Standing on the Edge of Tomorrow II: The Rising Sun

Previously:

"What's going on?" Kara asked in confusion. "Why am I handcuffed?"

"You don't remember anything?" Buffy asked, kneeling down beside her and taking her hand in hers.

Kara shook her head. "No."

Chapter Eighteen:

Kennedy silently watched as Buffy and Callum filled Kara in on all of the events of the passed several weeks. Just minutes ago, Willow had woken up in the hospital and informed Tara that Kara had been her attacker. Tara immediately called to relay the news. Buffy and Callum were now in the process of gently telling Kara that she had stabbed Willow and nearly killed her. Kennedy watched as her girlfriend's eyes filled up with tears. Callum pulled her into his arms and she cried against his chest. Kennedy felt her heart constrict.

Kara had loved Callum deeply. Death had been the only thing able to separate them and now that Callum was alive again, Kennedy was afraid she would lose the woman she had grown to love more than anything. Sighing, she turned and walked into the kitchen, where Joyce, Dawn, and Spike were waiting. "I'm going to head out for a while, I'll be back later," she said, grabbing her gym bag.

"Are you sure that's a good idea? Won't Kara want to see you?" Dawn asked, wondering why Kennedy was taking off.

Kennedy smiled sadly for a moment, her eyes unfocused. "No, I don't think she will," she said and then slipped out of the back door.

"What was that all about?" Dawn asked as she watched Kennedy slip away into the predawn light of the early morning.

Spike watched her as well, a grim look on his face. "She thinks Kara won't want her anymore now that Callum is back," Spike answered.

"That's ridiculous...isn't it?" Dawn asked, looking at her mother and boyfriend.

Joyce smiled and pushed back out of her chair, heading over to the kitchen sink to wash out some mugs. "I don't know," she said. "I guess we'll find out."

...............................

Faith and Angel burst out of the bar laughing hysterically, though neither of them could remember what was so particularly hilarious. It was nearly dawn and gray light spilled over the horizon. "We better get you home," Faith said, as she and Angel both leaned on each other for support. "B will kill me if I drag you home as a crispy critter." They had spent the better part of the evening ruthlessly engaged in a competition to see who could hold more alcohol. Though Faith had won, neither of them really cared by the end of the evening. They were too drunk to care about much more than trying to walk without tripping over themselves, or each other.

"I think she's going to be angry anyway," Angel replied, with a goofy grin perpetually plastered on his face.

"Oh yeah? Why's that?" Faith asked, her speech more than a little slurred.

"I was supposed to bring you back, remember?" Angel said. "I really didn't do that."

"No, you really didn't," Faith said, laughing a bit. "You're in trouble," she mocked.

"So are you," Angel shot back. Faith stopped laughing.

"Damn, I probably am," she muttered. She stopped walking suddenly, her face looking a little green. "I don't feel so good."

Angel held her hair back as she vomited into a gutter, heaves wracking her body. "You're okay," he muttered softly. "I've got you."

Faith leaned back against him once she had finished. "I don't wanna walk anymore," she said lowly, her eyes partially closed. Angel smiled and in one swift motion, picked Faith up. She rested her head against his chest and wrapped her arms around his neck.

"I think I've got a solution for that," he said and brushed a strand of her hair away from her face. Then he started walking back to Joyce's house, carrying Faith. He reached the front door just as the sun was starting to peak over the horizon. He knocked quickly and the door flew open.

"Hey," Callum said, ushering Angel in. "Cutting it close, are we?"

"I lost track of time," Angel muttered sheepishly, now nearly sober from the walk and the slight fear that he might not make it there on time.

"Obviously," Callum smirked. Then he looked at Faith. "Is she okay?"

"Yeah, she passed out on the way home. We got a little drunk," Angel said shrugging. "Where should I put her?"

