.
"Is it me or did that storm just come from nowhere?" a young voice asked from the doorway.
Kennedy turned and smiled at her adoptive daughter. "It's just a storm, Ally," she assured her and herself at the same time. "You should be in bed. You have school in the morning."
"The thunder woke me up. I never cared for thunder."
"Me neither, but it's just a loud noise. Nothing to fear but your own fear."
Ally smiled. She was amazed at how far Kennedy had come in terms of being a mother. When Willow was around, she was like some nymphomaniac highschool student, but when it came down to it, Kennedy had an awesome mother's streak in her. And between her and Willow, Ally knew she never had anything to be afraid of. Yes, Ally was a very fortunate girl indeed.
"Is there something you wanted to say, honey?" Kennedy asked. Ally shook her head and ran over to her adoptive mother. She wrapped her arms around her and gave her a huge hug. Kennedy laughed and asked "What's that for?"
"That was for being you," Ally answered. "That was for being a great mother and a great friend. Good night."
Well, I'll be, Kennedy thought as Ally left the bedroom. She then turned her attention outside to the storm once more. I love you, Willow. Hope you're having fun with your friends, sweetie. I'll see you in the morn.
Kennedy pulled back the bed sheets, climbed into bed, and shut the lamp on her night stand off. Darkness filled the room with a few flashes of lightning illuminating it every few moments. Kennedy smiled to herself, closed her eyes, and fell asleep.
Buffy awoke with a start. As usual, their movie festival ended with the four of them falling asleep. Willow, who was sitting next to Buffy on the couch, was leaning against her. Xander was asleep on the floor, and Giles was passed out in Buffy's recliner. This looks all to familiar, Buffy thought. Oh well, as long as the first slayer doesn't try killing us again.
Lightning illuminated the room and thunder quickly followed. Buffy figured that the storm was probably what woke her. She usually awoke to thunder. The other three seemed to be sleeping soundly through it, however. Buffy chuckled to herself when she thought that Xander could probably sleep through anything. It was a good thing she pulled those spare blankets out earlier.
Buffy pulled the curtain aside so she could look out the window. The rain was coming down pretty hard and the road looked as though it was slightly flooded. Buffy couldn't remember the last time she really enjoyed a good thunderstorm. So much had happened in her life from the time she was 15 that she really missed out on the little enjoyments in life. With everything that seems to happen to her and her friends, there was a very real possibility that this was the last time the four of them would ever be alone together.
"Penny for your thoughts," she heard a familiar English voice say behind her. Buffy smiled as she felt the hand gently on her shoulder. Giles was very much Buffy's adoptive father and also one of her closest friends. No matter how scared she could get (and she could still get scared), she could always count on Giles to be there to comfort her and to offer her words of advice.
"Just enjoying the storm," Buffy told him.
Giles smiled kindly and took in the beauty of the storm himself. "There certainly is something relaxing about them, isn't there?"
"Sometimes."
"If I didn't know any better, Buffy, I would say there was something troubling you." Sometimes, it seemed Giles knew Buffy better than she did. He never really stopped being her Watcher, and she figured he probably never would. That made her a very lucky girl.
"Things just seem to be quiet," Buffy admitted. "That's never a good sign."
Giles removed his glasses and started to wipe at them with his handkerchief. "I've come to trust your instincts as well as your intuition over the years, Buffy. You have an almost sixth sense when it comes to danger. You're...spider-sense I believe you call it. But things have been quiet for a couple of weeks now. I would say you are just getting antsy."
"Remember that time in Sunnydale when we had that earthquake and I said it was a sign and you told me it wasn't and I was right?" Buffy rambled.
"I see your point," Giles relented. He put his glasses back on his face. "So what are your thoughts?"
"I wish I knew, Giles," Buffy answered. She felt a chill go down her spine. Someone just stepped on my grave, she thought. She looked up into Giles face and then gave him a big hug. "I'm scared, Giles. I'm really scared."