"What are you doing here?" Kennedy asked, surprise evident in her face.

"I um...was here and I knew you lived here now so...Can I come in?" She gave Kennedy a kind of awkward smile.

"Yes, of course, please." She moved to the side to let Willow in. Then, closed the door. "So how long have you been in the city?"

Willow turned away from looking around at Kennedy's apartment. "Not long. I was in Cleveland helping Buffy and Dawn move. Dawnie's graduated from college and they wanted to move back to Italy. We all went to see off. It was a thing."

"That's great. Things must be going real well than, huh?"

"Yeah, they are. Are you doing, you know, okay?" Willow looked at her, hoping desperately that her Slayer had been doing fine. It had been a year and half since the two woman had spoken to one another. A year and half since that night in Cleveland...

Willow sat the box down on her best friend's new living room floor. "Xander, I think it's great. Moving here will be good for you."

Xander came in and he too laid his boxes down. "Yeah, I hope. It's a change."

"Well, change isn't always bad."

"I hope not," he replied through a sigh.

"Plus, it's not like it's the biggest change you've faced over the last couple of years." Just then Dawn came in, a baby boy in her arms.

"Xander, does he always make that noise?" Dawn asked the boy's father.

"That's his hungry coo. Here, give him here." Dawn handed him the baby. "It's okay, daddy's got you. Will, did you put the formula in the fridge?"

"Yeah." Xander headed for the kitchen. "So, Dawnie, I never did ask. How went your finals?" She asked as she headed back out to the truck to get more stuff.

"I did good. I got B's on like all of them. Buffy hugged me and hung them on the refrigerator." She picked up another box.

"Aw, she's just being mothery. She hates the fact that you're growing up."

"Well, I can't exactly stop it."

"No, you really can't."

"So, um...how are you?" Willow looked at her as if confused. "I mean with the whole being single thing. Has she called since you, you know...left."

Willow became sad, but answered. "I'm okay. When I was in the astral plane it was like nothing mattered. Like I was free from all pain and sorrow. It was nice. But then...I came back and she wasn't there. I realized she wasn't waiting for me." Willow lowered her head.

"I'm sorry, Will. How long has it been?"

"Like eleven months since I last saw her."

"Is she showing up for the orientation tomorrow?"

"I'm not even sure if she knows about the Slayer school. I mean, I guess she knew it was always an option. Finding and bringing Slayers together was our whole reason for being in Sao Paulo, but...I don't know."

"Are you hoping she'll come?"

Willow sighed. "I don't know."

That night after Dawn and Willow had Xander and his son settled in they and Buffy went out to eat.

"Too bad Xander and the baby couldn't come," Dawn said, downing another fry.

"Well, Dawnie, he has a baby now." Willow thought about what she just said. "That's still weird."

"Yeah, it is," Buffy agreed. "I still look at all of us like we're sixteen. I can't really quite wrap my mind around the idea of him having a child."

"What happened to the boy's mother again?" Dawn asked.

"She died or something. Xander's kinda been avoiding the subject," Willow replied.

"I'm just...He just showed up one day with a baby. How does that happen? I mean, I know how that can happen, but...do you think it's really his?"

"Dawnie, maybe you should stop thinking about this so hard. All that's important is that Mikhail's his responsibility now and I think Xander can handle it," Buffy said.

"There definitely isn't a better person for the job," Willow stated.

"Definitely not," the other two agreed.

Just then, Faith slipped into the booth beside Dawn. "What's up?" She greeted.

"Hey, Faith," they greeted back.

"How is everyone?"

"We're good," Buffy answered. "What are you so pumped about?"

"I think tomorrow she's hoping to do a little "reconnecting" with a former Sunnydale High principal," Dawn said.

"Oh, that's right, Mr. Tall, Dark and Handsome is coming to the opening tomorrow," Buffy said.

"Ooh..." Willow mocked.

"Okay, I've had enough of this abuse. Where's the Xandman and his half-pint?"

"They stayed back at their new place. The baby was tired."

"I think it was more the Xander was tired," Willow said. They all smiled.

"Yeah, probably," Buffy said. "And speaking of tired, Dawnie we should get home. You have classes tomorrow."

"Yes, mother." Buffy glared at her sister and got up.

"You are such a pain in my ass." She put their portion of the bill on the table. "Okay, Faith, Will, I'll see you tomorrow."

"Bye, Buff," Faith and Willow said.

"Bye, guys," Dawn said.

"Bye."

When they were gone Willow finished her meal and was about to leave too, but Faith stopped her.

"Hey, Red, can we talk for a second?"

Willow got serious. "Of course, is there something wrong?"

"No, no. Nothing. ...Well, maybe. I sort of did something."

"Did something like what?...Oh, god, you didn't kill anyone, did you?" Faith glared at her. "What, fair question."

"Yeah, you're right, but no I didn't wack anyone. It's about tomorrow. ...About attendants of tomorrow." Willow gave her a "yeah" look and she continued. "About a certain Slayer that you used to be with."

Willow looked at her, trying to comprehend what she was saying. Then, it sunk in. "You invited her?"

"Yes. I just thought that...She was one of those first potentials to show up apparently. She was one of the best fighters and the two of you found a lot of Slayers together. I just thought that..."

"It's okay, Faith. You can stop. You're right, she deserves to be here. She's more than earned it." Willow looked down, sadly. "Do you know when she's coming?"

"She's already here."

Willow head jerked up instantly. "What!"

"She's staying at that hotel over on Fourth. Room 25."

Willow got up and walked out the exit.

Kennedy was still ringing out her freshly washed hair when she heard the knock at the door.

'Faith,' she thought.

"Hold on a sec," she called to the visitor. She walked out of the bathroom and into the room. She opened the door and was shocked to see the person standing on the other side of the door was Willow. Kennedy's plan for the next day was going to be to avoid her. This was definitely not expected.

"Why are you here?" Kennedy asked.

"I wanted to see you. Faith said you were here."

"Damn it, Faith."

"Were you gonna hide it from me?" She asked, irritated and walked pass Kennedy into the room.

"I was gonna try."

"Why?"

"Why? Are you kidding?"

"Damn it, Kennedy!"

Kennedy was shocked by the level of anger in Willow's voice. "Don't raise your voice."

"I can do what I want," she said, loudly.

"Fine, say whatever the fuck you want. I don't care!" Her voice was loud now too.

"God! You are so freakin' stubborn," Willow shouted.

"I'm stubborn!"

"Yes, and stop shouting!" Willow commanded, shouting.

"Fine!"

"Fine!" Willow shouted back. Then, she walked over to Kennedy and kissed her. The kiss was passionate and full of fire. She pulled away moments later. "Crap."

"Damn it, Willow. What do you want from me?" She wasn't screaming anymore. "What do you want?" It was a plea.

"I want you." Kennedy looked into her eyes for a minute and then leaned in and kissed her. They moved backwards onto the bed.