"Upstairs. Buffy was waiting all night, but she just went to sleep an hour ago," Callum replied. Angel nodded and carried Faith up the stairs. He reached Buffy's bedroom door and paused. He hadn't known Faith very well before he came back to Sunnydale, however, after spending the night talking and drinking with her, he felt as if he had grown much closer to the once renegade slayer. Any doubts he had about her love for Buffy had been quashed. Though he would always love the blonde slayer, he wanted her to be happy. He knew she would be happy with Faith.

He quietly pushed open the door and stepped inside of the room. It was dark inside. Buffy had pulled the curtains across the window and the lights were off. Nevertheless, Angel could see perfectly in the dark. He quickly walked over to the bed where Buffy was lying and deposited Faith next to her. Then, he vanished from the room and closed the door behind him. Faith stirred slightly and rolled over, pressing the length of her body against Buffy's back. She rested her head in the crook of Buffy's neck and smiled slightly when the older girl moved back against her, snuggling closer. Faith opened her eyes and looked around the room. It was morning, she could tell from the light filtering in through she shades, but only darkness greeted her eyes.

..............................

Spike sat down heavily next to Kara and offered her one of his cigarettes. She silently took one and lit it with Spike's lighter. "Didn't think you smoked, pet," Spike said, lighting up one for himself.

Kara shrugged. "Seems like a good a time as any to start," she muttered.

"You know, none of this is your fault. Cassius made you do everything," Spike pointed out. Kara had disappeared into the basement shortly after Buffy and Callum had finished talking to her. She hadn't come up since and though everyone was worried about her, only Spike had the courage to go down to talk to her. The others didn't want to upset her any further.

"It was still me though," Kara replied. "Every time Willow sees me now, she's going to see the person who stabbed her."

"She'll get over that," Spike said. "She knows what happened now, Tara filled her in."

"What about Faith? Apparently, I said some pretty shitty things to her. She hasn't come back yet. She won't even be able to look at me when she does," Kara said dejectedly. She took a drag off the cigarette and inhaled the smoke deeply. It filled her lungs and she suppressed the urge to cough. Grimacing, she pressed the cigarette out against the wall.

Spike chuckled to himself and wrapped his arm around Kara. She leaned into him and closed her eyes, letting the silence wash over her. "Things are gonna be okay," Spike finally said. "Yeah, things will be awkward for a while. But they'll go back to normal soon enough."

"Thanks," Kara said, looking up at him.

"For what?" He asked.

"Everyone else is afraid of me. They're afraid to look at me, afraid to talk to me, afraid I might break if they say the wrong thing. Thanks for not acting weird around me," Kara replied, smiling slightly when Spike did.

"No problem," he said. "So what do you think about Callum being back?"

"I don't know," Kara replied. "It's kinda weird. I mean, he's been dead all this time. Now he's one of the Powers that Be. How am I supposed to feel about that?"

Spike shrugged. "I don't rightly know," he said, his voice sad. "Kennedy ducked out a while ago," he added.

Kara looked up at him suddenly. "Kennedy was here?" She asked. "Why didn't she come to see me?"

"I don't think she was so sure you wanted to see her," Spike said.

"What do you mean?"

"She's afraid you'll leave her for Callum," Spike replied bluntly. Kara sighed in frustration and stood up, pacing slightly.

"Did she go home?" She asked, turning back to Spike. He nodded. "I don't think I can see her," Kara said softly.

"Why not?" Spike asked.

"She must be disgusted by me. How can she still want to be with me when Cassius slept with her in my body?"

"You're really not getting this are you?" Spike asked, walking over to her. "Everyone understands that it wasn't you, Kara. Why can't you understand that?"

Kara's eyes sparkled with tears as she looked up at Spike. "I don't know," she admitted, her voice slightly strangled.

Spike pulled her into a hug. "Go see her, pet. She needs you right now and I have a feeling you need her too."

Kara nodded against his chest and pulled away, quickly wiping her eyes. "I'll be back later," she said and ran up the stairs. Spike watched her go and dropped his cigarette on the floor, stamping it out with his shoe. The tip flared red for a moment before dying.