Chapter 3

It had been a couple of days since the bringers attacked the group. They continued training the potentials feverishly in hopes of having them more prepared should a large battle take place. All the while, Willow and Dawn researched with Giles as Kennedy pumped up her flirtatious ways garnering a few smiles from Willow. "So anyway, it took her awhile to get over being pulled from heaven, she was trying to find herself I think, and slept with Spike. Then when she tried to call things off, he," Xander looks down at the ground as he concludes a talk he and Faith had been having. "He tried to rape her and then got a soul as if that would gain him forgiveness."

"Well," Faith shakes her head. "From what I saw this mornin' she's forgiven him." She sizes Xander up with her eyes to gauge his reaction. "Redemption is a rough road Xan," she looks away from him knowing that part of him would never be able to forgive her for the things she'd done, although Buffy seemed to.

Xander, seeming to understand what she was feeling, tried to think of some sort of words to help. "You're human Faith; do you really think a soulless creature could want full redemption? He got the soul just because he thought it would make Buffy want him. That is a ploy not redemption." He stops speaking abruptly, knowing that he hadn't come up with any helpful words for the once dark slayer.

"We all want redemption for one thing or other Xan," she looks at him with a genuinely regret-filled look. "Some have a much bigger road of it cause they did bigger things is all but we all got reasons for what we did."

"I suppose your right. Like An, as I told you it's my fault she's a demon again so I feel that every vengeance act she performs is on my hands so to speak." He looks at Faith now with understanding remembering what a crush he had on the gorgeous woman. He sees something different in her now, no longer standing before him was a mixed up tough acting kid but an at peace tough acting woman.

"So, do you trust me enough to bail out of here for an hour or so to have a drink? You look wound as tight as B." She says and looks towards the back yard where everyone appears to be winding up their training, minus Kennedy who ended her session early. Willow had agreed to go have a drink and a few dances with the young slayer in training and Kennedy had to be ready.

Xander recalls the last time he and Faith had a conversation about being wound up and laughs aloud with a sheepish grin on his face. "You know what Faith, for some reason I think I do trust you enough."

She smiles at him, he'd changed a lot and the lines on his face showed it. One thing that she could tell remained a big part of Xander was that he was all too willing to help another person. 'You should've let him help you back then slayer" "Faith, did you change your mind?" Xander's question pulls her out of thought.

"Nah, lets jet," the two walk off together, as Willow and Kennedy come out the door.

(THE BRONZE)

Faith and Xander are sitting eating chicken wings and having drinks when Willow and Kennedy come in. "There's a sight for sore eyes," Faith shrugs. "I hope Red will be okay with this. That slayer-wanna-be's been puttin' the make on her big time."

"Yeah, I know Will has to move on but…" Xander trails off deciding a shrug of the shoulders is better than bad mouthing Kennedy.

"Hey, I'm gonna go out here and dance," Faith gestures to the group of dancing people letting Xander know it's fine if he wants to join her.

Willow and Kennedy sit with Pepsi's, burgers and fries. Kennedy is talking about how nice it is that they finally get to spend a little quality time together with all the busyness around the house and such cramping things. Willow is finding her eyes drawn to Faith rather than listening to the potential. She remembers sitting and watching her dance in their high school days and how she had a major crush on the slayer. "Willow?" Kennedy questions and follows Willow's eyes to Faith. "Oh, are you surprised to see the two of them together?"

Willow surveys the two, they were dancing among several others so not together really but she supposed it wouldn't be so bad if they were. "Yeah that's what it is." Willow smiles apologetically to Kennedy. "I just wonder if Anya will be all right with it."

"She's the snarky demon right?" Kennedy asks wondering how she could get the courage to ask Willow to dance.

"Long story there," Willow says not feeling in the mood to call Anya any type of name anymore. "She helped me a lot since my trek into the dark magic though."

"Well how about we go dance and you can fill me in on the magic stuff." Kennedy offers with a smile on her face.

"Sure," Willow says unenthusiastically.

The two begin dancing close to where Faith and Xander are dancing. "I need to run and call Buffy," Xander says. "I forgot to tell her a few things for Giles."

"Sure thing X-man," Faith says cocking an eyebrow at Kennedy who had been giving her a not so pleasant look. "Do you mind if I mess with the kid?"

"Not at all but wait till I get back so I can watch." Xander laughs and heads to get his cell phone.

Kennedy is rambling on about their next date, which makes Willow a little uneasy. She is having a decent time but is nowhere near ready to start building something big. Especially not with Kennedy, who seems to brush her off every time she tries to talk about Tara. As Kennedy continues her rambling and Willow tries to take it all lightly to not get to nervous or withdrawn, she feels hands slide around her from behind. She had just moments ago, told Kennedy that fast dancing next to each other was best to start out with as she was still a bit skittish on dating. She started to tense up when she saw Kennedy looking behind her. She then found herself being spun around and looking into the deep brown eyes of the slayer. "Hey Red, whatcha say you give me your first dance." Faith smiles at the wiccan who looks shocked, as Kennedy huffs off the dance floor. "You don't need to be dancin' with a child anyhow Red; you need a real woman to show you a thing or two." Faith manages to keep her laughter inward as she flirts until Kennedy is well out of earshot.

Willow just looks at Faith not knowing what to say but finding herself allowing the slayer to lead her across the dance floor. "Um," she looks down at her shoes.

"See I made you blush, then will come a smile. That's what I call relaxation." Faith says triumphantly and begins to dance provocatively to the beat of the faster song that just started. "C'mon Red let's have some fun."

"Some things never change," Willow smiles at the free spirited woman. She was glad that she no longer saw coldness in her eyes. "I'm surprised Xander came here with you though. He tends to hold grudges longer than the rest of us."

"I'm surprised too but it's not a date or anything. I needed to chill," she looks the crowd over and sees Xander watching Kennedy who is boiling mad. "He seemed like he did too."

"Yeah, he messed up big time with Anya." Willow wonders where Anya is, as she hasn't seen her since yesterday.

"He told me about that, we've got company Red." Faith motions to Kennedy who is coming back to the dance floor. "She's not for you huh."

"I don't know that anyone is to be honest. I miss Tara so much and I-I well I just can't see myself with anyone but her. It's too hard to think about it because if I get happy with someone, I have to let go of Tara." Willow's Face turns a little downcast.

"You don't have to let go Red. She will always be with you but you can find room for a little happiness," Faith smiles as Kennedy makes her way to them.

"May I cut in?" She tries to be as polite as she can.

"Nobody cuts in on Faith's action," the slayer retorts giving Willow a big grin.

"The cops will," Kennedy says smugly, pointing to a group of officers bursting into the club.

"Kennedy if you called the police and I find out," Willow's face now shows anger, as Xander rushes up to them.

"We've got to get you out of here Faith." They all head for the back but one grabs hold of Faith as another fires a gun.

"Demons!" Faith shouts, pulls out a sword and guts one then grabbing his gun. "Red get Xander out of here now!"

The demons begin to assault Xander, Kennedy and Willow. "What do you mean get me out of here," he shouts, as Willow pushes him out the door. "I can take care of myself Will!" He's knocked to the ground as Kennedy stops one from getting hold of Willow.

"Run!" Willow shouts and that is what they all do, as Buffy shows up to help Faith.

(SUMMERS HOME)

"You should have known better then to take them out on the town when there is all this evil-vampy stuff going on!" Buffy shouts at Faith and then smacks her across the face.

Xander and Willow stand mouths agape, waiting for the volatile slayer to strike back but Faith stands unmoving and doesn't say a word. "Kennedy is the one who took me, not Faith." Willow decides to speak up.

"That's right and I'm a big boy Buff," Xander adds, as Kennedy comes over and puts her arm around Willow.

"Faith is a slayer; she should have taken charge and said no." Buffy says defiantly.

"For what it's worth, Buffy is right." Kennedy adds. "Faith was to busy flirting on my girl to do her slayer duties." With that, she kisses Willow.

Willow stands frozen at the touch of Kennedy's lips to hers. A feeling of overwhelming dread creeps its way up inside her until she feels as if she is going to suffocate. She feels like she is betraying Tara and then she sees her. She is standing beside the tree with a horrified look on her face. "Willow how could you do this to me!" Willow begins to shudder at seeing her beloved Tara so hurt, then the tears started to fall.

"No Tara don't go!" She shouts as Tara disappears and Willow, with lightening speed, races off down the street.

"You little bitch!" Faith says and slaps Kennedy across the face, thus knocking her to the ground. "She's not ready, look what you've done!"

"I agree with that," Buffy says and sprints off after Willow.

"If Will gets hurt Ken, you better hope I get my hands on you before B does." Faith too goes off after the women.

"Kennedy, though I think you have behaved a little bit like Dawn tonight, I think this is the work of the first and you better pray they figure it out before Buff goes all slayerie on you or Faith rebuilds her psycho-girl image." Xander walks off leaving the young girl standing there in total shock and remorse.

(WILLOW RUNNING)

Thoughts of Tara swirl through Willow's head as she runs through the streets of Sunnydale; not caring in the least of what danger may present itself around the corner. She is crying a river of tears, as Warren pops up in front of her. "You know what you need to do to get them Willow, bang, bang bang!" He says as she drops to her knees, struggling for breath and sobbing.

"B," Faith motions off to the side of a dark street.

"She looks like she's gonna have a breakdown." Buffy says sadly, wishing that her friend could heal and find some sort of happiness in her life no matter who it is with.

Before either slayer can react, Willow's eyes go black and she is taking off down the street encircled by a big wind that is taking out trees and other things in its path. "This is not wicked cool," Faith states looking at Buffy for a sign of what to do.